The Boeing 737 Max 8, a single-aisle jet, is the primary delivery to Malindo Air, a part of Indonesia’s Lion Air. Malindo Air has taken delivery of the primary of eight 737 MAX aircraft from Boeing’s Seattle delivery center at Boeing Field. The aircraft was delivered in Batik Air livery as Malindo soon plans to rename Batik Air within the second half of the yr.
“We are excited to partner with Boeing to take delivery of the world’s first Boeing 737 MAX,” said Chandran Rama Muthy, CEO of Malindo Air. “The Boeing 737NG fleet has served Malindo well in its growth and we believe the 737 MAX will become the centerpiece of our fleet. These new aircraft will enable us to fly to further destinations and will play a key role in providing our customers with lower airfares.”
“This aircraft will change the face of the single-aisle aircraft market,” Kevin McAllister, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said in an announcement. “The 737 MAX 8 is best in class, providing unmatched performance and economics for our airline customers.” The MAX flies further and uses 14 percent less fuel than the present 737.
Technically, the jet was purchased by Avolon, the Irish subsidiary of China’s HNA group, and leased to Malindo Air, which is a component of Indonesia’s Lion Air group. In total, Lion Air ordered 201 737 MAX aircraft.
The MAX is anticipated to be 14 percent more fuel efficient than the previous generation of single-aisle 737 aircraft, due to the CFM LEAP-1B engines and aerodynamic improvements to the aircraft’s design. In addition to the MAX 8, Boeing is working on variants referred to as the MAX 7, MAX 9, MAX 10X and MAX 200.
The first delivery of the 737 MAX took place 15 months after the primary A320neo was delivered to German carrier Lufthansa. Boeing’s newest plane is the fastest-selling plane in the corporate’s history.
Lion Air Group controls low-cost carrier Lion Air, regional carrier Wings Air, business jet operator Lion BizJet and full-service carrier Batik Air throughout Indonesia, and likewise holds minority stakes in Malaysia’s Malindo Air and Thailand’s Lion Air.
(sea | from various sources)
