Singapore Airlines has operated its first Boeing 737 MAX service. The airline operated a return flight from Singapore to Phuket with the type and will continue to do so as it eases the type back into service. According to schedule data, the airline will start ramping up 737 MAX flights from February.
The Boeing 737 MAX isn’t a totally new aircraft for Singapore Airlines. It had been operating under the airline’s subsidiary Silk Air. However, all of the jets were grounded in early 2019 along with the rest of the global fleet. Rather than returning to the skies for Silk Air, Singapore Airlines has now brought the aircraft in-house under its main brand.
The first flight of many
Today was a special occasion for Singapore Airlines, as it welcomed the Boeing 737 MAX back into commercial service and operated its first primary brand flight using the type. According to flight data from RadarBox.com, 9V-MBC took to the skies at 09:56 from Singapore Changi Airport’s gate A2.
Having taken off, the aircraft climbed up to 38,000 feet for the two-hour flight northwest to Phuket, where it landed at 10:45. The aircraft then returned to Changi before departing for another rotation to Phuket at 17:11.
For the service return, Singapore Airlines used 9V-MBC. According to data from ch-aviation.com, the aircraft is 3.97 years old, having first flown on December 6th, 2017. The plane was transferred across to Singapore Airlines at the start of April this year and is currently valued at $35.55 million. Before its service return, the aircraft had completed 1,414 flight cycles, equating to 5,067 flight hours (6.94 months).
A look at Singapore Airlines’ 737 MAX plans
It seems that for the time being, the Boeing 737 MAX is very much a one-trick pony for Singapore Airlines. According to schedule data from Cirium, Singapore Airlines has only scheduled the aircraft type on flights between Singapore Changi and Phuket as things currently stand.
For the remainder of November, two rotations are planned with the type each day. In December, a single daily rotation is scheduled until December 9th and then from December 19th to 29th. Just 11 rotations are currently scheduled in January, daily from the 1st to the 11th.
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From February, Singapore Airlines will ramp things up with a double daily rotation to Phuket, rising up to six times a day from April onwards. Of course, Singapore Airlines could always amend this schedule in the meantime.
Presently, the airline has just six 737 MAX aircraft, though a further 31 737 MAX 8 aircraft are on order. Last week Simple Flying revealed that the plane would have a ten-seat business class cabin at the front of the plane, featuring a couple of throne seats.
Are you excited to see Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 737 MAX returning to service? Let us know what you think and why in the comments!
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