Air Senegal has committed to buy nine Boeing 737-8 jets, marking its largest-ever fleet purchase and the airline’s first Boeing order since 2004. The deal, announced at the Dubai Airshow, will support the carrier’s plans to expand both its regional footprint and its long-haul network from Dakar.
The 737-8 will anchor Air Senegal’s refreshed single-aisle fleet, enabling new routes to Europe, the Middle East and the Americas, as well as direct services to secondary European cities without routing through major hubs.
“This acquisition marks a major milestone for Air Sénégal,” said CEO Tidiane Ndiaye. “It strengthens and modernises our fleet, supports our regional and intercontinental growth, and reinforces Dakar’s role as a key West African hub.”
The 737-8 seats up to 178 passengers and offers up to 3,500 nautical miles of range. Boeing says the jet cuts fuel burn and emissions by 20% and halves noise compared with the aircraft it replaces—factors that could help Air Senegal reduce operating costs across its growing network.
Boeing senior vice president Brad McMullen said the manufacturer would work closely with the airline as it expands. “The versatility and advanced technology of the 737-8 make it well suited for Africa’s rising air travel demand.”
Boeing forecasts African airlines will need more than 1,200 new aircraft over the next 20 years, most of them single-aisle jets.