China Development Bank Financial Leasing Boosts Boeing with Large 737 MAX 8 Order

China Development Bank Financial Leasing's aircraft leasing unit has placed an order for 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets. This deal comes at a crucial time for Boeing, which has faced a slowdown in Chinese orders, production strikes, and a challenging return to service for the MAX. The deliveries will occur between 2028 and 2031.

China Development Bank Financial Leasing's aircraft leasing division has made a significant move by ordering 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets. This order provides a substantial boost to Boeing amid a slowdown in Chinese orders and ongoing labor strikes.

The decline in publicly disclosed Boeing plane purchases by Chinese clients began in 2018 when Sino-U.S. trade relations soured, exacerbated by a lengthy return-to-service process for the MAX following two fatal crashes. This new order marks the largest purchase by a Chinese customer since China Southern Airlines' similar order in 2015.

Deliveries of these 737 MAX jets to CDB Aviation Lease are scheduled between 2028 and 2031. The order will enhance the proportion of next-generation aircraft in the leasing firm's fleet, according to a company statement. The deal follows a recent strike involving over 30,000 Boeing factory workers, which has disrupted production of the popular MAX aircraft and led to temporary suspensions for tens of thousands of employees.

This new MAX order is the second major transaction announced by China Development Bank Financial Leasing within a week. The firm recently disclosed a purchase of 80 Airbus A320neo planes, slated for delivery beginning in 2030.

(With inputs from agencies.)