Sunwing Airlines announced the delivery of its first new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft the first of four new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft acquired as part of a lease agreement concluded with Air Lease in late 2014.

The $350 million deal also included the acquisition of two further Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The second Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft will be delivered the following week, with the remaining two 737 MAX planes anticipated to be delivered in 2019.

“The 737 MAX 8 aircraft is an integral part of Sunwing’s overall expansion plans across an increasing number of both Canadian and U.S. gateways and illustrates the evolution of the company,” said Mark Williams, president of Sunwing Airlines. “Sunwing may have increased in scale, however, what drove the company in the early 2000s is still central to our business today – in particular, the airline’s commitment to its passengers that when they travel with Sunwing, they travel with an award-winning airline and one of Canada’s most modern fleets.”

John L. Plueger, CEO and president of Air Lease also welcomed the news adding, “ALC is delighted to be delivering the very first MAX 8 into Sunwing’s fleet.  This state of the art new aircraft will bring significantly expanded capability, efficiency, and environmental friendliness to Sunwing’s growing network as well as usher in a new level of customer service and experience.”