Should Boeing change the name of the 737 Max after two fatal crashes and close to one and a half years of grounding? This debate has been going on for more than a year. Now there is a hint that the company might quietly drop the 'Max' name.
When announcing the order for two additional 737 Max from Enter Air, Boeing did not completely let go of the name 737 Max. The manufacturer writes that «Enter Air's 737 Max fleet» could grow to ten aircraft thanks to the new order. But at the most noticeable place, the headline and in the first paragraph, Boeing chooses a different name.
Several airlines already got rid of the name Max
«Enter Air to purchase up to four Boeing 737-8 jets», is the headline. For comparison: Last December, the company titled order announcements for the aircraft type as follows: «Boeing, SunExpress sign order for 10 additional 737 Max airplanes» or «Boeing, Air Astana announce intent to buy 30 737 Max airplanes».
In summer 2019, IAG CEO Willie Walsh took a similar approach in his letter of intent: He didn't talk about the Max, but about the Boeing '737-8' and '737-10'. Shortly after, photos showed a newly built Ryanair jet, that has '737-8200' instead of 737 Max written on it. The aircraft itself is a 737 Max 200, a higher-density variant of the 737 Max 8 - summarized by Ryanair as '8200'. Vietjet also has 737-8-200 written on their planes instead of 737 Max 200 as once planned.
Enter Air still uses «Boeing 737 Max 8»
The designation 737-8 is not completely new. Brazilian airline Gol has labeled its 737 Max in this way from the beginning. The designation is located at the front of the aircraft, below the cockpit.
Enter Air has already received two Boeing 737 Max from its original order. Both have the designation Boeing 737 Max 8 on the tail of each aircraft. It remains to be seen how future deliveries for the airline will be named.
