Greater Bay Airlines announces order for 15 737-9 airplanes

Mr Stanley Hui Hon-chung, Chief Executive Officer, Greater Bay Airlines Company Limited (front row, right), and Mr Brad McMullen, Senior Vice President, Commercial Sales and Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes (front row, left), signed the purchase agreement, witnessed by (back row, from left) Mr Frankie Yick, Member, Legislative Council; Mr Fred Lam, Chief Executive Officer, Airport Authority Hong Kong; Captain Victor Liu Chi-yung, Director-General of Civil Aviation, Civil Aviation Department; Mr Algernon Yau Ying-wah, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, HKSAR; Mr Lam Sai-hung, Secretary for Transport and Logistics, HKSAR; Mr Stan Deal, President and CEO, Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Mr Wong Cho Bau, Chairman, Greater Bay Airlines Company Limited; Mr Paul Chan, Financial Secretary, HKSAR; Mr Ihssane Mounir, Senior Vice President, Global Supply Chain and Fabrication, Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Mr Andrew Leung, President, Legislative Council, and Director, Greater Bay Airlines Company Limited; Professor Arthur Li Kwok-cheung, Member, Executive Council, and Director, Greater Bay Airlines Company Limited; Mr Jeffrey Lam, Member, Executive Council and Legislative Council; Mr Perry Yiu, Member, Legislative Council.

Greater Bay Airlines announced the order for 15 Boeing 737-9 airplanes and a commitment for no less than five 787 Dreamliners to support its mid- to long-term plan to launch international long-haul service. A signing ceremony was held between Greater Bay Airlines and The Boeing Company.

(3 March 2023) Greater Bay Airlines (GBA) and Boeing [NYSE:BA] today announced an order for 15 737-9 airplanes. The agreement also includes a commitment for no less than five 787 Dreamliners to support GBA’s mid- to long-term plan to launch international long-haul service.

 The new Hong Kong-based carrier said the 737-9 will form the backbone of its future fleet as it seeks to operate more flights between Hong Kong and major cities in Asia Pacific and Mainland China. GBA plans to leverage the 737-9’s enhanced capacity and range to lower trip costs and expand its network.

“The 737-9 will allow GBA to open up new routes from Hong Kong with unmatched economics. The new order will bring fantastic growth possibilities to GBA,” said Wong Cho Bau, chairman of GBA. “The more spacious cabin facilitates the introduction of business class service. Some state-of-the-art features such as Wi-Fi entertainment and satellite internet access will also be made possible. The 737-9 will enable us to strive for excellence for our valued customers.”

GBA is an all-Boeing carrier currently operating a fleet of three 737-800 jets with flights to four destinations, including Bangkok, Taipei, Tokyo and Seoul. The airline also plans to bring in a number of additional 737-800s to meet its expansion needs before the arrival of the 737-9. GBA is planning to add Osaka, Japan to its network by the end of April 2023.

“GBA’s commitment for 737-9s is a major endorsement of our 737 MAX family and its ability to serve new markets,” said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The 737-9 will provide GBA with unmatched efficiency and reliability and lower operating costs, while continuing to provide a premium on-board experience for its passengers.”

The 737-9 is designed to seat more than 190 passengers in a two-class configuration with a range of 3,300 nautical miles (6112 km), providing operators added capacity and increased profitability within their network.

The 737 MAX family delivers enhanced efficiency, improved environmental performance and increased passenger comfort to the single-aisle market, while offering excellent economics and reducing fuel use and emissions by 20% compared to the airplanes it replaces. Since the 737 MAX was launched in 2011, more than 100 customers around the world have placed firm orders for more than 5,300 airplanes.

Incorporated and headquartered in Hong Kong, GBA’s current business plan is to offer scheduled passenger and cargo services to cities in Asia Pacific and Mainland China. With Hong Kong as its principal place of business, the airline commenced scheduled service in July 2022 and is committed to developing an extensive network of air services to major cities around the world, riding on the back of the opening of the three-runway system at the Hong Kong International Airport in late 2024.

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