Virgin Australia has canceled 23 Boeing 737 MAX orders. Its original order was of 48 aircraft, but that has now been lowered to 25. This is due to the economic crisis created by the coronavirus pandemic and the end of its takeover by Boston-based Bain Capital last month. All its canceled orders are for the Boeing 737 MAX 8 (maximum seating of 210 passengers, see article Boeing 737(part 4)) whereas the orders that it has kept are for the Boeing 737 MAX 10 (maximum seating of 230 passengers). The capacity of the MAX 10 is ideal for Virgin Australia’s lie-flat concept in business class, as the aircraft can seat 200 people in a 2-class seating. Virgin Australia has modified its 737 MAX order 6 times since the placement of the 1st order in 2012. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 was supposed to start being delivered in February 2025 and the 737 MAX 10 in July 2021, but now that all 737 MAX 8 orders have been canceled, the first deliveries of the 737 MAX 10 have been postponed to mid-2023. The Boeing 737 MAX 10 order is valued at around 6.17 billion AUDs ($4.61 billion). 9th of December 2020.
Aeronews24 