But the second half of next year is clouded by ongoing delays at Boeing blamed on broader supply chain issues, largely in engines. Southwest now expects to get 66 new 737 Max jets this year, just over half of the 114 that Boeing is contractually required to deliver. That means it will retire fewer of its older, 737 NG model jets, which are louder, less fuel efficient and carry higher maintenance costs than new planes. "We continue working with ( Boeing) to finalize our 2023 aircraft delivery plans; however, we currently expect aircraft delivery delays to persist into 2024," Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said in a statement Thursday. Southwest's sentiments have been echoed across the industry during the last two weeks as airlines report their quarterly results. While an industry-wide shortage of pilots is still holding airlines back and limiting the number of flights during the 2022 holiday season, carriers have begun to work through training delays to get some short-term relief.