Kazakhstan’s SCAT Airlines is continuing the modernization of its fleet and the expansion of its international network with a new order for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Boeing and SCAT Airlines have announced that the Kazakh carrier has ordered five additional 737 MAX 9 aircraft, aiming to increase capacity, improve operational efficiency and create room for further growth on international routes, including services to Europe.
The order had previously been listed as being placed by an unidentified customer, but it has now been confirmed that the customer is SCAT Airlines. Alongside the new firm order for five 737 MAX 9 aircraft, the carrier has also decided to adjust part of an earlier order, converting five previously ordered 737 MAX 8 aircraft to the larger 737 MAX 9 model.
This further increases the role of the larger member of the 737 MAX family in SCAT Airlines’ fleet. According to Boeing’s announcement, the 737 MAX 9 can carry up to 220 passengers and has a range of up to 6,110 kilometres, or 3,300 nautical miles. This combination of capacity and range allows the airline to launch longer routes with a single-aisle aircraft, while achieving lower operating costs compared with the aircraft it replaces.
SCAT Airlines plans to use its expanded 737 MAX 9 fleet for long-haul flights from Kazakhstan, as well as for the development of so-called seventh-freedom routes from Central Asia to Europe and Asia. The carrier recently launched a Prague to Sanya service, with a technical stop in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, connecting the Czech Republic and China on a journey lasting more than 14 hours.
Vladimir Denissov, President of JSC SCAT Airlines, said that this fleet update allows the carrier to better respond to growing passenger demand, while retaining the flexibility needed to serve an increasingly diverse route network. He added that the conversion of five previously ordered 737 MAX 8 aircraft to the larger 737 MAX 9, together with the new order for five more aircraft of the same type, increases seating capacity per flight and contributes to schedule reliability as the airline expands its international network.
Boeing, meanwhile, emphasizes that the 737 MAX family delivers around 20 percent lower fuel consumption compared with the aircraft it replaces. Paul Righi, Boeing Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing for Eurasia, India and South Asia, said SCAT Airlines’ decision demonstrates the versatility and economic advantages of the 737 MAX family. According to him, the 737 MAX 9 offers the right combination of capacity, range and efficiency to help airlines expand their networks while reducing operating costs.
Based in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, SCAT Airlines operates an extensive domestic and international network across Central Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The carrier has nearly 40 Boeing aircraft in service and was the first airline in Central Asia to introduce the 737 MAX into operations. It currently operates nine 737 MAX 8 and five 737 MAX 9 aircraft.
The new order further confirms SCAT Airlines’ strategy focused on increasing capacity and strengthening its international presence, particularly in markets where the extended range of single-aisle aircraft can open new commercially viable routes.
