Boeing has informed Alaska Airlines of anticipated delays in the delivery of its 737 MAX and 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, pushing timelines beyond their originally contracted schedules. This news, detailed in Alaska Airlines’ recent Form 10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, underscores the ongoing challenges Boeing faces in its production processes, affecting not only Alaska Airlines but also its recently acquired subsidiary, Hawaiian Airlines. The delays are expected to impact the carrier’s fleet expansion and modernization plans, with ripple effects extending as far as 2029.
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Alaska Airlines, a major operator of Boeing aircraft, relies heavily on the 737 MAX family for its narrowbody fleet, while Hawaiian Airlines has incorporated the 787-9 Dreamliner into its widebody operations. According to the filing, Alaska anticipates receiving nine 737 MAX 8 aircraft and eight 737 MAX 9 aircraft in 2025, with a total of 74 firm orders slated for delivery between 2025 and 2029. However, Boeing’s communication indicates that some of these aircraft will arrive later than planned. Similarly, Hawaiian Airlines, which currently operates two 787-9s and has ten more on order, expects three deliveries in 2025, two in 2026, and four in 2027, though these timelines are now subject to adjustment. The extended delivery schedule reflects Boeing’s struggles with production bottlenecks, exacerbated by supply chain issues and heightened regulatory scrutiny.
The roots of these delays can be traced back to a series of setbacks Boeing has encountered over the past year. A notable incident in January 2024, when a door plug blew out mid-flight on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9, triggered widespread grounding of the MAX 9 fleet and intensified oversight from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This event, coupled with labor strikes that disrupted Boeing’s operations in late 2024, has hampered the company’s ability to meet its delivery commitments. The 737 MAX 10, a variant Alaska has ordered 17 off for delivery in 2027, remains uncertified, further complicating the airline’s growth strategy. Meanwhile, the 787 Dreamliner program has faced its own challenges, including parts shortages and quality control concerns, slowing the production ramp-up.
For Alaska Airlines, these delays mean a reassessment of its operational plans. The carrier reported that the labor strikes alone impacted its capacity growth in the final quarter of 2024, and with fewer aircraft arriving on schedule, it may struggle to meet demand on key routes. Hawaiian Airlines, aiming to modernize its fleet for long-haul routes, also faces setbacks in optimizing its network with the fuel-efficient 787-9. Boeing, for its part, has acknowledged these issues but has not provided a detailed timeline for resolution, leaving airlines to adapt to an uncertain future. This situation is not unique to Alaska Airlines. Other carriers, such as Southwest Airlines and American Airlines, have reported similar adjustments to their fleet strategies due to Boeing’s delivery delays. As Boeing works to address its production challenges, the aviation industry watches closely, aware that these delays could reshape airline operations and passenger experiences for years to come.