Canada's WestJet places order for 42 Boeing MAX 10 planes

Canada's WestJet Group said on Thursday it has placed an order with Boeing for 42 MAX 10 jets in a deal valued at $5.67b at list prices, adding to a number of narrowbody orders secured by the U.S. planemaker this year. Boeing has a year-end deadline to win regulatory approval for the jet model. Otherwise, it must meet new cockpit alerting requirements under a 2020 law, unless US Congress waives it. Boeing CE Dave Calhoun said earlier this month there was still a chance US regulators could approve the single aisle jet before the deadline, but some customers and analysts do not think there is enough time remaining for the FAA to complete certification tasks. Calhoun told Aviation Week in July that Boeing could be forced to cancel the MAX 10 over potential regulatory issues. "WestJet has full confidence in the aircraft and has protection plans in place in the unlikely event of a delay," the airline said, when asked about the MAX 10's certification prospects this year. The Calgary-based carrier now has more than 60 firm orders for the 737 MAX jets, Boeing's best-selling single-aisle airplane family. Boeing has booked large orders for the 737 MAX this year, including an order for 100 MAX 10 jets from Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL.N), speeding up the planemaker's recovery from successive crises caused by the pandemic and two plane crashes.<br/>