Virgin Australia to add 4 Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets
Virgin Australia Group on Friday took a major step on its path to zero emissions, unveiling the first phase of its fleet growth program, which will see the introduction of four new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft and the removal of Fokker 100 aircraft from service and their replacement with Boeing 737-700s.
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The four MAX 8s, scheduled to enter service in February 2023, will reduce emissions by 15% per leg compared to the current 737 NGs.
Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said the program is part of a broader growth strategy that will see the Boeing 737 fleet, currently comprised of 737-700 and 737-800 aircraft, increase to 88 with the inclusion of 4 MAX 8 aircraft in response to growing demand.
“We are on track to return to 100% of pre-crisis domestic capacity by June this year and expect to well exceed those levels by the end of the year, and our resources sector and contract flying in Western Australia is in high demand. This investment in our fleet reflects the increased demand we are experiencing in all parts of Virgin Australia,” Hrdlicka said.
→ ALC Adds 32 Boeing 737 MAX Jets to Its Orderbook.
Since its relaunch in November 2020, Virgin Australia Group has announced that it will increase its 737 fleet by more than 50% from 58 aircraft to 88. The Group currently operates 10 Fokker 100 aircraft in its Western Australian operations, which will be phased out and replaced by 737-700s from the first quarter of 2023.
As part of a future phase of its fleet program, Virgin Australia has an additional 25 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft on order, which will carry more passengers on a similar amount of fuel as the current 737 NGs, resulting in 17% lower emissions per seat per trip.
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