Ryanair Renames The 737 MAX

Updated: May 9, 2023

Published: July 15, 2019

The Boeing 737 MAX has been grounded for months, with no end in sight to the grounding, given that they keep finding problems with the plane.

Even once the plane is fixed and certified by the FAA, there will be a lot of work required to get the plane back in the skies smoothly. For one, global regulators beyond the FAA will need to be convinced that the plane is safe. Beyond that, Boeing and airlines will have their work cut out for them convincing people that they should be comfortable flying the plane.

For quite a while there has been talk about Boeing possibly rebranding the 737 MAX, and it’s something that Trump even Tweeted about back in April.

What do I know about branding, maybe nothing (but I did become President!), but if I were Boeing, I would FIX the Boeing 737 MAX, add some additional great features, & REBRAND the plane with a new name.
No product has suffered like this one. But again, what the hell do I know?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2019

It’s clear that a Boeing 737 MAX rebranding is underway, and this is something that was really started back when IAG signed a letter of intent to order 200 Boeing 737 MAXs. In IAG’s press release about the order, nowhere did they mention the term “MAX.”

Rather than referring to the planes as the 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 10, they referred to them as the 737-8 and 737-10. I would have to imagine that this was something that they discussed with Boeing.

Well, for the first time ever a 737 MAX has been produced with different branding. Ryanair has 135 Boeing 737 MAX 200s on order. Five of these planes have already been produced, though due to the grounding they’re not flying.

For those of you not familiar with the 737 MAX 200, it’s essentially a denser version of the 737 MAX 8. What’s interesting is how they’re painting these planes.

The nose of the fourth plane built says “737 MAX.” Meanwhile the nose of the fifth plane built says “737-8200.” So they’re adopting the “737-8” branding, but are adding “200” to it to differentiate it from the other 737-8s.

Looks like @Ryanair is dropping the MAX title from is new #737MAX200 aircraft. Instead of “737 MAX” on the nose the 5th aircraft rolled out of paint wearing “737-8200” in its place. pic.twitter.com/37HH5axgQx
— Woodys Aeroimages (@AeroimagesChris) July 14, 2019

As before, this isn’t any surprise. This rebranding is a very real thing, and now for the first time we’re seeing that “live” on an airplane. I imagine eventually this will be the case across the board, though Boeing won’t formally rebrand until the plane is flying again.

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J Munene Guest

July 16, 2019, 8:53 am

If it quacks like a MAX and flies like a MAX then it's a MAX no wonder what you call it.

‼ 0

WP Gold

July 16, 2019, 2:41 am

I think 737-7000, 8000, 9000 and 10000 will be suitable rebrands for the jet. The MAX 8 200 can become 8200.

Shreyas Ravindra Guest

July 16, 2019, 2:01 am

Dear OneMileAtATime Let's face it. Boeing produced a shitty product which is called as 737-Max. A death machine. It's time that people accept it. Now IAG has just given a LETTER OF INTEREST. It just means we are interested to buy 200 of 737-800s and 737-Max (Combined together). They haven't purchased it. They are also with the same discussion with EU. Again, IAG is smart enough to make a decision towards Airbus if these death machines are grounded till late 2020. So please don't say IAG has purchased or procured. It's just a LETTER OF INTEREST. It's like me going to Tesla office and saying I want to buy a Tesla :D :D. Doesn't mean I will buy one! :P

Bagoly Guest

July 16, 2019, 1:14 am

While Boeing may hope to just "get things back to normal" they ought to think about what happens if there is another similar crash after they persuade enough people to allow the aircraft to fly again. There is a risk that the entire 737 brand will be ruined. So it would make sense to change 737MAX to something like 7C7. Admittedly, that would prompt regulators to require top-to-bottom registration checks, but it sounds as though: a) that would be appropriate b) the current route is close to that anyway.

Luke Vader Diamond

July 16, 2019, 12:38 am

According to Flight Global, "While several media reports are claiming that Ryanair has rebranded the Boeing 737 Max, in the aftermath of the re-engined type's grounding, the chosen '737-8200' designation is not new. ... But this name, contrary to a number of reports in the media, is not a new designation for the aircraft, and actually predates both the Max grounding and the two fatal accidents which led to the type's suspension from operations. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency had been referring to the 737-8200 in documents such as its 2015 annual activity report, published in June 2016, almost a year before the first ever 737 Max delivery. This designation has frequently been included in US federal regulatory filings from Boeing and the US FAA since at least early 2017."

Ryanair Renames The 737 MAX

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