Boeing 737 Max 7 Certifies Amid Lingering Market Uncertainty

The long-awaited FAA type certificate for Boeing's 737 Max 7 has finally been awarded to the company, and attention is turning to the market for this small airliner. The Max 7 was launched in May 2013 by Southwest Airlines, which holds unfilled orders for over 250 jets. About 30 of these have already been assembled and are waiting delivery.

The certification delay has contributed to Southwest's post-Covid struggles, as it has had to continually postpone retirement of its ageing 737-700s and make network compromises. Other early buyers, including United Airlines and Canada's WestJet, previously converted their Max 7 orders into the larger Max 8.

Total Max 7 orders represent about 6% of Boeing's 737 orderbook. The company's official stance is that the Max 7's most-critical role is rounding out the family, along with the yet-to-be-certified Max 10, giving customers a range of offerings from the low end to the high end of the single-aisle market.