While concerns continue to swirl around the Boeing 737 Max 8, South Korea’s biggest LCC Jeju Air has announced a US$4.4 billion purchase of 40 units of the jet, the biggest contract for a single aircraft type by an airline in the country.
The purchase contract includes an option to buy an additional 10 aircraft, and Jeju Air estimates it will take delivery of the planes between 2022 and 2026.
According to Jeju Air, the order is expected to help the company maintain its cost competitiveness.
The new planes will be deployed on popular international routes, with no further details on the routes available at press time.
The largest order comes amid a boom in outbound budget travel from South Korea, with six of the country’s budget carriers seeing a quadrupling of passengers international routes to 20.3 million in 2017, Reuters reported, quoting the country’s transport ministry.
