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IAG signed a letter of intent for the 200 Boeing 737 Max. It was also planned for use in London Gatwick. And this is exactly where there are harsh cuts.
Since the 737 Max launched in March 2019, Boeing has received firm orders for just 37 model aircraft. Sun Express, Southwest Airlines, ordered ten of them, the remaining customers remained anonymous. By contrast, the number of canceled 737 Maxs has long been triple digits: Boeing had to take 150 copies of its books in March alone.
The American aircraft maker will be more pleased that there is still a great letter of intent for the 737 Max. It comes from the summer of 2019 from British Airways and Iberia, mother of IAG. At that time, CEO Willie Walsh first declared his interest in the plane in an interview with aeroTELEGRAPH and then signed the so-called Letter of Intent for 200 copies of the Boeing 737 Max at the Paris Air Show.
Walsh is committed to the Boeing 737 Max
Therefore, IAG provided Boeing with a strong vote of confidence, in exchange for lavish discounts. And this continued despite repeated delays in approving the 737 Max in February 2020. Walsh then said that IAG was still “fully committed” to the contract, even if the final decision rests with its successor.
However, the situation has changed significantly since February. European aviation is on the ground due to the crown pandemic, including IAG airlines’ fleets. Willie Walsh has therefore postponed his departure as CEO. Although he will continue to lead the aviation giant for now, his appointed successor, Luis Gallego, will initially continue to be Iberia’s boss. Given the crisis, British Airways alone is expected to cut 12,000 of its 42,000 jobs.
British Airways’ Max should go to Gatwick
The cuts also put a question mark behind the British Airways base at London Gatwick Airport. “Our operations in Gatwick and the City of London are now closed and it is not certain when these services may return,” the airline wrote to unionists last week. For cabin equipment in Gatwick alone, about 1,100 of 1,900 jobs will be cut.
This is significant in relation to the Boeing 737 Max because aircraft destined for British Airways must be parked there. It could use the planes at Vueling, Level and British Airways at Gatwick Airport, Walsh said in the aeroTELEGRAPH interview. After signing, the group reaffirmed their intention. The group did not explain which airline received how many planes.
Orders are still open on Airbus
Of course, IAG could also use the 737 Max for Gatwick at other airports and other airlines. “It would make less sense to Iberia, or to Aer Lingus,” said Walsh. The group also has time: deliveries were previously planned for 2023 to 2025. However, with the current contraction rate in the industry, it is questionable whether IAG is still willing and able to pull out the 200 jets.
A look at firm orders for short and medium-range airlines shows that IAG had open orders for 29 Airbus A320 Neo (ten for British Airways, nine for Iberia and ten for Vueling) and 39 Airbus A321 Neo (four for British Airways) at end of March, 15 for Iberia, 14 for Vueling and six for Aer Lingus). However, the company was not satisfied with the delays of the European aircraft manufacturer. At Boeing, only Air Europa, recently acquired by IAG, has an order for 20 737 Max open.
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