The first Boeing 737 MAX for Japan Airlines will arrive in 2026.
In order to update its short-haul fleet, Japan Airlines bought 21 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
The contract, which had been previously rumored, involved talks between the Japanese firm and both Airbus and Boeing. The airline was considering the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX for its future short-haul fleet. However, as Japan Airlines currently owns and operates 43 Boeing 737-800 NextGeneration (NG) aircraft, the airline decided against converting to the narrow-body model from the European manufacturer.
According to data from ch-aviation.com, Jetstar Japan, its joint venture with Qantas, has 19 Airbus A320 and three A321neo aircraft in its fleet. According to a news release from Boeing on March 23, 2023, the airline will get its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in 2026. This particular aircraft type “reduces both fuel use and carbon emissions by 15% compared to the airplanes the carrier is replacing.”
The newest member of the 737 MAX family, the Boeing 737-8, will replace our Boeing 737-800s, which make up the majority of the JAL Group’s fleet, said Yuji Akasaka, president of Japan Airlines. According to Akasaka, the business hopes to realize its objective of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050 through “a mix of these super-efficient aircraft, operational advancements, and new fuel-saving technologies.”
According to data from ch-aviation.com, Japan Airlines has 16 Airbus A350-900, 26 Boeing 767-300ER, three 777-200ER, twelve 777-300ER, 23 787-8, and 22 787-9 aircraft in its fleet in addition to the 737-800. The website’s data also indicates that it has unfulfilled orders for 15 aircraft, including two A350-900s and thirteen A350-1000s. Only two A350-900s, or aircraft, were delivered to Japan Airlines in 2022.
The decision by the Japanese carrier to order the 737 MAX is “the next milestone in our historic relationship,” according to Stan Deal, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA).
