WestJet sells 27 Boeing 737-700s to FTAI while keeping 17 on lease
The Canadian carrier has agreed to sell 27 Boeing 737-700 aircraft to FTAI Aviation, maintaining 17 in passenger service under a leaseback arrangement.
WestJet has initiated the phase-out of its Boeing 737-700 fleet by concluding the sale of 27 aircraft to FTAI Aviation, announced on September 28. The deal does not trigger an immediate grounding of the type, which first joined the airline in 2001. Under a sale-and-leaseback agreement, WestJet will continue to operate 17 of these airframes on its route network.
The remaining ten airplanes, already off lease, are assigned to FTAI's Aerospace Products division. They will supply CFM56-7B engines and spare modules dedicated to maintenance, repair, and parts exchange services. FTAI continues to build inventories by targeting mature narrowbody models.
Neither the transaction value nor the final retirement schedule for the 17 leased airframes has been disclosed. Equipped with 132 seats, the 737-700 provides lower capacity than the carrier's 174-seat 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 variants. This fleet shift aligns with broader fleet modernization efforts, following a commitment announced in September 2025 for 60 Boeing 737 MAX 10s and seven 787-9s.
Why it matters for your training
Fleet transitions directly impact pilot assignments, type rating requirements, and cockpit standard operating procedures across legacy and modern 737 variants.
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