Hong Kong-based Greater Bay Airlines has put into commercial service its first Boeing 737 Max 9, days after taking delivery of the aircraft.
Greater Bay Airlines received the 737 (registered B-KWA) on 22 November, following a delivery flight from Boeing’s Seattle facility. Flight tracking data shows the aircraft started operating commercial flights on 25 November, between Hong Kong and Bangkok.
The aircraft is the first of 15 jets that the airline ordered in a 2023 deal. Greater Bay Airlines is the second Asian operator of the variant, after Indonesia low-cost carrier Lion Air, which has four examples in its fleet.
Greater Bay Airlines’ 737 Max 9 is configured to seat 197 passengers in two classes: 189 in economy and eight in its newly-launched ‘Premium Class’.
The airline previously announced it would be introducing the new cabin product by the end of the year. It features a wider, cradle-style seat with a 40-inch seat pitch, alongside complimentary dining and priority services.
Greater Bay Airlines, which began operating in 2022, currently operates 737-800s which seat 189 passengers in a single-class configuration. It flies to 17 cities in Mainland China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, as well as Thailand.
This story has been amended to correctly reflect the aircraft’s seat configuration and network.
