Getting Back On Track? Boeing Delivers 1st Boeing 737 MAX To This Airline 6 Years Late

Vietjet will welcome its first Boeing 737 MAX this Sunday, marking nine years since it placed its initial order. A formal handover ceremony will take place at Boeing Field, with Vietnam’s president said to be in attendance.

Vietjet signed a deal with Boeing for 100 MAX aircraft back in 2016, with deliveries initially scheduled to begin in 2019. However, deliveries have repeatedly been pushed back following the MAX’s prolonged grounding and recent tariffs imposed by the US.

Vietjet To Take First Boeing 737 MAX Delivery

Credit: VietJet

The Vietnamese low-cost carrier will finally welcome the 737 MAX into its fleet six years later than planned. As an all-Airbus airline since it was founded in 2007, the 737 MAX is the first Boeing aircraft to join Vietjet’s fleet, marking a significant moment for the airline. The carrier has a commitment for 100 of the 737 MAX 8200 model, which is a higher-density version of the MAX 8, as well as 20 standard MAX 8s and 80 for the stretched MAX 10.

Boeing has maintained ties with Vietnam for three decades, going back to a 1995 deal for the Boeing 767-300ER. While Airbus aircraft presently dominate Vietnamese airline fleets, the landscape is changing, with Vietnam Airlines also recently finalizing a deal for 50 737 MAX aircraft.

According to a Reuters report, a source with knowledge of the matter said a second aircraft was likely to be delivered in October. The handover ceremony coincides with Vietnam President Luong Cuong’s visit to the United States for the 80th session of the UN General Assembly this week.

What Took So Long?

Credit: Shutterstock

After announcing its mega order with Boeing for 100 MAX aircraft in May 2016, Vietjet added another 100 planes to its orderbook at the 2018 Farnborough Air Show. At the time, the airline expected to take delivery of its first 100 airframes between 2019 and 2023, with its overall commitment valued at $24 billion.

This did not materialize primarily due to the global MAX grounding following two deadly crashes in October 2018 and March 2019, while the COVID pandemic further complicated matters. In 2023, the carrier said its Thai subsidiary — Thai Vietjet Air — would be the recipient of the first 12 planes later that year, but this never happened. US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on Vietnam earlier this year further set back deliveries, causing financing complications for Vietjet.

With everything progressing smoothly now, Vietjet’s investment in the US aerospace industry is likely to reach $65 billion, which includes its Boeing aircraft acquisitions alongside deals with GE Aerospace, Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney. Earlier this year, it also reached key financing deals with US institutions valued at over $4 billion for its fleet renewal program.

Future Fleet Plans

Credit: Airbus

Vietjet has outstanding orders for approximately 400 new aircraft from both Airbus and Boeing. It has up to 150 Airbus A321neos on order, and will also be expanding its widebody fleet with up to 40 new A330neos. This is in addition to the 200 narrowbody MAX aircraft from Boeing, as well as a deal for 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in the pipeline.

In May, the carrier revealed it would be transferring 50 of its 737 MAX 8s to Thai Vietjet Air. It could also provide aircraft for its joint venture Vietjet Qazaqstan, established in partnership with Qazag Air. As it stands, Vietjet has a total of 99 aircraft in its fleet, which includes its two leased COMAC ARJ 21s (or C909s) that joined the carrier in April.

The airline’s growth is certain to be rapid over the next few years, transforming Vietjet into a major regional player. Under its current schedule, the carrier will add an impressive 300 new aircraft to its fleet between 2025 and 2027. It has already been a meteoric rise for the Vietnamese LCC, which posted record revenues and passenger figures in 2024.