The announcement was made by its new CEO, Peter Bellew, and he quotes:
"With the 737 MAX's longer range capabilities, we will be able to connect our passengers to more destinations, in greater comfort and with superior economics"
The agreement, worth at $ 5.5 billion dollars, comprises of 25 firm order and 25 options for MAX 8 and MAX 9 model. With the delivery starting in 2019, the B737 MAX is set to replace some of the 59 Boeing 737-800s currently in service.
With the entry of the Boeing 737 MAX in 2019, it will consolidate the Boeing presence in Malaysia, especially the 737 operations, where it all started in 1969, with the delivery of the 1st Boeing 737-100 to then Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA). Below is the list of B737s operated in Malaysia throughout the years (with the exception of B737-600):
* Boeing 737-100 (All of the MSA B731s transferred to Singapore Airlines in 1972)
* Boeing 737-200 (MSA managed to operate B732 briefly; before it was transferred to Malaysian Airline System in 1972)
* Boeing 737-300 (Malaysia Airlines only operates the freighter version, the B737-300F while the pax version is operated by AirAsia)
* Boeing 737-400 (Malaysia Airlines main workhorse, decommissioned in 2014 and some of them ended up being used by other operators)
* Boeing 737-500 (Malaysia Airlines main workhorse, replacing the older B737-200. However, they only operate 9 of them and all of them are decommissioned in 2000)
* Boeing 737-700 (Previously operated by Malaysia Airlines for its Business Jet operations, dubbed 'Mastar', the aircraft was later transferred to Royal Malaysian Air Force for VIP flights)
* Boeing 737-800 (Currently 2 Airline company operating this type; Malaysia Airlines and Malindo Air, the JV between Lion Air and National Aerospace and Defense Industries (NADI). Malaysia Airlines began operating this aircraft to replace their older B737-400s)
* Boeing 737-900ER (Malindo Air is the sole operator of this type in Malaysia)
Digital rendering of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in Malaysia Airlines livery
(Photo copyright The Boeing Company)
Links:
1. Malaysia Airlines inks US 55 bil deal to buy Boeing 737 MAX aircraft
2. Malaysia Airlines orders Boeing 737 MAX jets in $5.5 billion deal
