Boeing has secured orders for 1,100 737s with the airframer's new Sky Interior, accounting for more than half of its single-aisle backlog. The company says that 45 airlines and leasing companies have selected the Sky Interior, up from 37 in late June.
FlyDubai is expected to take delivery of the first 737 with the Sky Interior in late October, an -800 model, before being slated for hand over for final completion and installation of the Lumexis fiber optic in-flight entertainment system.
The new weight-neutral interior includes 787-style overhead bins, LED lighting, revised passenger service unit and sculpted windows and sidewalls.
Existing customers have the option to keep the existing 737 Next Generation interior or move to the new Sky Interior. New customers have been required to select the new interior.
Boeing is currently evaluating the feasibility of providing a retrofit option to existing 737s, though early indications demonstrated such an installation would be extremely costly.
Of those 45 customers, only FlyDubai, Continental Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Malaysia Airlines, TUI Travel PLC, GOL Airlines, Lion Air and American Airlines have announced their intention to introduce Sky Interior 737s.
The new interior is part of a package of enhancements for the 737 family, which also include a 2% fuel burn improvement culled from aerodynamic refinements and the updated CFM56-7BE engine, which was jointly certified by FAA and EASA in August.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
