The Boeing 717 entered into service back in October 1999. Its launch customer was AirTran Airways, which went on to operate 89 examples of the 717, making it at one point the largest operator of the type.

It is important to note that Boeing did not actually create the 717. The narrowbody started life as the McDonnell Douglas MD-95. However, in 1997, while the development of the aircraft was underway, Boeing acquired the fellow American aerospace manufacturer. The MD-95 was subsequently renamed the 717 and became part of Boeing's aircraft portfolio.

Unfortunately for Boeing, despite the 717's operational reliability and efficiency on regional routes, the aircraft never achieved the commercial success of the manufacturer's other narrowbody aircraft, such as the 737 and the 757. Many attribute that to its McDonnell Douglas genes, arguing Boeing never fully embraced the plane. This video below highlights some of the 717s key features:

In total, Boeing went on to build 156 717s before production ended in 2006. Where are they now?

AirTran Airways - the former largest operator of the Boeing 717

AirTran Airways received the first 717 in October 1999. Coincidentally, the Orlando-based carrier also received the last ever 717 to be built in May 2006. AirTran Airways operated a total of 89 Boeing 717s before the airline was absorbed by Southwest Airlines in 2011. At that point, a number of its 717s were leased to Delta Air Lines, which is the aircraft's current largest operator.

Other US airlines to have flown a significant number of 717s include American Airlines and Midwest Airlines, both of which operated 29 examples of the aircraft. However, the 717's reach stretched outside the US, too. MexicanaClick, the low-cost regional subsidiary of the Mexican carrier Mexicana, briefly flew 19 717s before ceasing operations in 2010. Meanwhile, in Australia, Jetstar boasted a fleet of 14 717s.

Current operators of the Boeing 717

Three airlines still fly the 717 - Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, and QantasLink. Delta Air Lines has 90 717s in its fleet, although only 70 are currently active. Back in April 2023, Simple Flying analyzed the routes on which the carrier deploys its 717s, showing that the vast majority are to and from Delta Air Lines' hubs of Atlanta (ATL), Detroit (DTW), and Minneapolis (MSP).

Hawaiian Airlines has 17 active 717s, putting the aircraft to use on intra-island services. In a previous interview with Simple Flying, Hawaiian Airlines' Senior Vice President of Marketing, Avi Mannis, explained why the 717 had been the perfect choice for the airline, saying,

“The 717s, our interisland aircraft, they’re absolutely fantastic planes. No plane is better suited to operating in this environment – very high frequency, short stage length, but with a lot of passengers. The 717 is absolutely the perfect airplane for that."

QantasLink currently operates 16 717s. However, the regional subsidiary of the Australian flag carrier is soon to retire its 717s as they will be replaced by the Airbus A220 from the end of 2023.

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The 156 total 717s built by Boeing highlight the relative commercial failure of the aircraft. By contrast, Boeing has so far manufactured an impressive 11,550 examples of the 737, and Airbus has built 10,516 of its A320 family airliner.

In many ways, the 717 was ahead of its time. It was built to fly short to medium-haul routes, and its relatively small size (100–130 passengers, depending on cabin configuration) meant it could operate at smaller airports with shorter runways. That makes it the ideal aircraft to meet the modern-day requirements of many airlines - smaller capacity, nimble, robust, and reliable.

Have you flown on a Boeing 717? Which airline and route did you travel on? Share your experiences by commenting below.

Source: ch-aviation

• 

  Boeing

  Stock Code:

  BA

  Date Founded:

  1916-07-15

  CEO:

  Dave Calhoun

  Headquarters Location:

  Chicago, USA

  Key Product Lines:

  Boeing 737, Boeing 747, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 777, Boeing 787

  Business Type:

  Planemaker