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United Airlines has ordered an additional 200 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft as customers return to airline travel with numbers that the airline industry hasn’t seen since its pre-pandemic schedule.
The airline has a hub at Houston's Bush International Airport and the measure has been touted inside and outside of the industry as a sign of a return to normalcy.
U.S. Rep Kevin Brady (R-The Woodlands) welcomed the news, tweeting it would give a much needed boost to the local economy.
"Here’s some news that will put you on cloud nine,” he said. “United (Airlines') new aircraft order is expected to bring up to 3,000 new jobs to Houston when it’s much needed. This is a great boost for our economy."
The order is perceived to be a sign of hope for a quick rebound for the air travel industry, which suffered in operations during the height of the pandemic’s stay-at-home orders.
The rise in demand for air travel should also add much needed revenue to United Airlines coffers and Boeing will respond to the demand by going into optimal production headed into the second half of the year.
The airline is touting the order as the largest combined order in its history.
A website for the company said the order would make the airline’s fleet “bigger and better” and would allow for the transformation of its customer’s travel experience.
“As we continue to lead and innovate the airline industry, our new aircraft will give you more of what you want on board, including state-of-the-art inflight entertainment, more premium cabin seats and a better, more comfortable experience no matter where you're flying from,” United Airlines stated on its website.
The airline expects to add more than 500 new narrow-body aircraft within the next half-decade, which means that in 2023 alone, its “fleet could add about one new narrow-body aircraft every three days.”