SAO PAULO, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Brazilian airline Gol

is ending 2024 with "good prospects" for adding

capacity to its network, Chief Executive Celso Ferrer told

Reuters, as planemaker Boeing ( BA ) delivered new 737 MAX

aircraft this month after long delays.

Gol, which is under bankruptcy protection in the United

States, received three MAXs in December and expects to get

another one in January, finally reaching the mark of 53 aircraft

it had hoped to hit a year ago.

The carrier filed for Chapter 11 in early 2024, hit by a

fall in traffic due to COVID and delays in Boeing ( BA ) deliveries.

Earlier this month, it said it would file an initial proposed

reorganization plan with a U.S. court.

"The delivery of these new aircraft will strengthen our

operation. Our focus now is to make the most of the potential of

our current fleet," Ferrer said.

The new aircraft, initially slated for delivery early in the

second half of this year, represent an investment of around 1

billion reais ($163 million), the executive added.

Airlines have been keen to add capacity in order to meet

robust travel demand and renew their fleets to cut costs, but

planemakers have been grappling with supply chain bottlenecks

and production disruptions.

Boeing ( BA ) was especially hit in 2024 with additional setbacks,

including a seven-week strike, production safety concerns and

increased regulatory scrutiny.

"The strike affected our plans, but we managed to overcome

it with short-term solutions," Ferrer said, adding that Gol

increased capacity by 6.7% year-on-year in the third quarter.

"When the strike ended, Boeing ( BA ) managed to maintain the

delivery of four aircraft in the short term, but there are still

uncertainties about the medium and long terms."

The new planes will reinforce Gol's operations in the

Brazilian high season and allow it to keep expanding its

international network after adding destinations such as Bogota,

San Jose, Aruba and Cancun in 2024.

"We hope to have more news to announce in 2025 in our

international network," Ferrer said, dubbing it a key focus for

the coming years.

Gol, whose fleet is made up entirely of 737s, is the largest

operator of Boeing ( BA ) aircraft in Latin America. The delivery

delays severely constrained the carrier's growth in 2023.

Embraer ( ERJ ) and the Brazilian government this year

revealed the local planemaker had held talks to potentially sell

its regional aircraft to Gol.

Asked about the discussions, Ferrer noted that Gol has

always operated only 737 aircraft and that standardization has

been an important part of the carrier's business model, but is

always "evaluating options" for other models.

($1 = 6.1428 reais)