Amid a flurry of activity on day one of the Paris Air Show, Indonesia’s largest budget carrier Lion Air has again been raising eyebrows with another mega order.
It has agreed to buy 50 of Boeing’s new MAX 10 single-aisle aircraft for about $6.2 billion at list prices.
Lion has signed a MOU for the jets and still needs to be finalised.
"Lion Air Group was the first in the world to put the 737 Max 8 into service and the first to order the 737 Max 9, and we continue to lead the way again with this commitment for 50 737 Max 10s and to help launch the latest version of the 737," Lion Air Group president director Edward Sirait said.
Lion Air’s Malaysia based unit Malindo Airlines was the first commercial airline to launch scheduled services with the Boeing 737 Max 8 single-aisle jet last month.
The MAX 10 was chosen for its range, fuel-efficiency and passenger capacity, the airline said.
This order will take to nearly 500 the number of aircraft in the pipeline for Lion Air from both Boeing and Airbus.
It currently has a fleet of more than 100 planes and is the second largest budget carrier in Southeast Asia behind AirAsia.
"Boeing is honored that the 737 family of airplanes continues to play an integral role in the Lion Air Group’s fleet and growth strategy," said Kevin McAllister, chief executive of Boeing Commercial.
