Virgin Australia took delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX 8 at a ceremony that took place at the American manufacturer’s Seattle facility. The airplane joins the carrier’s fleet on lease from China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings Limited (CALC).
It is the first of 33 aircraft of this type that the airline will add over the next five years. It was registered as VH-8IA and named «Monkey Mia». An experienced crew will fly it to Brisbane Airport (BNE), Virgin Australia’s main hub, on a journey of more than 12.000 kilometres in total.
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«hese new aircraft will allow us to grow capacity and support more efficient jet services», said Stuart Aggs, Virgin Australia’s COO. He also assured that the addition of the Boeing 737 MAXs will be «a critical part of the airline’s transformation».
In addition, Aggs highlighted the model’s lower fuel consumption: «And importantly, they will reduce emissions by at least 15% per flight compared to the 737-800 fleet, supporting our commitment to targeting net zero emissions by 2050», he added.
Finally, he praised the reduced noise impact of Boeing’s latest single-aisle development compared to previous aircraft generations, as well as its cabin and seating characteristics, which will provide «an enhanced flight experience» for passengers.
The aircraft will inaugurate scheduled operations in early July on the route between Cairns Airport (CNS) and Tokyo-Haneda International Airport (HND), 5.838 kilometres apart. This seven-and-a-half hour service will be among the ten longest flights of the type in the world.
«The 737 MAX 8 will allow Virgin Australia to provide additional capacity across Oceania to service Australia’s dynamic commercial aviation market», said Erika Pearson, Boeing VP of Commercial Sales and Marketing for Southeast Asia and Oceania.
The airline also expects to take delivery of 25 Boeing 737 MAX 10s starting next year, although the largest variant of the family has not yet received the necessary certification to begin commercial operations.
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