Norwegian expects to take its first Boeing 737 Max 8 at the end of June, the second delivery delay since the airframer disclosed a possible manufacturing flaw in the type's engines.
“Boeing has informed us that the delivery of our first 737 Max is postponed until the end of June," says a spokesman for the Oslo-based carrier. "This will not affect our operation or our passengers.”
Norwegian had planned to take its first Max in May. However, the delivery was delayed when CFM International notified Boeing of a possible flaw in the low-pressure turbine rotor disc in the CFM International Leap-1B engines on the type early that month.
Boeing temporarily grounded the 737 Max for two days for inspections, which found some engines in need of repairs.
The airframer has delivered two Max aircraft to launch operator Malindo Air since 16 May. Norwegian's aircraft was due to be the third in mid-June.
Gary Kelly, chief executive of Southwest Airlines – launch customer of the 737 Max – told FlightGlobal on 1 June that they do not expect any delays to their first aircraft, which is due in July or August, from the engine issues.
Norwegian was set to launch new transatlantic flights to Hartford, Newburgh Stewart and Providence with the 737 Max on 15 June. It plans to launch those flights with 737-800s restricted to just 150 seats instead of their 189-seat capacity, said chief commercial officer Thomas Ramdahl in an interview earlier this week.
The airline will shift the transatlantic flights to the 737 Max shortly after delivery, he said, though he declined to say when.
Norwegian plans to launch 12 new routes between Hartford, Newburgh and Providence, and Belfast, Bergen, Cork, Dublin, Edinburgh and Shannon with the 737s in June and July.
The carrier has firm orders for 108 737 Max 8s with six scheduled for delivery to its Norwegian Air International subsidiary in 2017, the Flight Fleets Analyzer shows.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
