Somon Air, the national carrier of Tajikistan, has received its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, marking the first appearance of the MAX variant in the country's fleet, Boeing announced Monday.

The 737-8 is the first of two aircraft the airline is leasing from Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) as part of its fleet renewal programme, according to a joint statement from Boeing and Somon Air.

Abdulkosim Valiev, chief executive of Somon Air, said Tajikistan's central geographic position combined with the aircraft's extended range would let the carrier open new routes with improved economics, given the jet's fuel efficiency. He said the airline valued its long-standing relationship with Boeing and expected its fleet to keep growing with more modern aircraft.

The airline plans to deploy the 737-8 on short- and medium-haul routes across Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and says the aircraft's range and economics will support planned new service to London, Beijing and Guangzhou.

Firoz Tarapore, chief executive of DAE, said the delivery — the first Boeing 737-8 in Tajikistan — was part of a two-aircraft commitment with Somon Air. He noted that DAE Capital operates more than 190 aircraft from the 737 MAX family as part of its broader fleet strategy.

Paul Righi, Boeing's vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing for Eurasia, India and South Asia, said the manufacturer was honoured by Somon Air's continued trust as the airline grew from a regional operator into an international carrier over the past two decades. He said the 737-8 was well suited to support that expansion.

The 737-8, the most widely used variant in the 737 MAX family, can carry up to 210 passengers depending on cabin configuration and has a range of up to 3,500 nautical miles (6,480 km). Boeing says the aircraft cuts fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 20 percent compared with the older-generation jets it typically replaces.

Somon Air has operated an all-Boeing fleet since launching in 2008 and currently flies six Next-Generation 737 aircraft to 29 destinations across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, according to Boeing. In November last year, Boeing and Somon Air announced a commitment covering up to 14 aircraft, combining 787 Dreamliners and 737 MAX jets.

Source: PR