Brazilian airline Gol is ending 2024 with "good prospects" for adding capacity to its network, CE Celso Ferrer told Reuters, as planemaker Boeing delivered new 737 MAX aircraft this month after long delays. Gol, which is under bankruptcy protection in the United States, received three MAXs in December and expects to get another one in January, finally reaching the mark of 53 aircraft it had hoped to hit a year ago. The carrier filed for Chapter 11 in early 2024, hit by a fall in traffic due to COVID and delays in Boeing deliveries. Earlier this month, it said it would file an initial proposed reorganization plan with a U.S. court. "The delivery of these new aircraft will strengthen our operation. Our focus now is to make the most of the potential of our current fleet," Ferrer said. The new aircraft, initially slated for delivery early in the second half of this year, represent an investment of around 1b reais ($163m), the executive added. Airlines have been keen to add capacity in order to meet robust travel demand and renew their fleets to cut costs, but planemakers have been grappling with supply chain bottlenecks and production disruptions. Boeing was especially hit in 2024 with additional setbacks, including a seven-week strike, production safety concerns and increased regulatory scrutiny. "The strike affected our plans, but we managed to overcome it with short-term solutions," Ferrer said, adding that Gol increased capacity by 6.7% year-on-year in the third quarter. "When the strike ended, Boeing managed to maintain the delivery of four aircraft in the short term, but there are still uncertainties about the medium and long terms."<br/>
unaligned
Capital A Bhd is in discussions with aircraft manufacturers Airbus, Embraer and Comac to purchase new aircraft as part of its expansion strategy for its airline operations under the AirAsia brand. Its CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes revealed the plans during the AirAsia MOVE Christmas Celebration and Special Announcement here today. "I can confirm that we're looking for more aircraft. My team is going to Brazil and some of my team will go to Canada to look at the A220. We're also discussing with Comac in China as well. We need more planes, that's very clear. And we need planes that can supplement our A321," he said. Asked on how many new aircraft the group plans to acquire, Fernandes said it depends on the board’s decision. "Well, this is subject to the board, but we are looking at 100, maybe more," he said.<br/>