WestJet Holds The Contractual Boeing 737 MAX 10 Launch Title, But Alaska Airlines Keeps Talking Louder

Alaska Airlines’ outspoken plan to be the launch customer for the Boeing 737 MAX 10 is running into a contractual issue. The carrier had said FAA certification was expected by the end of September 2026, followed by passenger service between April and mid-May, but the regulator delayed certification after a newly disclosed flight management computer issue surfaced. With the FAA later determining the software problem isn’t a safety risk, the dispute is shifting toward readiness and delivery sequencing. WestJet now holds the stronger contractual claim thanks to a lease arrangement tied to 13 737 MAX 10s, and it already operates MAX jets with the affected GE Aerospace software.