SilkAir welcomes new Boeing 737 Max 8 to fleet

SINGAPORE Airlines subsidiary, SilkAir, welcomed the arrival of its new aircraft on Wednesday - the Boeing 737 MAX 8.

The first of 37 MAX 8s ordered, this delivery marks a significant milestone in SilkAir's journey towards bringing customers greater comfort and access to further locations in the region.

The first new destination the MAX 8 will fly to is Hiroshima, Japan, with the inaugural flight taking place on Oct 30. This is the first Japanese destination SilkAir has added to its network. Besides Hiroshima, all MAX 8 aircraft will also be deployed to other longer haul destinations including Cairns, Darwin, Kathmandu, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Two more MAX 8s are expected to be delivered by year end, with another 34 on order. The order of B-737 MAX 8s is part of SilkAir's plans to transit to an all-Boeing fleet, to replace its ageing Airbus 320s and 319s.

"Overall, customers will be greeted by a refreshed cabin look and feel on the MAX 8 aircraft," SilkAir said.

The new aircraft will feature an enhanced Business Class, with refinements such as a 25 per cent increase in seat pitch and additional recline for greater comfort. With the Economy Class, seats will showcase a more ergonomic design and be fitted with seat-back tablets and phone holders. Additionally, the entertainment service has been upgraded with the latest options, offering more than 100 movies and 40 television shows.

Said SilkAir chief executive Foo Chai Woo: "We are thrilled to be welcoming the new Boeing 737 MAX 8 to the SilkAir family. The new MAX 8 enables us to offer customers access to new and exciting destinations and paves the way for a new phase of growth."