Southwest Airlines revamps aircraft order book

Southwest Airlines, finalising a revamp of its fleet strategy that began in 2012, Thursday told investors it is deferring delivery of Boeing’s new 737-Max aircraft to take fewer than earlier planned through 2022, in part to reduce its near-term capital expenditure budget. The carrier has 330 Boeing 737s on firm order for delivery through 2025, as compared with 328 through 2024, its previously reported delivery schedule. Its number of planes on option remains the same. But the new plan will significantly lower the number of new planes entering the fleet from 2018 through 2022, Southwest CFO Tammy Romo said Thursday. This year and next, the carrier plans to boost deliveries, in part to compensate for the previously announced early retirement of about 50 older-version 737s by 2017. <br/>