Summary
- Allegiant receives the first Boeing 737 MAX 8 after significant delays.
- The MAX 8-200 model can seat more passengers, appealing to low-cost carriers.
- Other airlines worldwide, like Akasa Air and VietJet, have also ordered the high-capacity MAX 8-200.
The first of the many Boeing 737 MAX aircraft on order has been delivered to Allegiant Air. The carrier had been waiting for the aircraft for quite a while, as delays at Boeing affected its delivery date. The aircraft is also special, as it is the first high-density Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 for a US airline that can seat more passengers than a regular MAX 8.
Finally delivered
Allegiant Air
has received its first Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane. The delivery was behind schedule significantly, but the aircraft (registered N811NV), took its first flight from Seattle to Arizona on Monday, September 9.
Indeed, the delivery of the new MAX 8 for Allegiant is a significant development, considering it’s
the first MAX of the 50 ordered
to arrive in the airline’s fleet after months of delay. AeroXplorer quotes a representative from the airline as saying,
“We are thrilled to take delivery of our first 737-8-200 aircraft. The efficiency and operational reliability of this next-generation aircraft will bring numerous benefits to Allegiant and our customers. This new model is not only fuel-efficient, reducing our operational costs significantly, but it also offers an enhanced travel experience for our passengers…There are a few additional steps in the process of inducting it into the fleet, but we expect to have the aircraft in service, flying passengers to their destinations, in several weeks.”
USA’s first 737 MAX 8-200
N811NV is also special because it is the first high-density Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 delivered to a US airline. Ryanair was the launch customer for this type, which was designed to appeal to low-cost carriers due to its increased seating capacity and improved efficiency.
Several other airlines worldwide have ordered the MAX 8-200, including Indian low-cost carrier Akasa Air and VietJet. While a regular MAX 8 can seat between 162 and 178 passengers, the MAX 8-200 can accommodate up to 200 passengers.
Adding extra seats to the plane also needed regulatory approvals for things like emergency situations and exits. As a result, Boeing had to add two additional exits between the wings and the plane’s rear.
Delivery delays
Allegiant’s first 737 MAX plane was spotted months ago performing flight checks. The airline ordered 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in 2022, including 26 MAX 8-200s. The first MAX 8 from that order was initially scheduled to be delivered in 2023, but several factors resulted in a delay.
Boeing’s current production issues, including a cap on monthly MAX production, coupled with a global supply chain that continues to be sluggish have all contributed to Allegiant receiving its first MAX plane after months of delay.
Photo: Thiago B Trevisan l Shutterstock
According to recent reports, the
carrier has reduced its expectations for deliveries this year
. It was earlier expected to add six 737 MAX planes in 2024 but later revised this number to four. The outlook has changed significantly, considering Allegiant had originally planned to receive 12 737 MAXs this year.
The latest delivery also marks a departure from the carrier’s all-Airbus narrowbody fleet. Allegiant currently operates more than 125 Airbus planes, including the A319s and A320s, and will now begin operating a mixed fleet.