Greater Bay Airlines (GBA) and Boeing today announced an order for 15 737-9airplanes. The agreement also includes a commitment for five 787 Dreamliners tosupport GBA’s long-termplan to launch international long-haul service.

The new Hong Kong-based carrier said the 737-9will form the backbone of its future fleet as it seeks to operate more flights betweenHong Kong and major cities in Asia and Mainland China. GBA plans to leverage the737-9’s enhanced capacity and range to lower trip costs and expand its network.

“The 737-9 will allow GBA to open up new routesfrom Hong Kong with unmatched economics,” said Wong Cho Bau, chairmanof GBA. “The new order will bring fantastic growth possibilities to GBA andenable us to strive for excellence in an innovative way for our valuedcustomers.”

GBA is an all-Boeing carrier currently operating a fleet of three737-800 jets with flights to four destinations, including Bangkok, Taipei,Tokyo and Seoul. The airline also plans to bring in a number of additional737-800s to meet its expansion needs before the arrival of the 737-9.

“GBA’s commitment for 737-9s is a majorendorsement of our 737 MAX family and its ability to serve new markets,”said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The 737-9will provide GBA with unmatched efficiency and reliability and lower operatingcosts, while continuing to provide a premium on-board experience for itspassengers.”

The 737-9 is designed to seat more than 190 passengersin a two-class configuration with a range of 3,300 nautical miles, providingoperators added capacity and increased profitability within their network.

The 737 MAX family delivers enhanced efficiency, improvedenvironmental performance and increased passenger comfort to the single-aislemarket, while offering excellent economics and reducing fuel use and emissionsby 20% compared to the airplanes it replaces. Since the 737 MAX was launched in2011, more than 100 customers around the world have placed firm orders for morethan 5,300 airplanes.

GreaterBay Airlines is a Hong Kong-based carrier offering scheduled passenger andcargo services. The airline, which commenced scheduled service in July 2022, hasa plan to develop an extensive network of air services to major cities in Asiaand Mainland China from Hong Kong, riding on the back of the opening of thethree-runway system at Hong Kong International Airport in late 2024.