Greater Bay Airlines (GBA) has ushered in a new chapter for Hong Kong aviation by taking delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX 9, registration B-KWA. The aircraft flew in from Boeing’s Renton factory on 22 November, routing through Hawaii and Guam before touching down at Hong Kong International Airport. The MAX 9 entered commercial service just three days later on the carrier’s high-demand Hong Kong–Bangkok route, immediately giving passengers a quieter cabin, lower cabin altitude, and the airline’s first-ever ‘Premium Class’ product.
GBA’s order for 15 MAX 9s—announced in 2023 alongside five Boeing 787s—signals its intention to move up from a fledgling point-to-point operator to a genuine network player. Since launching in 2022 with second-hand 737-800s, the airline has built a 17-city network across Asia. The MAX’s longer range and 206-seat, two-class layout will allow GBA to open thinner business-friendly routes such as Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City and Cebu while lowering per-seat operating costs by an estimated 14 %.
![Greater Bay Airlines Becomes Hong Kong’s First Boeing 737 MAX Operator]()
For Hong Kong’s corporate travel market the arrival matters for two reasons. First, the fuel-efficient MAX helps insulate fares against volatile oil prices, giving procurement teams more predictable budgets. Second, the new Premium Class—essentially a domestic First-class recliner—fills the comfort gap between full-service business class and low-cost economy, an option long requested by SMEs that need flexibility without paying top-tier fares.
Operationally, the MAX 9 joins Hong Kong’s airport at an opportune moment: the Three-Runway System will be fully commissioned next year, adding capacity for new slots. GBA plans to induct a second MAX in early 2026 and reach 10 by 2027, coinciding with slot hand-backs from pandemic-hit rivals. The carrier also expects the type’s commonality with its 737-800s to keep training and maintenance costs low.
In the wider Greater Bay Area context, a Hong Kong-based MAX fleet enhances the SAR’s competitiveness against Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Macau, all of which have wooed airlines with incentives. By positioning itself as a value-driven alternative to flag-carrier Cathay Pacific and low-cost HK Express, GBA could stimulate inbound visitor flows and diversify outbound options for Hong Kong residents and expatriates alike.
GBA’s order for 15 MAX 9s—announced in 2023 alongside five Boeing 787s—signals its intention to move up from a fledgling point-to-point operator to a genuine network player. Since launching in 2022 with second-hand 737-800s, the airline has built a 17-city network across Asia. The MAX’s longer range and 206-seat, two-class layout will allow GBA to open thinner business-friendly routes such as Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City and Cebu while lowering per-seat operating costs by an estimated 14 %.
For Hong Kong’s corporate travel market the arrival matters for two reasons. First, the fuel-efficient MAX helps insulate fares against volatile oil prices, giving procurement teams more predictable budgets. Second, the new Premium Class—essentially a domestic First-class recliner—fills the comfort gap between full-service business class and low-cost economy, an option long requested by SMEs that need flexibility without paying top-tier fares.
Operationally, the MAX 9 joins Hong Kong’s airport at an opportune moment: the Three-Runway System will be fully commissioned next year, adding capacity for new slots. GBA plans to induct a second MAX in early 2026 and reach 10 by 2027, coinciding with slot hand-backs from pandemic-hit rivals. The carrier also expects the type’s commonality with its 737-800s to keep training and maintenance costs low.
In the wider Greater Bay Area context, a Hong Kong-based MAX fleet enhances the SAR’s competitiveness against Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Macau, all of which have wooed airlines with incentives. By positioning itself as a value-driven alternative to flag-carrier Cathay Pacific and low-cost HK Express, GBA could stimulate inbound visitor flows and diversify outbound options for Hong Kong residents and expatriates alike.
