Luxair Luxembourg Airlines is continuing to invest in its future growth with the announcement last week of purchasing more Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The purchase of the additional planes comes after the airline secured a leasing agreement to operate two interim 737 MAX 8 this summer.
The announcement brings the carrier’s expected 737 MAX fleet to four. With the new fuel-efficient planes, the airline said it will continue offering fast air service to most major European cities, business centers, and international hubs.
Four shiny new planes
Luxair confirmed the purchase of two additional 737 MAX 8s on Friday. The carrier said it expects passengers to have better travel experience on the aircraft.
“This modern and fuel-efficient aircraft will offer customers a more comfortable flying experience, with a spacious cabin, improved seating comfort, and larger overhead bins. We are excited to continue on our journey of providing better services to our clients and expanding our network of destinations.”
On March 3rd, Luxair executives approved the purchase of the first two 737 MAX 8 that will join its fleet. With Friday’s announcement, the flag carrier of Luxembourg will soon welcome four new aircraft.
“The purchase of up to four Boeing 737-8 aircraft is considered as an essential part of the investments in the future of Luxair,” the airline explained.
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Aircraft details
The MAX 8s will be configured to have up to 186 seats with an arrangement that offers a more comfortable flying experience, according to the airline. Passengers will experience a more spacious cabin in addition to improved seating comfort with a seat pitch of 30 inches, which the carrier said is greater than the average pitch of other airlines. Larger overhead bins will also be featured, accommodating more carry-on bags.
With an increased range of 3,100 nautical miles, the 737 MAX will be utilized on longer routes.
“The aircraft will hence be used for longer flights such as the ones operated currently to Dubai, Cap Verde and Senegal but will also serve Luxair’s remaining network,” the carrier said.
In the meantime…
The airline said it is already expanding the connectivity of Luxembourg to meet the increased demand in markets across the region. Still, there is no doubt that the new 737s will benefit its efforts. Delivery of the first pair of aircraft is not expected until 2026, but the carrier expects to have interim aircraft to bridge the time.
Just in time for the busy summer travel season, Luxair will begin operating leased 737 MAX in the coming months. The carrier said the temporarily leased aircraft are an immediate fleet increase to its current fleet of nearly 20 planes.
"In anticipation of this development, Luxair has secured with Boeing an immediate fleet increase based on two Boeing 737-8 aircraft under a leasing agreement which will enter into service in the summer season 2023,” the airline said. “These aircraft will be operated by Luxair crews and will allow Luxair to better mitigate the financial impacts of the energy crisis, given the increased efficiency of these new generation planes.”
According to ch-aviation, Luxair currently operates 18 aircraft. The carrier’s fleet comprises four 737-700s, four 737-800s, and 10 Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 regional aircraft.
Source: ch-aviation