Virgin Australia welcomes fuel-efficient Boeing 737-8 aircraft

Virgin Australia welcomes fuel-efficient Boeing 737-8 aircraft

Virgin Australia has taken delivery of its first new aircraft in the latest generation of Boeing 737 MAX family.

The 737-8 aircraft, which offers a quieter flying experience, is the first of 33 MAX family aircraft Virgin Australia will take delivery of over the next five years after the airline restructured its aircraft order in December 2020.

Virgin Australia chief operations officer Stuart Aggs said the new MAX family aircraft are a critical part of the airline’s transformation and will help form the backbone of Virgin Australia’s decarbonisation ambitions.

Luis Ayala, Erika Pearson, Stuart Aggs and Ed Clark at the welcoming of the aircraft (Supplied)

“These new aircraft will allow us to grow capacity and support more efficient jet services,” he said.

“And importantly, they will reduce emissions by at least 15 per cent per flight compared to the 737-800 NG fleet, supporting our commitment to targeting net zero emissions by 2050…

We expect our fleet renewal program, combined with other fuel efficiency initiatives, to support over 80 per cent of our 2030 interim target to reduce Virgin Australia’s carbon emission intensity by 22 per cent.”

The first leg of the aircraft’s delivery flight will be powered by a combination of jet fuel and sustainable aviation fuel from Neste.

Virgin Australia will receive an additional five or six MAX aircraft before the end of the year and is set to get two or three more in 2024. The aircraft joins the Virgin Australia fleet under lease from leading global aircraft lessor China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings Limited.

Aggs with delivery team (Supplied)

Virgin is among the first 737-8s to operate in Australia but joins more than 60 airlines that are operating more than 1,000 of the aircraft type globally.

New budget carrier Bonza became the first Australian airline to use the aircraft after a former model of the plane was discontinued due to two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.

Following the incident the plane was grounded globally while Boeing addressed regulatory concerns.


Featured Image: Virgin Australia 737-8 ready for delivery in Seattle (Supplied)

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