Around 11 Chinese airlines have resumed operations with the Boeing 737 MAX since the type returned to Chinese skies earlier this year. Th operators include Air China, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Fuzhou Airlines and Lucky Air to name a few.
Boeing estimates that almost half of China's MAX fleet is now back in operation with 43 jets back in service accounting for around 45% of the country's overall MAX fleet, which is a little less than 100.
Thierry Carbary, president of Boeing China, commented: "The move reaffirms our commitment to our civil aircraft customers in China. The equipment upgrade allows us to further enhance our support for Chinese 737 MAX customers as they expand the aircraft's operations in and around China."
On March 22nd, Boeing CFO Brian West said that 28 MAXs were back in service, which means over a dozen have returned to the skies in the past three weeks. In late February, this figure stood at just eight, and Boeing has since been actively assisting Chinese airlines in getting their remaining jets back into service following the long layoff.
With the rapid rebound in Chinese aviation market and continuous rising passenger demand following the lifting of pandemic restrictions, is comes as no surprise that Chinese operators have resumed the MAX services.
Going ahead, been no update yet on when deliveries for the MAX will resume. The last Chinese airline to take delivery of a Boeing 737 MAX was China Southern Airlines in October 2018.