UK-based low-cost carrier easyJet and its subsidiaries are well known today for having Airbus-dominated fleets. Indeed, they consist entirely of aircraft from the European manufacturer’s original A320 or next-generation A320neo families. However, it has also previously flown Boeing aircraft. As well as four 757s, 84-orange clad Boeing 737 family aircraft have served easyJet over the years. But where did they end up after their time there?
Two initial 737-200s
easyJet commenced operations in 1995, flying from London Luton Airport to the Scottish cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. It did so using a pair of wet-leased Boeing 737-200 aircraft, which, according to Planespotters.net, joined the airline in November that year. G-BECH was the first to arrive, on November 9th, with G-BECG joining the party a day later.
These aircraft ended up serving easyJet for around 18 months, before joining Belgian carrier Virgin Express on May 1st, 1997. Within a year, they had transferred to Argentinian carrier LAPA, before moving on to another airline from the country, Southern Winds, in December 2003. Both aircraft, which had entered service in 1977, have since been scrapped.
Most popular – the 737-300
easyJet’s most numerous variant from Boeing’s popular family of narrowbody twinjets was the 737-300. It operated a total of 49 of these aircraft over a period spanning around a decade. The first example to arrive was G-EZYA, in May 1996. It was 10 years old at the time, and moved on to Southwest Airlines within three years. Southwest retired it aged 26 in 2012.
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easyJet’s remaining 737-300s joined the airline between then and November 2003. The last was G-OGVA, which transferred to the main airline from its Swiss subsidiary. This aircraft remains active today as XA-ECA, flying cargo for Mexico’s Estafeta Carga Aerea.
As far as the departures of these aircraft from easyJet’s fleet were concerned, these took place between April 1999 (the aforementioned G-EZYA) and December 2006. The 737-300s then flew for an eclectic mixture of airlines. To name some, these included Adam Air (Indonesia), bmibaby (UK), Dniproavia (Ukraine), Norwegian, Thomsonfly, and Virgin Nigeria.
Next-generation – the 737-700
easyJet also flew one variant of Boeing’s 737NG (Next Generation) series, namely the 737-700. All in all, a total of 33 examples of this aircraft passed through its doors over the years. The first to arrive was G-EZJA, which joined the carrier brand-new in October 2000. This 21-year old aircraft is currently in storage, having flown most recently for Southwest.
easyJet’s last 737-700, G-EZKG, joined the airline brand-new in May 2004. By the end of the year, it had also seen its first departure, with G-OSLH joining Aeroméxico that December. 2011 was easyJet’s final year of 737-700 operations, with its last eight examples leaving the carrier between January and November that year.
Much like the 737-300s, easyJet’s 149-seat all-economy 737-700s also ended up at a wide variety of airlines. Among their destinations were Air Italy, Anadolu Jet (Turkey), ASL Airlines France, Eastar Jet (South Korea), Enerjet (Canada), and JetLite (India).
Did you ever fly on one of easyJet’s Boeing 737s? How did it compare to the airline’s present Airbus A320 family aircraft? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
