Air Lease placed eight new Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft on long-term lease with Primera Air Nordic of Latvia.

The aircraft are outfitted with CFM LEAP 1B engines and are scheduled to deliver from Air Lease’s order book with Boeing beginning May 2019 and continuing through May 2020.

“We are pleased to announce ALC’s lease placement of eight 737 MAX 9 with Primera Air Nordic, a new customer for ALC. Primera will use these eight aircraft as part of its plan to serve new routes which have not previously had such service,” said Grant Levy, Air Lease’s executive vice president.

“The new Boeing 737 MAX 9 with increased payload range capability and long range fuel tanks will enable Primera Air Nordic to significantly expand their route network and add new intercontinental destinations with these super-efficient new generation aircraft,” said Steven Udvar-Hazy, executive chairman of Air Lease.

“Primera Air is very excited to start this new cooperation with ALC, with the latest technological leap in aviation,” said Andri M. Ingolfsson, owner of Primera Air. “We have waited for this aircraft type for a long time, and now we will be able to open up routes that have only been operated by wide body aircraft, or had no direct service at all. This assures that Primera will have one of the most economically competitive airline operations in Europe.”