Featured Map for 12 March 2018:
Rare Birds: Boeing 717-200

The Boeing 717-200 is a 106-seat (with two classes) short-haul aircraft developed from the Douglas DC-9. The derivative was launched as the McDonnell Douglas MD-95 with an order for 50 aircraft by ValuJet in October 1995. Two years later, in August 1997, Boeing acquired McDonnell Douglas and soon renamed the MD-95 as the Boeing 717-200. That same year, ValuJet merged with smaller AirTran Airways and the combined carrier became AirTran Airlines.

The 717-200 first flew on 2 September 1998 from the factory in Long Beach and received FAA certification one year (minus a day) later. AirTran took delivery of its first 717-200 in September 1999. The final two were delivered to Midwest Airlines and AirTran on 23 May 2006.

Delta Air Lines today operates the largest 717-200 fleet, and the only fleet in North America. Delta's fleet began when Southwest Airlines acquired AirTran and didn't want to operate anything other than the Boeing 737. The other four operators are based in Europe, Asia, Austrlia, and the Hawaiian Islands.

Of the 156 717-200s built, all but two are in service. The prototype was scrapped without being sold and Turkmenistan Airlines has one in storage. Despite slow sales in its early years the 717-200 is now in great demand by most of its operators. Only Volotea plans to replace their 717-200s (with Airbus A319s); these aircraft will likely find new homes quickly.

Today's Featured Map shows where the Boeing 717-200 currently flies:

• Delta Air Lines (dark red) flies 91 717-200s from Atlanta and other hubs, plus on a few non-hub routes.
• Hawaiian Airlines (purple) flies 20 717-200s from their hub in Honolulu and on other inter-island routes.
• QantasLink (red in Australia), the regional brand of Qantas, flies 20 717-200s on various thinner routes around Australia, with the largest concentrations of 717-200 operations in Brisbane and Perth.
• Turkmenistan Airlines (green) flies six 717-200s (with one more stored), primarily from their hub in Ashgabat.
• Volotea (red in Europe) flies 17 717-200s on a variety of routes in Southern Europe.

References and additional information:

• Boeing
  • Historial Snapshot: 717/MD-95 Commercial Transport
  • The 717 is a full-size airplane for the regional market
• MD-95 launched with ValuJet order – FlightGlobal (25 October 1995)
• Revamped ValuJet begins service under new name – CNN (24 September 1997)
• How the Boeing jet no one wanted became the plane airlines scour the planet for – Business Insider (3 December 2017)
• Boeing 717-200 Production List – Planespotters.net
• Airlines:
  • Delta Air Lines
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • Qantas
  • Turkmenistan Airlines
  • Volotea
  
  
• Featured Map: Rare Birds: Boeing 737-600 (15 May 2017)
• Featured Map: Rare Birds: Boeing 767-400ER (23 June 2017)
• Featured Map: Rare Birds: Airbus A318 (26 July 2017)
• Featured Map: Critter Crash 20th Anniversary (11 May 2016)