Tui Airways has welcomed the first Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft to its UK fleet, with the new plane departing on its inaugural passenger flight to Malaga on Sunday (December 2).
Tui Airways is the first UK registered airline to take delivery of the new Boeing aircraft and it plans to have a total of 32 in its UK fleet.
John Murphy, Tui Airways managing director, said: “We continue on our journey to be Europe’s most carbon-efficient airline as we welcome the first of these Boeing MAX aircraft into the Tui Airways fleet, joining our Tui Group colleagues who took delivery earlier this year.”
Operating on short- and mid-haul routes, the new aircraft type is one of the most carbon-efficient.
The introduction of these aircraft over the next five years means Tui will soon have one of the youngest, most carbon-efficient fleets in the sky, and operate just two aircraft types: 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner.
The new aircraft launched from Manchester – Tui Airways’ second largest hub – which is seeing increased capacity, new routes and new aircraft.
Murphy added: “We have a strong history with Manchester. We launched the very first Dreamliner here back in 2013 so it made sense for us to make the north west a major hub for the new MAX and are proud to offer a diverse range of holidays destinations from the region.”
The first MAX customers will also see a trial of a new in-flight entertainment system this winter.
Called Navigate, the onboard streaming service will mean customers can use their own electronic devices to enjoy entertainment that they can choose.
They will also be able to browse and book excursions available in the destination to which they are flying.