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| Photo Blue Air |
The leasing giant, Air Lease Corporation has confirmed the delivery of the first of an order of 10 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to the Romanian airline Blue Air. These 737 aircraft are powered by CFM LEAP-1B25 engines and are placed on a long term lease with the carrier as it rapidly expands its European and short-haul route network. The nine further jets are scheduled to be delivered to Blue Air between April 2021 and the end of 2022.
“Today marks a new milestone in Blue Air’s journey. The delivery of this first of ten Boeing 737-8s comes in line with our airline’s commitment to provide European customers The Better Way to Fly. As we increasingly acknowledge the responsibility of the airline industry for a greener future, Blue Air joins the airline community as an active player in delivering the lowest carbon emissions known to date by a narrow-body passenger aircraft. The accelerated replacement of our classic fleet is ensured by the long-lasting strategic partnership with Air Lease Corporation as Blue Air’s main lessor. A special acknowledgement and thanks goes to the ALC team that made this delivery possible amid these challenging COVID times. This and the next projected deliveries will ensure Blue Air’s resilience and will secure our company position as the main Romanian player in the passenger aviation market,” said Cristian Rada, Majority Shareholder of Blue Air.
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| Photo Blue Air |
Both companies are deliberately dropping the ill-fated troubled MAX name from the aircraft designation, hoping that the travelling public will not associate the aircraft with the two fatal crashes that saw a global grounding of the jets over prolonged safety issues. Blue Air currently has six Boeing 737-800s and one Boeing 737-700 on long-term lease from ALC.
