Russia’s first Boeing 737MAX delivered

Deliveries of Boeing’s new 737MAX family of the re-engined narrow-body aircraft to Russia began. Today, October 13, the first Boeing 737MAX-8 aircraft with a tail number VQ-BGW, painted in a green livery of S7 Airlines, flew to the Novosibirsk’s Tolmachevo Airport.

The plans to acquire this modification by the S7 Group, parent of Sibir and Globus airlines (both fly under the S7 Airlines brand), became known two years ago. In total, nine such aircraft were ordered by the Siberian company, with the delivery of the second aircraft is planned for the end of this month. Globus will be the operator of the new aircraft, as the entity historically flies all of group’s Boeings, while S7 Airlines operates the A320 family as well as Embraer E170s.

The CFM International LEAP-1B engine, which powers Boeing’s new 737MAX family of aircraft, has been awarded Russian type certificate last month. Thanks to the improved fuel efficiency, the B737MAX will allow the carrier to fly longer direct flights, for example, from Novosibirsk to the countries of Southeast Asia. One of the first Asian routes for the S7’s Boeing 737MAX will be Vietnam.

Three other big Russian airlines – Utair, Ural Airlines and the country’s sole low-cost carrier Pobeda Airlines (part of Aeroflot Group) – are all confirmed customers for the type, with their deliveries expected to start in 2019. Several others, such as Yakutia and Izhavia, have also voiced an interest in the re-engined narrow-body.

Kazakh private airline SCAT is the first in the former Soviet Union territories to fly the MAX, after taking delivery of its first B737 MAX 8 aircraft in March. Other CIS customers anticipating deliveries of the aircraft next year are AZAL and Belavia, respectively the national carriers of Azerbaijan and Belarus.