Charter operator Avia orders up to 80 Boeing 737 MAX jets

Aircraft charter operator Avia Solutions Group said Tuesday it placed an order with Boeing (NYSE:BA) for 40 737 MAX jets, with an option to order 40 additional jets, in an effort to meet continued strong demand for additional capacity from airlines.

Dublin-based Avia has a fleet of 220 aircraft that it operates using different operator certificates depending on the geography, but most of its aircraft are older-generation narrowbodies.

Production delays by aircraft manufacturers have raised demand from carriers for leased planes to meet a spike in travel demand.

The company plans to have 700 aircraft in its fleet in 2030, Chairman Gediminas Ziemelis told Bloomberg.

The 40 jets will be valued at ~$2.17B, according to Reuters calculations based on estimated delivery prices from Cirium Ascend; Avia expects delivery of the jets to begin in 2030.