Monarch Airlines (1968) (London Luton) has ordered an additional fifteen B737-8s bringing its total order backlog with Boeing (BOE, Washington National) to forty-five of the type. The aircraft were previously attributed to an undisclosed customer.
"This is a momentous day for our business," Monarch's CEO Andrew Swaffield said. "The decision to exercise our option for an additional fifteen 737 Max 8 aircraft is a clear illustration of confidence in Monarch's future success. By the end of 2022, Monarch will have a completely new, modern fleet which will transform both the airline and the customer experience."
Monarch is using the MAX to replace its existing all-Airbus fleet of narrowbody jets made up of ten A320-200s and twenty-five A321-200s. In preparation for the delivery of its maiden MAX 8 during the second quarter of 2018, Monarch has leased a B737-800 from Turkey's Pegasus Airlines (PC, Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen) to allow for crew familiarization flights.
