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Boeing has ended the week on a high by securing an order for ten more of its 737 MAX 8 narrowbody twinjets from major African operator Air Algérie. The Algerian flag carrier has shaken hands with the US planemaker on a deal that will see it take up aircraft from an unused GOL order, allowing it to get its hands on them quicker than a typical purchase. It had already put its name down for the larger MAX 9 variant at the 2023 Paris Air Show.
Air Algérie is looking to modernize its fleet with the addition of these aircraft, which will also allow it to grow its network and improve its passenger experience. The first batch of jets from this order is expected to arrive at the Algerian flag carrier this year, showing the fast pace at which modern aviation operates/
Ten New Jets
According to Reuters, the deal signed by Boeing and Air Algerie marks part of a wider national strategy to grow the civil aviation industry in the north African country. On this front, a statement issued by the airline and shared by the Algeria Project confirmed that the purchase had been made “in line with the President of the Republic’s directives for the development and modernization of civil air transport in Algeria.” The jets will arrive soon.
Indeed, Air Algérie’s statement also confirmed the delivery timelines associated with this order, saying that five jets are expected this year, with the first one coming as soon as July. Meanwhile, the other five are set to be delivered to the Algerian flag carrier next year, in 2027. In its statement, the airline went on to say:
“This initiative is part of the fleet modernization [and] network expansion [program], and improvements to the customer experience and onboard comfort. (…) [The] project is part of a comprehensive vision to support the evolution of the air transport sector.”
Reassigned From An Unused GOL Order
Despite its challenges, Boeing has a considerable backlog of orders for narrowbody twinjet aircraft from the 737 MAX family to work through. As such, it might come as a surprise to see that, having only just placed its latest order for ten examples of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 model, Air Algérie expects to begin receiving these jets within the next few months. However, there is a good reason for this: these aircraft were already built for another airline.
Indeed, the Algeria Project reported that they had initially been destined for GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, a low-cost carrier and long-time Boeing 737 family operator based in Brazil. However, it appears that the airline ultimately never chose to take these aircraft up, meaning that they could be kept flight-ready in Boeing’s inventory until a suitable customer came to take them off its hands. It has now found one in Air Algérie.
The Algerian flag carrier is already familiar with the previous-generation Boeing 737NG series, with fleet data made available by ch-aviation showing that it flies 25 examples of the best-selling 737-800 model. These are 16.7 years old on average, while its five short-fuselage 737-600s are even more senior, with a mean age of 23.9 years. On the cargo front, Air Algérie also flies two Boeing 737-700 Combi jets and one converted 737-800 freighter.
What Makes Air Algerie Such A Fascinating Airline?
Air Algerie is poised to capitalize on Algeria’s greater openness to the world and increased focus on tourism growth.
Air Algérie Already Has Orders For The MAX 9
Air Algérie’s new order for ten examples of the 
Boeing 737 MAX 8 actually represents the second time that it has made a purchase commitment to the US planemaker’s series of next-generation narrowbody twinjets. Indeed, as covered in a Boeing statement that was issued at the time, the Algerian flag carrier also made headlines at the 2023 Paris Air Show by putting its name down for eight examples of the larger 737 MAX 9 model.
Stan Deal, the President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said at the time in reference to the order that “the 737 MAX 9 is ideally suited for Air Algérie’s regional network, providing it with additional capacity and flexibility to operate seamlessly with its existing 737 fleet.” Deliveries are set to start in 2027.
