HONG KONG — Greater Bay Airlines (GBA) and Boeing announced an order for 15 737-9 airplanes. The agreement also includes a commitment for five 787 Dreamliners to support GBA’s long-term plan to launch international long-haul service.
The new Hong Kong-based carrier said the 737-9 will form the backbone of its future fleet as it seeks to operate more flights between Hong Kong and major cities in Asia and Mainland China. GBA plans to leverage the 737-9’s enhanced capacity and range to lower trip costs and expand its network.
“The 737-9 will allow GBA to open up new routes from Hong Kong with unmatched economics,” said Wong Cho Bau, chairman of GBA. “The new order will bring fantastic growth possibilities to GBA and enable us to strive for excellence in an innovative way for our valued customers.”
GBA is an all-Boeing carrier currently operating a fleet of three 737-800 jets with flights to four destinations, including Bangkok, Taipei, Tokyo and Seoul. The airline also plans to bring in a number of additional 737-800s to meet its expansion needs before the arrival of the 737-9.
“GBA’s commitment for 737-9s is a major endorsement of our 737 MAX family and its ability to serve new markets,” said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The 737-9 will provide GBA with unmatched efficiency and reliability and lower operating costs while continuing to provide a premium on-board experience for its passengers.”
The 737-9 is designed to seat more than 190 passengers in a two-class configuration with a range of 3,300 nautical miles, providing operators added capacity and increased profitability within their network.
The 737 MAX family delivers enhanced efficiency, improved environmental performance and increased passenger comfort to the single-aisle market while offering excellent economics and reducing fuel use and emissions by 20% compared to the airplanes it replaces. Since the 737 MAX was launched in 2011, more than 100 customers around the world have placed firm orders for more than 5,300 airplanes.
