Its first aircraft is part of a deal originally reached with US lessor Air Lease
EgyptAir has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max twinjet, one of 18 being introduced through SMBC Aviation Capital.
The aircraft (SU-GGM) is a Max 8 variant, powered by CFM International Leap-1B engines, and arrived in Cairo on 2 May having been ferried from Seattle via Reykjavik.
EgyptAir originally signed for the batch of 737s with Air Lease, but the US lessor has since been acquired by the SMBC division — a deal completed earlier this year.
Under the initial Air Lease plan the deliveries were set to begin in 2025.
EgyptAir already operates 30 older-variant 737s.
“By integrating the [Max 8] into our operations, [we are] committed to providing our passengers with a superior travel experience while achieving greater operational efficiency,” says EgyptAir Holding chief Capt Ahmed Adel.
EgyptAir plans to put the new aircraft on short- and medium-haul routes to destinations including Paris, Brussels, Istanbul and Vienna.
“This delivery underscores our long-standing partnership with Boeing and our commitment to providing EgyptAir with efficient, next-generation aircraft that enhance operational performance and deliver a better passenger experience,” says SMBC Aviation Capital chief commercial officer Barry Flannery.
EgyptAir had been using Airbus A220-300s for short-haul services but sold them to US lessor Azorra a few months after the 737 Max deal.
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