German charter airline Hapag-Lloyd has become the first carrier to introduce a Boeing 737-800 equipped with winglets. The "blended" winglets are being fitted to the airline's in-service 737-800 fleet as a retrofit. Other carriers, such as Air Berlin and South African Airways, are also taking new-build 737-800s with the winglets already installed. Boeing claims that the fuel consumption reduction provided by the winglets reduces operating costs, while boosting trip range by up to 240km (130nm).
Source: Flight International
