Luxair has welcomed its first Boeing 737 MAX following the delivery of a former Air Italy airframe on Sunday. The four-year-old MAX 8 is one among two leased jets set to hitch the Luxembourg carrier this summer.
Luxair’s first MAX arrives
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 (registration: LX-LBL) touched down at Luxembourg Airport (LUX) at 14:05 local time on Sunday following an 84-minute flight from Ostrava Airport (OSR). The MAX, complementing Luxair’s eight-strong 737NG fleet, was greeted with a conventional water salute upon arrival in Luxembourg.
The plane previously flew under Air Italy (registration: EI-GGL) from November 2018 to March 2019 before spending over three years in storage. Based on ch-aviation, the jet has accrued lower than 1,000 flight hours – Luxair’s latest fleet addition will seat 186 passengers (all economy) and is powered by two CFM International Leap-1B engines.
The MAX offers significant efficiency upgrades on Luxair’s existing 737 fleet – consisting of 4 737-700s and 4 737-800s – including a 20% reduction in fuel burn.
Boeing has upped its delivery game up to now few months, jumping from 26 deliveries in April to 50 in May, 35 of which were 737 MAXs. Nonetheless, the planemaker has faced one more production issue – this time concerning two fittings on the MAX – which it says will impact near-term deliveries.
Leased until 2027
Each MAX 8s joining this summer will fly with Luxair until 2027 and are a part of a complete order for 4 of the kind. Two of the 4 MAX’s – the 2 arriving this summer – can be on lease, while the remaining two can be purchased outright from Boeing.
Photo: Boeing
Luxair announced the revised deal back in March – Boeing agreed to change the terms of the agreement, allowing Luxair to lease two and buy two, reasonably than purchasing all 4 MAXs outright. The airline or manufacturer have yet to offer an update on the delivery window of the remaining two MAXs, but 2026 is looking almost definitely.
European MAX 7 launch customer
As announced on the Paris Airshow last month, Luxair placed an order for 4 Boeing 737 MAX 7s, becoming the European launch customer of the smallest MAX variant. The MAX 7 has yet to receive certification, but Boeing believes it’ll by the tip of the 12 months.
Luxair’s MAX 7s will seat as much as 160 passengers and can help the carrier reach its sustainability targets with its improved operational efficiency. The airline adds the -7 is a “perfect match” for its European network.
What are your thoughts on Luxair’s latest fleet addition? Do you think that the airline made the precise selection investing within the Boeing 737 MAX? Tell us within the comments.
Source: ch-aviation