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SilkAir takes delivery of first Boeing B737MAX 8
October 6th 2017
SilkAir, the regional subsidiary of the Singapore Airlines Group (SIA), on Sunday received its first of 37 on-order B737 MAX 8s at its Singapore Changi hub. Read More »
The airline’s maiden MAX jet, 9V-MBA, was ferried from Seattle’s Boeing Field to Changi via Kona and Guam.To showcase the new type, the airline has set up a microsite at http://silkair.com/max8. The airline is the second carrier in the Asia-Pacific to operate the MAX, following first delivery to the Lion Air Group in May.
The arrival of the CFM International LEAP-1B-powered MAX in Singapore marked the beginning of a significant expansion at the airline.
SilkAir now operates three A319s, ten A320s and 17 newly-delivered B737-800s. In 2018, SilkAir will complete its transition from an all-Airbus airline to an all-Boeing operator. The 17 B737-800s delivered to the airline between 2014 until the end of this year will remain in its fleet. The B737 MAXs will increase the SilkAir fleet from 30 aircraft to 54, a significant expansion the carrier deemed necessary to fend off competition from low-cost carriers.
The first SilkAir MAX 8 will be rostered on the new Singapore-Hiroshima route from October 30. The next routes to see the MAX will be Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cairns and Darwin. SilkAir configures the new type with twelve seats in business and 144 seats in economy class.The regional carrier is expecting another two MAXs to arrive before year-end and all 37 by 2021.
