A Boeing 737-800 aircraft belonging to China Eastern Airlines, flight number MU5735, crashed in Wuzhou, China, on Monday, March 21.
Previously, a Boeing 737-524 aircraft belonging to Sriwijaya Air, flight number SJ182, also crashed near Laki Island, Thousand Islands, Jakarta, on Saturday, January 9, 2021.
Furthermore, during the period 2006-2020, there were more than a dozen other fatal aviation accidents involving Boeing 737 series aircraft worldwide.
Despite a considerable history of fatal accidents, the Boeing 737 series is the most ordered aircraft model by airlines worldwide.
Boeing data shows net orders for the Boeing 737 reached 755 units in 2021. This amounts to approximately 83.89% of the total orders for the American jet manufacturer.
In the last decade, demand for the Boeing 737 series reached its peak in 2013, at 1,025 units.
After that, the demand trend generally declined, reaching its lowest point in 2019 with 63 units.
Demand for the Boeing 737 series then started to increase again during the pandemic, reaching 130 units in 2020 and 755 units in 2021.
Total orders for the Boeing 737 in 2021 even surpassed pre-pandemic levels, which ranged below 700 units per year during the period 2015-2018.