United considering A321neo order as 737 Max 10 certification stalls

United Airlines CE Scott Kirby acknowledges that the US carrier is considering a potential order of Airbus A321neos to replace previously ordered Boeing 737 Max 10s – certification of which remains in limbo. During the JP Morgan Industrials Conference on 12 March, Kirby said shifting to A321neos is possible – but only if “we get a deal where the economics work”. He says United is considering that option due to delays to the 737 Max 10’s certification, and Boeing’s related production and quality issues. “As much as I would like those deliveries, this is not a 12-month issue,” Kirby adds of Boeing. “This is a two-decade issue.” The carrier currently has six A321neos in service and 174 more on order, according to Cirium fleets data. It holds orders for nearly 350 737 Max, including hundreds of Max 10s. United’s deals with Boeing call for 80 737 Max 10 deliveries this year, 71 in 2025 and 126 in the following years through 2033. But with certification of the largest variant of Boeing’s next-generation narrowbodies likely pushed into 2025, United recently removed those jets from its fleet plan. <br/>