Airline Becomes First Commercial Carrier In Canada To Take Delivery

WestJet has officially unveiled its first Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, one of 50 scheduled for delivery in the next four years.

"We are proud to make history as the first Canadian airline to receive the Boeing 737 MAX," said Ed Sims, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Commercial. "The MAX's design updates, including Boeing's Advanced Technology winglets and the Boeing Sky Interior, will contribute to improvements in fuel efficiency and overall guest experience. We look forward to welcoming guests on board our sleek new aircraft along with our signature caring, people-driven service."

"We worked closely with WestJet to make sure the 737 MAX raises the bar when it comes to efficiency, reliability and the passenger experience," said Brad McMullen, Boeing's Vice-President of Sales for the Americas. "This is a great airplane for a great customer, and we're excited to see WestJet put the MAX into service."

The aircraft, which has been at WestJet's Calgary hangar since September 29 for inspections, training and test flights, is the first of 50 Boeing 737 Max scheduled to be delivered through 2021. The aircraft is expected to officially enter service on November 9, 2017, when it operates from Calgary to Toronto.

The Boeing 737 MAX is powered by CFM International's LEAP-1B engines, designed for fuel efficiency and noise reduction. Overall, the aircraft is 14 per cent more fuel-efficient than current 737 Next-Generations and have a reduced operational noise footprint of up to 40 per cent through quiet-engine technology.

(Image provided with WestJet news release)

FMI: www.westjet.com