Virgin Australia Provides Boeing 737 MAX To Fleet, Reveals New Interiors

Virgin Australia has simply taken supply of its first Boeing 737 MAX. The airline is now exhibiting off the interiors of those jets, and has revealed that present plane might be reconfigured as effectively. Let’s go over all the main points.

Particulars of Virgin Australia’s Boeing 737 MAX order

Virgin Australia presently has 33 Boeing 737 MAXs on order, comprised of:

• Eight Boeing 737 MAX 8s, which the airline has simply began taking supply of; that is an up to date model of the 737-800, that includes higher gasoline financial system and longer vary
• 25 Boeing 737 MAX 10s, although there’s no timeline for these planes being delivered, on condition that the plane hasn’t but been licensed; this would be the largest model of the 737 household, that includes a better capability, however much less vary, than the 737 MAX 8

That’s the extent of latest plane that Virgin Australia has on order, and enhances the provider’s present roughly 85 Boeing 737s, plus some A320s and Fokker 100s.

At one level Virgin Australia’s Boeing 737 MAX order was a lot bigger, however the order was restructured whereas the provider went by voluntary administration firstly of the pandemic.

In current days, Virgin Australia has taken supply of its first Boeing 737 MAX. On June 28-30, 2023, the plane with the license plate VH-8IA was ferried from the USA to Australia, flying from Seattle (BFI) to Kona (KOA) to Nadi (NAN) to Brisbane (BNE).

Virgin Australia’s Boeing 737 MAX routes

Virgin Australia solely has a small order of Boeing 737 MAX 8s that might be delivered within the close to future, so don’t count on an excessive amount of enlargement on account of these planes. The 737 MAX does provide extra vary in comparison with earlier era 737s, and Virgin Australia plans to make the most of that.

Virgin Australia intends to use these planes to fly from Cairns to Tokyo, which is a 3,627-mile flight. That’s fairly an extended journey for a aircraft with such a configuration, because the flight is blocked at practically eight hours. Whereas that’s an extended flight for a regionally configured plane, in equity, it’s a reasonably leisure oriented route, and there’s not any full service competitors.

Sadly on account of some supply delays, the airline didn’t fairly take supply of the jet earlier than this new service launched. In consequence, Virgin Australia began this route with a 737-700, nevertheless it must be upgraded as of July 30, 2023.

Within the meantime, Virgin Australia will fly the Boeing 737 MAXs on home flights for crew familiarization. The aircraft is anticipated to enter service as of July 10, 2023, and might be flown throughout Virgin Australia’s home community.

Virgin Australia’s Boeing 737 MAX interiors

What ought to we count on from the interiors of Virgin Australia’s Boeing 737 MAXs? By way of passenger expertise, don’t count on an excessive amount of change, at the least for the 737 MAX 8s. These planes can have fairly commonplace home interiors.

I just lately flew Virgin Australia’s 737-800 that includes a brand new “trial” cabin, which was solely out there on two former SilkAir plane. That is the precise structure that Virgin Australia will introduce on its Boeing 737 MAX 8s. It’s a reasonably typical regional configuration, and is comfy, however doesn’t actually stand out an excessive amount of.

So far as options go, you may count on the Boeing 737 MAX 8s to function:

• In-seat energy in each enterprise class and financial system class
• Bigger overhead bins than earlier era Boeing 737s
• Wider enterprise class seats with leg rests and extendable footrests, storage compartments, private system holders, and water bottle holders
• An financial system seat design with a ribbed seat again for added consolation and ergonomics, plus private system holders

What’s additionally thrilling is that beginning in late 2023, Virgin Australia plans to reconfigure its total Boeing 737 fleet with these new cabins. That challenge is anticipated to take round two years. You possibly can count on present planes to function these new seats and Wi-Fi. The one factor that might be totally different is that present Boeing 737s received’t get the bigger overhead bins.