Boeing, Malindo Air Celebrate First 737 MAX Delivery

SEATTLE, May 16, 2017 – Boeing (NYSE: BA) today marked the first delivery of the new 737 MAX. The airplane, a 737 MAX 8, was handed over to Malindo Air at the Seattle Delivery Center. The Malaysia-based airline will be the first to put the 737 MAX into commercial service.
“This airplane will change the face of the single-aisle market,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Kevin McAllister. “The 737 MAX 8 is the best in its class, providing unmatched performance and economics for our airline customers.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Boeing to take the 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 that the 737 MAX will become the centerpiece of our fleet. These new aircraft will allow us to go to further destinations and will play a key role in providing lower air fares to our customers."

The 737 MAX family is designed to offer the greatest flexibility, reliability and efficiency in the single-aisle market. Every airplane will feature the new Boeing Sky Interior, highlighted by modern sculpted sidewalls and window reveals, LED lighting that enhances the sense of spaciousness and larger pivoting overhead stowage bins.

The 737 MAX is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing’s history. To date, it has received almost 3,700 orders from 87 customers across the world.

Malindo Air continues to expand its international network.

On 5 February the hybrid carrier began daily flights on the 2,541-kilometre route from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Hong Kong (HKG) using its 162-seat 737-800s. The route is already well served by AirAsia and Cathay Pacific Airways (both operating four daily flights) and Malaysia Airlines (thrice-daily flights). Since launching operations in March 2013, anna.aero reckons that the airline has started 29 routes from Malaysia’s busiest airport but dropped eight. It also operates flights from Kuala Lumpur Subang, mainly to domestic destinations.

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Malindo Air launched its first route to Australia on 19 November. Perth (PER) was the LCC’s first destination ‘down under’ from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) with flights initially operating daily using a mix of 737-800s and 737-900s

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Malindo Air has joined three other carriers in connecting Kuala Lumpur (KUL) in Malaysia with Kathmandu (KTM) in Nepal

On 6 February the LCC, part-owned by Indonesia’s Lion Air, and recently profiled on anna.aero, began serving the route with daily flights using its 737-900s. The 3,264-kilometre route is already served by Malaysia Airlines (twice-daily flights), AirAsia X (daily flights) and Nepal Airlines (six weekly flights). Nepal becomes the sixth country to be served by Malindo Air. From its Kuala Lumpur base the carrier already operates international flights to Bangladesh, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.

Malindo Air to add international flights to India from June 1

Malindo Air is planning to serve Delhi Indira Gandhi International and Tiruchirapally as its first international routes with daily B737-900 flights set to begin on June 1 from Kuala Lumpur. In addition, the airline plans to bolster its domestic network through the addition of Bintulu, Johor Bahru Senai International, Mekoryuk (MYU), Penang Bayan Lepas International (PEN) and Sibu flights also scheduled for June 1. At present, the Lion Airlines subsidiary serves Kota Kinabalu International , Kuching  using a fleet of two B737-900(ER)s.

Photo:Malindo