Air India Express’ first ever Boeing 737 MAX has left the Seatle Boeing Field (BFI) and is now making its way to its new home in India, via Iceland and Kuwait.
The 737 MAX 8 aircraft left the airport near Boeing’s Renton Factory on September 28, 2023, at 6:35 pm local time, and is due to arrive in Reykjavik within the next few hours.
The jet will then make its way to Kuwait International Airport (KWI) before finally landing at Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) on September 30, 2023.
The 737 MAX, registered VT-BXA, is part of parent company Air India’s mega order that was announced at the Paris Air Show in June 2023. A second MAX 8 plane, registered VT-BXD, is set to be delivered shortly after.
In Paris, Air India sealed the biggest plane order in history by signing agreements for 200 Boeing aircraft and 250 Airbus jets.
In total, Air India purchased 140 MAX 737 MAX 8s and 50 Boeing 737 MAX 10s from the plane maker.
It has been speculated that Air India Express will receive 50 Boeing 737 MAX planes from the order.
Their first batch of 737 MAX aircraft will be made up of planes that were earmarked for other airlines, particularly those intended for the Chinese aviation market, where deliveries of this aircraft type are on hold.
And she is on her way home !
— VT-VLO (@Vinamralongani) September 29, 2023
The 1st #B737Max of 190 for Air India Express (@AirIndiaX – AIX) has departed #Seattle and is enroute India. AIX is taking delivery of a brand new aircraft after 5+ years. This aircraft heralds a new age for AIX and for Indian #aviation !#AvGeek pic.twitter.com/EanX1hMGcJ
In an interview with the Times of India, CEO and managing director Campbell Wilson revealed that deliveries of the 737 MAX had been delayed.
“The number of MAX we expect to receive by the end of this fiscal year, ten to twelve, is a little lower than we had anticipated, fifteen, due to an issue Boeing is having which is adding a few weeks to each aircraft,” Wilson said.
On September 29, 2023, it was also confirmed that Air India had acquired its first Airbus A350-900 aircraft through a finance lease agreement with HSBC.