China’s Xiamen Airlines takes delivery of first Boeing 737 MAX passenger aircraft

Fujian-based Xiamen Airlines has taken the delivery of the first 737 MAX passenger airplane, also the 200th Boeing jet received by the Chinese carrier, US aircraft manufacturer Boeing Co said Wednesday.

Che Shanglun, chairman of Xiamen Airlines, said his company is planning to extend its fleet to 568 airplanes by 2035 to transform it into a globally competitive, worldclass airline.

“The addition of the new Boeing 737 MAX is a major milestone for Xiamen Airlines as we execute our development roadmap,” he said.

The 737 MAX is the fastestselling airplane in Boeing history, with which the manufacturer has accumulated more than 4,500 orders from nearly 100 customers worldwide.

The 737 MAX family is regarded as a more energyefficient and comfortable aircraft, reducing fuel usage and carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent compared to its predecessors, Boeing said.

With its headquarters in Xiamen, East China’s Fujian Province, Xiamen Airlines, which was established in 1984, began operations with two leased Boeing 737s serving three cities across China.

Today, the Chinese airline operates 400 routes across China, Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. It operates with an all-Boeing fleet of 737s, 757s, and 787 Dreamliners.

Xiamen Airlines marked the delivery of its 100th Boeing airplane in November 2013.