MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian GOL Airlines expands fleet converting 30 Boeing 737 MAX 8 to MAX 10

The airline says the advanced airplanes will help GOL meet its commitment to further enhance operational efficiency by flying a young, modern and safe fleet.

Boeing and GOL Airlines announced that the Brazilian carrier is adding the newest and largest member of the 737 MAX family with a new contract that converts 30 current MAX orders to the 737 MAX 10. GOL also placed a new order for 15 more MAX 8 airplanes, growing GOL’s total MAX orders to 135. The Brazilian airline says the advanced airplanes will help GOL meet its commitment to further enhance operational efficiency by flying a young, modern and safe fleet.

“This new order aligns with our strategic policy of reducing operating costs by operating a standardized fleet. We are confident that the 737 MAX 10 will offer significant competitive advantages for GOL and enable us to continue to modernize with new aircraft. This airplane will allow us to continue lowering the cost of air travel across Brazil, as well as support a larger network, allowing us to add new destinations,” said Paulo Kakinoff, Chief Executive Officer of GOL. “We look forward to flying the MAX and taking advantage of its efficiency and improved passenger comfort.”

A 737 MAX 10 will enable GOL to comfortably serve more than 30 additional passengers compared to its 737 MAX 8, which seats up to 186 passengers in the airline’s configuration. The additional capacity will provide GOL greater flexibility and a competitive cost advantage since the MAX 10 will have the lowest cost per seat of any single-aisle airplane in the market.

“Increased seat capacity per aircraft not only reduces the costs of providing passenger transportation, but also improves our ability to distribute passengers within our large domestic and growing international flight networks,” said Kakinoff.

GOL took delivery of its first 737 MAX airplane last month, kicking off a fleet renewal that will continue through 2028. The all-Boeing operator is set to be the largest MAX operator in Latin America.

“This order shows why GOL has been a pioneer in low-cost air travel in Brazil. The airline is always looking for ways to bring the best fares to its customers. GOL will be able to do just that with the 737 MAX 10’s additional capacity and unbeatable economics,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing for The Boeing Company. “We continue to see strong market demand for the largest MAX model thanks to the additional capacity and its unbeatable operating costs.”

The 737 MAX is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history, with 100 customers ordering more than 4,600 jets.