Jakarta-Based LCC Has 178 Planes On Order

Earlier this week, Boeing and Jakarta-based Lion Air celebrated the delivery of the airline's 10th737-900ER (Extended Range) airplane.

The airliner will be used by the airline to expand Lion Air's service with new destinations throughout South and Southeast Asia. The airline's 737-900ERs are equipped with performance-enhancing Blended Winglets, which improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 4 percent.

As ANN reported, Boeing launched the 737-900ER program in July 2005 when Lion Air announced the initial order for 30 of the newest 737 model. The airline received the world's first 737-900ER in April 2007, and has ordered a total of 178 737-900ERs.

Boeing states the 737-900ER has substantial economic advantages over competing models, including six percent lower operating costs per trip and four percent lower operating costs per seat than its Airbus rival -- which, Boeing notes, is also more than 9,550 pounds heavier. The 737-900ER joins the 737-600, -700, -700ER and -800 airplanes and will share the same industry-leading reliability of the other Next-Generation 737 series models.

Lion Air, which operates an all-Boeing fleet and is the largest low-fare airline in Asia, serves nearly one million passengers per month. The airline began operations in June 2000.

FMI: www.boeing.com, www.lionair.co.id