Skymark Airlines has received its first Boeing 737-8 aircraft (registration: JA738A), marking a notable milestone as the first Japanese airline to introduce this model into its fleet. The aircraft was delivered from Boeing's factory in Seattle on April 29, departed on April 30 via Kona and Guam, and arrived at Tokyo Haneda Airport on May 4 amidst strong southerly winds that caused turbulence during landing.
The airline plans to operate a fleet of 20 new aircraft, replacing its current Boeing 737-800s. This includes 13 Boeing 737-8s and 7 Boeing 737-10s, with deliveries of the larger models scheduled to begin in fiscal 2027. The aircraft design retains the familiar Boeing 737-800 appearance while extending the tail branding with a new SKY BLUE color and red winglet hearts inspired by a young employee’s idea to bring warmth to more people.
Performance improvements include a 15% reduction in fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions per seat, while maintaining 177 seats. The range has been extended from 5,440 kilometers to 6,480 kilometers, and the aircraft is powered by LEAP-1B engines from CFM International. Skymark has also undertaken extensive training preparations to support the fleet expansion, including full flight simulator training scheduled for 2025.
