Xiamen Airlines takes delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX, expanding the fleet to 200 airplanes

The 737 MAX is the best-selling civil aircraft in the history of Boeing, featuring excellent performance, flexibility and efficiency. The 737 MAX can offer passengers a more capacious and comfortable flying experience. Equipped with several of the latest technologies, including the winglet and a brand new engine, the aircraft outperforms the previous-generation model in flying performance, environmental protection and reliability.

With the addition of the aircraft, Xiamen Airlines passes a key milestone, with the size of the fleet now at 200 airplanes. The airline passed the first milestone of 100 planes in 2013, and continued to grow by adding roughly 20 aircraft per year and doubling the size of the fleet within five years. During the period, the airline's operating profits also increased year by year, booking gross profits exceeding 10 billion yuan (approx. US$1.5 billion). The airline has been profitable for 31 consecutive years, reflecting the rapid growth in China's civil aviation industry.

Che Shanglun, chairman of Xiamen Airlines, revealed that the airline's rapid growth was mainly attributable to the economic stimulus that resulted from China's reform and opening up and the constant improvement in the living standard across China, which, in turn, led to the massive boost in the demand for air travel. Over the past five years, the US, Europe and China recorded an average annual growth rate of roughly 4 percent, 6 percent and 10 percent in civil aviation passenger volume, respectively, while Xiamen Airlines experienced an average growth rate of 15 percent.

After expanding the fleet to 100 airplanes in 2013, Xiamen Airlines accelerated the move into international markets. The airline bought the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner in August 2014 and launched the first intercontinental flight, between Xiamen and Amsterdam, in July 2015. Over the following two years, the airline launched 10 intercontinental flights to cities across Europe, North America and Oceania, including Los Angeles, Melbourne, New York, Seattle, Sydney and Vancouver. All the intercontinental flights are now serviced by Boeing 787 aircraft.

厦航接收首架B737MAX 机队规模增至200架

当地时间5月22日，厦航在西雅图接收首架波音737MAX飞机，标志着厦航机队规模增至200架飞机，正式跻身大型航空公司之列。

厦航董事长车尚轮与波音民用飞机集团总裁兼首席执行官Kevin McAllister共同签署飞机交付协议。这架新飞机是厦航运营的首架737MAX飞机，注册号为B-1288。作为波音历史上最畅销的民用飞机，737MAX具备出众的性能、灵活性和效率，拥有更低的每座成本和更远的航程，可以为旅客提供更加宽敞舒适的乘坐体验，特别是翼梢小翼和全新发动机等多项最新技术，在飞行性能、环保表现、可靠性等方面实现了对上一代机型的全面超越。

随着这架飞机的加盟，厦航机队增至200架飞机。从2013年的100架，到2018年的200架，厦航平均每年净增超过20架飞机，在五年内实现了规模翻番。在此期间，厦航的经营利润同样保持逐年增长，利润总额超过100亿元，实现了连续31年持续盈利，成为中国民航业高速发展的缩影。

厦航的快速发展得益于中国改革开放带来的经济腾飞，人民生活水平不断提升，产生了旺盛的航空出行需求。过去五年，美国民航客运量平均年均增速约为4%，欧洲约为6%，中国达到10%，而厦航的平均增长率更是达到15%。

波音东北亚区销售副总裁Rick Anderson表示，"四年半以前，我们交付给厦门航空第100架飞机，今天，我们在这里共同庆祝厦门航空接收第一架737 MAX暨第200架飞机。我们为厦门航空的蓬勃发展感到骄傲，也为厦航与波音三十余年的伙伴关系感到骄傲。"

在交付仪式上，Kevin McAllister总裁向车尚轮董事长赠送了波音727舷舱的窗框，上面印有此前两人在厦门的合影。Kevin McAllister总裁表示，厦航是波音在全球最重要的合作伙伴之一，近几年取得的发展成就令人印象深刻，在机队规模和航线网络迅速拓展的同时，保持了优异的经营业绩，希望双方能够继续深化合作。

在2013年机队规模增至100架后，厦航加快了国际化步伐。2014年8月引进首架波音787梦想飞机，2015年7月开通首条厦门-阿姆斯特丹洲际航线，随后在不到两年的时间里，陆续开通悉尼、墨尔本、温哥华、西雅图、纽约、洛杉矶等共计10条洲际航线，航线网络通达欧洲、北美洲、大洋洲。目前这些洲际航线全部使用波音787执飞，今年年底，厦航还将开通巴黎航线。

作为一家负责任、有担当的中国企业，厦航主动承担起推进全球可持续发展的社会责任。2017年2月，厦航成为全球首家与联合国开展可持续发展目标合作的航空公司，通过积极践行"持续安全、低碳运行、绿色服务、共享效益"的可持续发展举措，以实际行动推动更高质量、更有效率、更可持续的发展。

厦航董事长车尚轮表示，这架737MAX飞机的加入，是波音与厦航深化未来合作的新起点，同时也是是厦航发展历程中的一个重大里程碑。按照规划，到2035年厦航的机队规模将达到560架，并建成具有全球竞争力的世界一流航空企业，在"构建人类命运共同体"的行动中贡献更多的中国力量。