Jeju Air has cut its firm Boeing 737 MAX 8 order to 32 aircraft from 40, reducing the deal by 20% and scaling back planned capital outlay. The carrier also kept the 10-aircraft option from its 2018 agreement, preserving upside without committing near-term balance-sheet capacity.
The revision points to tighter fleet discipline as operators face cost pressure, demand swings and financing scrutiny. Jeju Air framed the move around financial stability, which should keep its narrowbody intake more flexible while Boeing’s MAX backlog absorbs a smaller South Korean low-cost carrier commitment.