Former All-Airbus Allegiant Launches 1st Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 Service

Allegiant Air has introduced its first-ever Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 into service as the airline officially begins transitioning from an all-Airbus A320ceo family fleet to a mixed-manufacturer fleet.

Putting its MAX 8-200 through its paces

According to Flightradar24 data, the Allegiant Air 737 MAX 8-200, registered as N811NV, entered service on October 20, when it flew from Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP).

Boeing delivered the aircraft on September 9, four days before the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751 and District W24 began their strike.

On the same day, the 737 MAX 8-200 had completed three other itineraries, including the return flight from Orlando to Greenville-Spartanburg and a round trip from Orlando-Sanford to Akron Canton Airport (CAK).

On October 21, the Allegiant Air aircraft will fly another four flights, visiting Roanoke Regional Airport (ROA) and Memphis International Airport (MEM) as the airline continues to utilize its 737 MAX 8-200.

Seemingly, the aircraft will be based at Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) since, for the next two days, it will and end begin its day at the Floridan airport, Flightradar24 schedules showed.

Expanding 737 MAX 8-200 fleet

Allegiant Air, which became the first United States-based operator of the 737 MAX 8-200 – not the 737 MAX 8 – with the introduction of N811NV, should take delivery of three more 737 MAX 8-200 before the end of the year, according to ch-aviation estimates.

Other 737 MAX 8-200 operators include Ryanair and its group airlines, Buzz and Malta Air, and Akasa Air, with Boeing having delivered 173 aircraft of the type, ch-aviation fleet data showed.

Nevertheless, Allegiant Air’s three 737 MAX 8-200 that Boeing should deliver before the end of the year had already operated their first flights, ch-aviation records revealed.

Allegiant Air ordered 100 737 MAX aircraft (50 options), including 737 MAX 7 and 737 MAX 8-200, in January 2022.

Then, the airline said that it would take its first group of aircraft in 2023, with Boeing delivering the remaining aircraft in 2024 and 2025.

The order marked a significant shift for the airline, which, until that point, had only operated second-hand Airbus A320ceo family aircraft, including the A319ceo and A320ceo.

At the time, Maurica Gallagher, the now-former president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Allegiant Air, said that the airline had always been opportunistic about its fleet, and its first direct order from a manufacturer – Boeing – was no exception.

“While the heart of our strategy continues to center on previously-owned aircraft, the infusion of up to 100 direct-from-the-manufacturer 737s will bring numerous benefits for the future – including flexibility for capacity growth and aircraft retirements, significant environmental benefits, and modern configuration and cabin features our customers will appreciate.”

In September 2023, Allegiant Air amended its initial order. Not only did it opt for more 737 MAX 8-200 instead of 737 MAX 7s, which has yet to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but the carrier also added 30 more options to the initial 50 preliminary orders it had placed with Boeing.

Intensifying schedule

While it remains to be seen whether Allegiant Air will have to deal with further delivery delays of its 737 MAX 8-200 aircraft due to the machinists’ strike, the airline has planned an intense schedule for its Boeing jets in November.

According to data from the aviation analytics company Cirium, the leisure carrier has planned 72 weekly flights with the type in November, with half of those departing or arriving at Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB).

For now, Allegiant Air and many other Boeing customers’ hopes of deliveries picking back up was the machinists approving the new tentative agreement (TA) between the manufacturer and the union, which was announced on October 19. The unions’ members will head to the polls on October 23.