Boeing has delivered 180 737MAX aircraft since December 2020, increasing the global fleet to a total of 580, but according to a recent report by cirium, 208 of these are currently still grounded, leaving just around 370 actively flying. This number still rises above a reported peak of 368 MAX aircraft at the time of the grounding of the global fleet in the wake of the ET302 crash
Cirium tracking data shows that the fleet’s average daily utilisation is still less than what it was at the time of the grounding at 9 to 9.5 hours per day versus 10 to 10.4 hours
The active MAX fleet is expected to shoot up once the expected approval from China comes into effect. China currently accounts for 97 MAX aircraft, the largest in its region. Boeing reportedly conducted test flights in the country as recently as last month.
Meanwhile Singapore announced this month it would approve the aircraft’s return to service with Singapore Airlines currently owning 6 and planning to deliver another 8
Ethiopian Airlines whose incident spiralled Boeing into crisis has also confirmed that it will fly the MAX again. A huge vote of confidence from an airline that once said it would be the last to return the MAX to service
It has been a long journey for the MAX since global grounding in March 2019 but looks like the 737 MAX has firmly made its come-back
photo: courtesy – BBC
