Japan Airlines (JAL) has ordered 21 Boeing 737
MAX 8 jets.
The aircraft, which will be used to
strengthen JAL’s domestic and regional network, are expected to
start joining the carrier’s fleet from 2026.
Powered by CFM International LEAP-1B engines, the
planes will help JAL to reduce both fuel use and carbon
emissions by 15% compared to the older Boeing airplanes they will replace.
In addition, the 737 MAX is quieter and creates a significantly smaller noise footprint than
older generation of aircraft.
“The integration of the new 737 MAX will provide
JAL with greater efficiency across its short-haul network, as the
airline continues to upgrade its world-class fleet,” said Stan
Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
“Partnering with JAL to introduce 737-8s into its operations is
the latest milestone in our longstanding relationship.”
Founded in 1951, JAL is a member of the oneworld alliance
and today reaches 411 airports in 60 countries and regions together with
its codeshare partners with a fleet of 241 aircraft.
“We are delighted to select the Boeing 737-8, a
member of the very latest 737 MAX family, to replace our Boeing
737-800s, which make up the largest proportion of the JAL Group’s
fleet,” said Yuji Akasaka, president of Japan Airlines. “We look
forward to carrying our passengers in the utmost safety and
comfort and to moving closer to our 2050 carbon-neutral goals,
thanks to a combination of these super-efficient aircraft,
operational innovations and new fuel-saving technologies.”
More than 50 airlines globally are operating over
900 737 MAX airplanes, which have made over 1.4 million revenue
flights totaling more than 3.5 million flight hours since late
2020.
