Malaysia Airlines Looks To Acquire Chinese 737 Re-markets

Should airlines from China decide to allow Boeing to re-market their 737-8s ready for delivery, or defer their orders with the current trade disagreement going on, there is a list of airlines lining up in interest of the potential 737-8 re-markets, as well as taking over construction and delivery slots.

Malaysia Airlines expressed interest in acquiring the two Xiamen Air 737-8s that were returned to Boeing, and ferried back to BFI. The two 737-8s would need to be repainted, and have the cabin configured to Malaysia Airlines' current layout. Malaysia Aviation Group is also interested in at least ten of the remaining 22 China-bound 737-8s sitting at BFI, MWH, and VCV ready for delivery.

Air India Express acquired 55 737-8s from several Chinese airlines, as the airlines deferred deliveries after the pandemic, and the 737-8 re-certification. They currently have four of the 55 remaining to be delivered.

Further details in this Reuters article, and this CH-Aviation article.

29 April 2025 UPDATE

CH-Aviation.com reports that Air India Express has joined the list of airlines interested in the remaining China-bound 737-8s sitting in storage. CH-Aviation also reports that Riyadh Air is interested in the China-bound 787-9s, that may not be taken up.

Boeing To Re-market More China-Bound 737MAXs

Leeham News and Analysis reports that Boeing will re-market more 737MAXs that were ordered by Chinese airlines, and are sitting in storage due to FAA upgrades and directives, and US-China foreign trade relations.  55 of these 737-8s will be re-marketed to Air India as part of their massive 150 737MAX order. The airlines of whose those 55 737-8s belonged to, were not disclosed, and will be painted in the new Air India livery.

There are 140 completed 737-8s bound for Chinese airlines, sitting on ramps at BFI, MWH, SKF, and VCV in storage awaiting delivery. With the 55 going to Air India, that number will drop to 85, once those 737-8s are configured and upgraded for its new airline.

This past April, both China Southern (26) and China Eastern (5) announced that they will take delivery of  their 737-8s sitting in storage, neither airline has begun delivery flights. Probably due to the directives and trade issues.

The Hainan Air Group has already sold off most of their 737-8s they had stored on the mainland, a majority was acquired by United Airlines. A few Hainan Air Group 737-8s are sitting on ramps in storage: two for Fuzhou Airlines and one for Lucky Air.