Skift Take
Boeing 737 Max updates, a doubling down on basic economy and soaring Mediterranean demand defined United's fourth quarter earnings call.
United Airlines is reevaluating its fleet plan due to Boeing 737 Max 10 delays, the carrier’s CEO said in a call with analysts on Tuesday.
“We are taking it out of our internal plans,” United CEO Scott Kirby said during the call. “We’ll be working on what that means with Boeing. But Boeing is not going to be able to meet their contractual deliveries on at least many of those airplanes.”
Earlier in the day, Kirby expressed his frustrations with the delays in an interview with CNBC. The Max 10, along with Max 7, have yet to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Mike Leskinen, United’s chief financial officer, said on the call that the carrier had 107 aircraft deliveries scheduled for 2024, but after the Max 9 grounding, it is now “unrealistic” that those planes will arrive on time.
The United CFO also added that United is expecting a reduction in orders and deliveries from Boeing in 2025.
“We're monitoring the MAX 10 closely, and we're rooting for it and we'll do everything we can to help that aircraft get certified,” Leskinen said. “It's a great aircraft. But we can't count on it.”
United plans to turn its attention to the Airbus A350, a widebody jet, as it rem