The 737NG was probably Boeing’s reply to the Airbus A320 that was first delivered to Air France in 1988. According to former Airbus COO-Customers John Leahy, in an interview with Leeham News and Analysis, “We were probably responsible for the [Boeing] 737 NG because a lot of people thought the 737 Classic could outsell the A320.” Leahy adds, “At least the guys in Seattle thought that. But when the dyed-in-the-wool, 100% Boeing customer United switched over to the A320, that’s when they panicked and decided they needed to update the 737.”
The first NG variant — the 737-800 — made its first flight in 1997, with the first delivery made in 1998 to German leisure airline Hapag-Lloyd Flug. The 737NG received upgraded engines with better fuel efficiency than the Classics, moving over from the CFM56-3 to the CFM56-7 series engine. It also received a new wing design, which allowed the plane to carry more fuel and fly longer distances.
The 737-800 could seat 189 passengers and fly 2,970 nautical miles (or 5,520 km) in one hop. While this isn’t the longest range or the largest capacity passenger jet, many airlines found that this is the sweet spot for their domestic and regional flights, making the -800 the most popular 737 variant. Nevertheless, Boeing made other variants of the NG to cater to the demands of other customers.
