New Caribbean Airline Orders 20 737 Max Aircraft to Kickstart Operations

The Dominican Republic's newest carrier has chosen a side in the eternal Airbus/Boeing rivalry, opting for the 737 Max as their steed of choice in the Caribbean market. 

The company selected the higher-capacity 737-8-200, which will pack nearly 200 passengers into a plane the size as a regular, 189-seat 737-800. While less than optimum for larger customers hungry for plenty of legroom, the 737 should make it easier to turn a profit while in the early growth stage for Arajet. The airline plans to purchase another 15 jets, which would take their total fleet to around 40 airplanes within the near future. In a launch event at its first hub in Santo Domingo, Arajet announced the intention to use their new Boeing craft to "efficiently serve a large number of traditional and underserved markets in the continental United States, Brazil, Colombia and beyond," attributing the capability to the increased range of the Max. 

"The 737 MAX is the perfect fit for Arajet and it's an honor to welcome this exciting new operator to the Boeing family," said Mike Wilson, vice president of sales for Boeing's Latin America & Caribbean region. "Flying an exclusive 737 MAX fleet will enable Arajet to save on fuel, maintenance and operations costs, and pass those savings on to its customers."

Arajet executives are similarly excited. Victor Pacheco Mendez, CEO, said: "These partners believe in our vision and see the same bright future for this market and beyond. The entire team was elated to see our first aircraft arrive in Santo Domingo a few days ago, and we are eager to expand our fleet with more of these amazing jets in the months ahead."

FMI: www.boeing.com