Qatar Airways took delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX on April 14, an aircraft that originally belonged to an order from Russia’s S7 Airlines.
This aircraft has the registration A7-BSC (ex VP-BXJ) and made its delivery flight between Everett and Doha, Qatar, after a stopover in Reykjavik/Keflavik, Iceland.
Qatar Airways acquired nine Boeing 737 MAX 8s from the Russian carrier following an agreement with Air Lease Corporation (ALC). Sanctions on Russia over the military invasion of Ukraine have led to various problems and cancellations of deliveries of new Western-produced aircraft to operators in that country.
The Qatari Boeing 737 MAXs will have an eight-seat configuration in business class and 168 seats in economy.
The license plates of the new 737 MAX 8 for Qatar Airways
According to local media, these are the aircraft that will go to Qatar Airways:
- A7-BSA (ex VP-BXE).
- A7-BSB (ex VP-BXI).
- A7-BSC (ex VP-BXJ).
- A7-BSD (ex VP-BXK).
- A7-BSE (unknown registration).
- A7-BSF (ex VP-BXF).
- A7-BSG (ex VP-BXM).
- A7-BSH (ex VP-BXG).
- A7-BSI (ex VP-BXH).
As part of the 2022 Farnborough International Airshow, Qatar Airways finalized an order for 25 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft. That initial order may be modified by the addition of equipment originally intended for the Russian airline.
The carrier, based at Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH), plans to increase capacity on short- and medium-haul routes amid growing travel demand in the region.
The 737 MAXs will replace its 29 Airbus A320ceo aircraft between 7.5 and 13.5 years old, according to Planespotters.
According to the Cirium platform, Qatar Airways uses A320s to more than 50 destinations in 36 countries in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Africa, including Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Romania, Tanzania, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Djibouti.
