Virgin Australia Welcomes First 737 MAX

Virgin Australia has taken delivery of its first 737-8, part of the 737 MAX family, as part of its future growth plans.

The aircraft was delivered to the Australian airline in Seattle last week and will be considerably more efficient than the currently operational 737-800NGs.

The MAX is also part of the next era of travel at Virgin Australia. This is an airline that has undergone major changes in recent years.

Virgin Australia entered administration in 2020 and was thankfully saved. However, as a result, major changes were made to its fleet, including removing almost all fleet types barring the 737-800NG. It meant that its widebody operations had disappeared, including the 777 and A330. These aircraft were previously flown on flights to Abu Dhabi and Los Angeles, to name a few.

the new MAX family aircraft are a critical part of the airline’s transformation, delivering not only a more comfortable experience to customers but forming the backbone of Virgin Australia’s decarbonisation ambitions.

Virgin Australia Chief Operations Officer Stuart Aggs

Registered as VH-8IA or named “Monkey Mia”, this is the first of 33 MAX family aircraft that the airline will secure te services of in the next five years in a transformational program not just for Virgin Australia but the wider Australian aviation industry.

Virgin says the 737-8 is 40% quieter than their currently active 737-800NG fleet and comes with next-generation seats, in-seat power and much more.