Air Cambodia Makes Leap to 737 MAX: Historic Order For up to 20 737-8 Jets Marks a New Era For the Airline
Boeing and Air Cambodia announced at the Singapore Airshow the largest single-aisle aircraft order in the Cambodian carrier’s history: up to 20 Boeing 737 MAX jets. This also represents the first direct purchase of new Boeing aircraft by the Southeast Asian operator.
The agreement includes a firm order for 10 Boeing 737-8s, accompanied by purchase rights for an additional 10 units. While the order was finalized in December 2025, it had remained listed as an unidentified customer on Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website until now—a common practice among major manufacturers until the client chooses to make a public announcement.
The 737-8 as a Pillar for Regional Growth
The selection of the Boeing 737-8 is no coincidence. The model offers a key combination of range, capacity, and operational efficiency, which is particularly attractive for airlines in emerging markets with rapidly expanding regional networks.
With a capacity for up to 178 passengers in a two-class configuration and a range of 3,500 nautical miles (6,480 km), the 737-8 allows Air Cambodia to launch direct services to destinations across North and Southeast Asia without the need for layovers or larger aircraft.
Furthermore, Boeing highlights that the 737 MAX offers a 20% reduction in fuel consumption and emissions compared to the aircraft it replaces. This is a critical factor for both cost management and environmental sustainability, which is becoming increasingly relevant to airline strategies.
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Air Cambodia’s Vision: Network, Pricing, and Employment
According to Dr. David Zhan, CEO of Air Cambodia, this order represents much more than a simple fleet renewal. “The 737-8 provides Air Cambodia with the ideal combination of range, capacity, and fuel efficiency to support our next phase of growth,” the executive stated, emphasizing that this is the largest investment in single-aisle aircraft ever made by the company.
Zhan also noted that the arrival of the 737-8 will enable the airline to offer competitive fares while simultaneously boosting local job creation and training programs, thereby strengthening the country’s aviation ecosystem.
Boeing Reinforces Its Commitment to Cambodia
From the manufacturer’s side, Brad McMullen, Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, highlighted the symbolic and strategic value of the deal:
“We are proud to welcome Air Cambodia as our newest 737 MAX customer,” he remarked, emphasizing Boeing’s commitment to the growth of aviation in Cambodia and throughout the Asian region.
An Expanding Market: The Regional Context
The announcement aligns with Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook projections, which estimate that Southeast Asian airlines will require nearly 5,000 new aircraft over the next 20 years, with single-aisle planes accounting for more than 80% of those deliveries.
In this context, Air Cambodia—which currently operates six aircraft (3 ATR 72, 2 A320, 1 A321) on domestic and international routes to Vietnam, India, Thailand, China, Japan, and Hong Kong—is positioning itself to scale its operations in a progressive yet structured manner.
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