Air Senegal picks the Boeing 737 MAX 8 to grow its narrowbody fleet
This was Boeing's second 737 MAX order during the Dubai Airshow 2025.
Air Senegal has placed an order for the Boeing 737 MAX 8, securing Boeing’s third deal during this year’s Dubai Airshow. The airline opted for nine firm and six purchase rights for Boeing’s best-selling narrowbody aircraft.
On November 17, 2025, Air Senegal announced that it picked Boeing for its narrowbody aircraft fleet, ordering up to 15 737 MAX 8 aircraft at the Dubai Airshow.
According to the airline, the 737 MAX 8s will be used to modernize its fleet, strengthen its operational performance, and expand its network.
“With this acquisition, Air Senegal continues its ambition to offer its passengers a more reliable, comfortable, and sustainable travel experience, while consolidating Dakar’s role as a major airline hub in West Africa.”
Boeing emphasized that this was Air Senegal’s largest-ever order and the first direct purchase from the manufacturer since 2004 (possibly referring to Air Sénégal International), with the planemaker saying that the African airline “will expand its network in Europe and launch new routes from Dakar to the Middle East and Americas.”
Tidiane Ndiaye, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air Senegal, reiterated that this was a major milestone for the airline.
Currently, the African airline’s narrowbody fleet includes two ATR 72-600 and one Airbus A321ceo, with the airline also wet leasing two A320ceo aircraft from GetJet Airlines.
Air Senegal had placed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for five A220-300s at the Dubai Airshow in November 2019, yet Airbus’ order and deliveries filings showed that as of October 31, it had no outstanding orders for the type.
At the Dubai Airshow in November 2021, Macquarie AirFinance announced that it would lease five A220-300s to Air Senegal, which it took delivery of in December 2021. Not even a year later, in November 2022, the aircraft left the Senegalese airline’s fleet and is now flying under Ibom Air’s colors as 5N-CDB.
Macquarie AirFinance has not delivered any other A220-300s to Air Senegal since then. The carrier also has two A330-900 aircraft, which are currently inactive, per planespotters.net records.
For Boeing, this is the third order during the first day of the Dubai Airshow 2025, with the planemaker having previously secured 65 orders for the 777-9 from Emirates and 11 737 MAX 8 from Ethiopian Airlines.
While Airbus has so far been silent, only announcing an order for up to five H160 helicopters, Embraer secured two orders during the day. Helvetic Airways purchased up to eight E195-E2, while Air Côte d’Ivoire ordered up to 12 E175s.
Rytis Beresnevicius
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