Comair orders Boeing 737 MAXs for R9bn

British Airways/Comair aircraft at the Cape Town International Airport in this file picture. Photo: Matthew Jordaan.

British Airways/Comair aircraft at the Cape Town International Airport in this file picture. Photo: Matthew Jordaan.

Published Mar 19, 2014

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Johannesburg - South African airline Comair Ltd said on Wednesday it has ordered eight 737 MAX 8 aircraft from Boeing with a list-price of $830 million (R9 billion), sending its shares up sharply.

The order makes Comair, which operates the kulula.com budget airline, the first African airline to order the new aircraft.

The franchise partner for British Airways said it would take delivery of the first four planes in 2019 and the remaining four over the next two years, chief executive Erik Venter said.

The airline, which is ordering the new planes to replace aging ones, has the option to take a further eight of the narrow body aircraft that can seat 189 as currently designed.

Comair expects to receive the last four of an earlier order for eight 737-800 craft in 2015 and 2016.

The carrier's shares were up 3.5 percent at 4.14 rand at 14:03 SA time.

The stock's value has increased by nearly a third so far this year. - Reuters

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