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In recent years, the Boeing 737 MAX has become the most infamous airliner of its generation. The MAX 7 series is the smallest variant of the American manufacturer’s next-generation narrow-body twin-engine airliner. With a growing number of countries now granting type recertification, let’s take a look at the carriers that have ordered the MAX 7.
Size Matters
According to Boeing figures, the 737 MAX 7 has the same wingspan (35.9 meters) as its larger counterparts. However, in its length, the MAX 7 is noticeably smaller than the other variants in the series.
It measures 35.56 meters long, almost four meters shorter than the next largest variant, the MAX 8. It is 39.52 meters long and is noticeably shorter than the MAX 9 (42.16 meters) and the MAX 10 (43.8 meters). . This translates into a corresponding conspicuous difference in passenger capacity between the types. These are the following:
- MAX 7 – 138-153 (two classes) / 172 (maximum).
- MAX 8 – 162-178 (two classes) / 210 (maximum, i.e. Ryanair’s specially configured high-density MAX-200 variant).
- MAX 9 – 178-193 (two classes) / 220 (maximum).
- MAX 10 – 188-204 (two classes) / 230 (maximum).
The fatal accidents on Lion Air Flight 610 (October 2018) and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 (March 2019) resulted in a combined total of 346 deaths. Both disasters involved Boeing 737 MAX planes. When researchers found striking parallels between the two accidents, aviation safety agencies quickly established the type around the world.
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Deliveries increase once again
After almost two years of security work, countries are beginning to recertify the type for commercial service in their respective countries. This means that Boeing can begin to deliver its large portfolio of completed MAX series aircraft.
However, the MAX 7 will only represent a fraction of these. This is perhaps not a surprise, as the smaller aircraft variants tend to cost more to operate per passenger. This is because they carry proportionally more weight per seat than the larger variants.
In fact, Boeing announced in 2018 that it only expected the MAX 7 to account for about 10% of all MAX series orders, according to FlightGlobal. However, at one point, this figure was actually as low as just 1.7%. But where will this small fraction of the MAX fleet end up?
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines, based in Dallas, is the world’s largest low-cost airline by revenue. It has ordered a correspondingly large number of 737 MAX series aircraft, for a total of 280 aircraft. Of these, 30 are the smallest MAX 7 variant, and the remaining 250 are MAX 8. To date, the airline has received 34 MAX 8 aircraft, with the additional deliveries being combined with the 737-700 recalls.
As such, the size of your fleet will remain constant, rather than grow. It estimates that its existing MAX aircraft will return to commercial service in the second quarter of 2021. During this year, it also expects to receive 35 more MAX 8 aircraft. However, it is unclear when its first MAX 7s will arrive, particularly as the airline is also considering the Airbus A220 for its smaller capacity operations.
WestJet
While Canada has yet to recertify the Boeing 737 MAX, this seems to be getting closer. This will be good news for your second largest airline, the low-cost carrier WestJet.
WestJet has placed orders for the MAX 7, MAX 8 and MAX 10 variants of the type. Of these, it has already received 13 MAX 8 aircraft. All of these remain on the ground awaiting recertification, according to Planespotters.net. Deliveries of its 22 ordered MAX 7 aircraft had initially been planned for 2021. However, the type’s 20-month grounding period has seen it postponed indefinitely.
Still, the Boeing 737 MAX 7 does not appear to be as commercially successful as its larger counterpart. However, it will be interesting to see if any other airlines could place orders for the smaller version in the coming years as it recertifies more and more around the world.
