Boeing used the Paris Air Show, taking place this week, to announce a new, even-more-stretched version of the 737 MAX airliners that are its bread and butter.
While the 737 is the world’s most-sold airliner in history, recent sales supremacy has gone to bigger and newer versions of the Airbus A321neo, and the new model is a response to that. Recent sales for the 737 MAX 9 have been slow, in part because airlines have wanted either a bigger plane, or the 737 MAX 8, which is smaller.
Boeing’s launch announcement for the plane, which will reach airlines by 2020, includes the news that there are already 240 firm orders for the plane, which will be nearly 6 feet longer than the 9, and more than 20 feet longer than the 8. In single-class service, it will be able to seat 230, or 188 as a two-class plane.
