en.Wedoany.com Reported - Singapore Airlines operates 11 routes using its Boeing 737 MAX fleet on short-haul sectors with flight times exceeding 4.5 hours, with the longest scheduled flight approaching nearly seven hours, showcasing the narrowbody aircraft's potential for long-range operations.

According to the latest scheduling data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, these routes primarily connect Singapore Changi Airport with multiple cities across Asia and Australia. Among them, flights to Busan, South Korea, and Cairns, Australia, have the longest durations, nearing seven hours. Most other routes have flight times slightly exceeding five hours. On these routes, Singapore Airlines faces competition from other narrowbody operators using the 737 or Airbus A320 family aircraft.

For example, on the Chennai to Singapore route, the airline operates two daily services, with the Boeing 737 MAX supplementing the capacity of the Boeing 787-10 widebody aircraft. Occasionally, the MAX service is upgraded to an Airbus A350-900, reflecting the flexibility this aircraft type offers to operators.

The Boeing 737 MAX also demonstrates its value in seasonal demand adjustments. For instance, on services from Cairns and Jakarta to Singapore, the airline can deploy widebody aircraft such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777-300ER during the peak summer travel season. However, according to scheduling data, the airline plans to reduce capacity on these routes later this year by deploying the 737 MAX, achieving reasonable adjustments. This flexibility and efficiency have made the aircraft type popular among operators.

The Boeing 737 MAX family includes four variants: the 737 MAX 7, MAX 8, MAX 9, and MAX 10. Among them, the MAX 7 and MAX 10 are still undergoing certification. The maximum passenger capacities of each variant are 172, 210, 220, and 230 respectively, with ranges varying from 3,800 nautical miles (7,040 kilometers) to 3,100 nautical miles (5,740 kilometers). Singapore Airlines operates only the Boeing 737 MAX 8. The airline's MAX aircraft feature a relatively sparse layout with 154 seats, including 10 convertible lie-flat business class seats and 144 economy class seats. According to Boeing's delivery data, as of the end of May, the airline's fleet includes 23 of these aircraft, six of which were initially delivered to its subsidiary SilkAir. The airline also plans to receive an additional three aircraft.