Greater Bay Airlines (GBA) of Hong Kong and Boeing announced an order for 15 737-9 planes. The agreement also includes a commitment to purchase five 787 Dreamliners to assist GBA’s long-term goal of launching international long-haul service.

The 737-9 will be the backbone of the new Hong Kong-based carrier’s future fleet as it looks to conduct additional flights between Hong Kong and key Asian cities and Mainland China. GBA intends to use the 737-9’s increased capacity and range to reduce travel expenses and extend its network.

“The 737-9 will enable GBA to start up new routes from Hong Kong at unmatched economics,” said GBA Chairman Wong Cho Bau. “The new order will provide GBA with tremendous expansion opportunities and allow us to strive for excellence in an innovative approach for our valued customers.”

GBA is an all-Boeing carrier that operates three 737-800 planes to four destinations, including Bangkok, Taipei, Tokyo, and Seoul. In addition, the airline intends to bring in a number of additional 737-800s to suit its growth demands before the launch of the 737-9.

“GBA’s commitment for 737-9s is a significant endorsement of our 737 MAX family and its potential to service new markets,” Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, stated. “The 737-9 will offer GBA unmatched efficiency and reliability, as well as reduced operating costs while maintaining a premium on-board experience for its passengers.”

The 737-9 is planned to carry more than 190 passengers in a two-class configuration and has a range of 3,300 nautical miles, offering operators more capacity and profitability in their network.

The 737 MAX series improves efficiency, environmental performance, and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market while delivering outstanding economics and cutting fuel usage and emissions by 20% relative to the aeroplanes it replaces. Since the 737 MAX was introduced in 2011, more than 100 customers worldwide have made definite orders for almost 5,300 planes.

Greater Bay Airlines is a Hong Kong-based airline that operates scheduled passenger and cargo flights. The airline, which launched scheduled service in July 2022, plans to develop a broad network of air services to important cities in Asia and Mainland China from Hong Kong, riding on the back of the opening of the three-runway system at Hong Kong International Airport in late 2024.