Hainan Airlines (HU, Haikou) has taken delivery of its first B737-8 in the form of B-1390 (msn 62183). The twinjet was handed over by Boeing (BOE, Washington National) to the HNA Group unit on Saturday, November 18 before being ferried from Seattle Boeing Field to Haikou via Honolulu and Guam International.

According to a Hainan Airlines statement, it is expected to make its commercial debut on November 25 on the Haikou-Beijing Capital route as flight HU7181. The aircraft features a two-class layout, including eight seats in business class and 168 in economy.

With a second of the type due by month-end, Hainan Airlines expects to use its growing MAX 8 fleet to operate trunk routes between Beijing, Shanghai Pudong, Wuhan, Xi'an Xianyang, Nanning, and Chongqing as well as other key domestic routes.

The carrier expects to operate a fleet of up to twenty MAX 8s by the end of 2019.