Jet Airways may start 737 Max ops from Jul 1 on Mum-Hyd route

Full service carrier Jet Airways is likely to commence operations of 737 Max aircraft from early next month, with the first flight to be operated to Hyderabad from here, according to an industry source.

The airline, which took the delivery of the first 737 Max last week, is also expected to deploy the latest fuel-efficient plane from US aircraft maker Boeing initially to Abu Dhabi and Dubai besides on domestic destinations such as Bangaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa, Jaipur Mangalore and Thiruchirapally, the source added.

"Jet Airways' 737 Max 8 is likely to take off on July 1, with its maiden flight to Hyderabad from Mumbai," the source said.

This will also make Jet Airways the first Indian carrier to operate such a plane.

The new single-aisle aircraft, which will be a critical element for the future growth strategy of the airline, was delivered to Jet Airways at the Boeing's Washington-based Renton facility on June 19.

The 737 Max can seat between 130 and 230 passengers, depending on the variant.

The Mumbai-based Naresh Goyal-promoted airline, in which Gulf carrier Etihad Airways holds 24 per cent stake, has placed an order for 225 737 Max planes with the Boeing Co, in three tranches.

In 2015, the airline had ordered 75 such planes. Earlier this year, it decided to buy another 75 planes of the same model.

Yesterday, it announced entering into an agreement with Boeing to purchase 75 more 737 Max aircraft.

The airline has a fleet of 119 aircraft and flies to more than 65 destinations across 15 countries.

Besides Jet Airways, Ajay Singh-owned budget carrier SpiceJet is the other domestic carrier which has 737 Max planes on order.

Gurgaon-based SpiceJet had early last year announced to acquire up to 205 new aircraft (including 55 from the 2014 order) from Boeing. The deliveries of these planes is expected to commence from August.