OREANDA-NEWS. June 8, 2011. UTair Aviation has received the first two of four mid-range next generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft expected this year from the Boeing facility in Seattle. The aircraft have been configured in the upgraded Sky Interior version, making UTair the first operator of this aircraft modification in Russia and Eastern Europe. The first scheduled flights on these aircraft will be made on routes between Moscow and Surgut, Sochi, Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk.

Boeing 737-800 airliners have greater speed and operational efficiency than the classic original model, the widely used mid-range Boeing 737. By the end of 2011, UTair expects to have up to nine aircraft of this type in its fleet.

The Sky Interior modification in the Boeing 737-800 aircraft will enable UTair to offer better passenger service and to significantly improve operational costs, fuel costs, as well as environmental performance, said UTair CEO Andrey Martirosov. New solutions realized in this aircraft have contributed to making the Boeing 737 Next Generation 7% more efficient compared to previous versions.

The new airliner features a comfortable cabin with a special hand luggage compartment design that offers greater capacity along with better noise insulation and a number of other improvements. The Sky Interior modification was first offered on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Interiors of the new UTair aircraft will demonstrate for the first time ever Boeing’s advanced technologies on the Russian domestic routes.

With the launch of operations with the new Boeing 737-800, UTair Aviation intends to continue its network development and increase the number of flights to established destinations. In 2011, UTair will add more than 20 Boeing aircraft of various types to its fleet.

Main Features of the Boeing 737-800 Next Generation

Max. take-off weight: 79,000 kg

Max. service ceiling: 12,500 m

Cruising speed: 850 km p h.

Flight distance with full payload (190 passengers + luggage:) up to 4,000 km

This summer UTair aircraft will make more than 300 passenger flights per day. According to UTair Aviation operational objectives, the airline will transport more than 7 million passengers in 2011 operating more than 100 aircraft, including Boeing 757-200, Tupolev Tu-154M, Boeing 737-400, Boeing 737-500, ATR 72, Bombardier CRJ 200, and ATR 42.