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El Al’s narrowbody fleet comprises 25 737NGs.
After months of deliberation over which of the two major aircraft manufacturers would supply its future narrowbody fleet, El Al Israel Airlines has chosen Boeing once again.
El Al said June 10 that negotiations between Airbus and Boeing for the fleet renewal were completed and the company’s board of directors has approved entering into exclusive negotiations with Boeing as well as with aircraft leasing companies for approximately 30 737 MAXs. El Al describes this decision as a significant milestone and believes it brought an excellent deal to the table as part of its long-term strategic plan.
An El Al spokesperson said June 11 that the deal has an estimated value of $2-2.5 billion over several years starting from 2027. This amount includes the purchase and lease of the aircraft, as of their future delivery dates, including engines and a supply of spare parts.
The aircraft will gradually replace the airline’s existing fleet of 737-800/900 aircraft, El Al said.
“We are excited to report today a significant milestone in El Al’s story toward a mega transaction for unprecedented development of El Al’s fleet, which will dramatically increase its expansion potential,” El Al CEO Dina Ben-Tal Ganancia said in a June 10 statement.
El Al Chief Commercial Officer Shlomi Zafrany told Aviation Week on the sidelines of the recent IATA Annual General Meeting in Dubai that the airline’s future narrowbody fleet is a challenging decision to make, “because both products [Boeing and Airbus] are very good.”
According to the airline’s website, El Al’s narrowbody fleet comprises 16 737-800s, one 737-800BCF, and eight 737-900ERs.
El Al, an all-Boeing operator for decades, sees itself on the widebody side as well established. The carrier is operating 17 787s, and one additional 787-9 will be delivered in a few months. Two more 787s will follow in 2025 and 2026. The June 10 statement said the announcement was a follow-up to a recent agreement on three additional 787s plus six options for delivery after 2026.
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