Editing Boeing 717 (section)

=== Rebranding and marketing ===
[[File:Airtran Boeing 717 Airwim-2.jpg|thumb|The first and last 717s were delivered to [[AirTran Airways]], which merged with [[Southwest Airlines|Southwest]] in 2014.]]
[[File:Boeing 717-2BL, Volotea Airlines JP7674151.jpg|thumb|[[Volotea]] was the last European operator to retire the 717 in 2021.]]
[[File:QantasLink (National Jet Systems) Boeing 717-2K9 PER Lim.jpg|thumb|[[QantasLink]] was the last 717 operator outside of the United States. Their fleet was retired in 2024.]]After McDonnell Douglas was acquired by Boeing in August 1997,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Knowlton |first=Brian |date=December 16, 1996 |title=Boeing to Buy McDonnell Douglas |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/16/news/16iht-merge.t_0.html |access-date=August 8, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Boeing: History -- Higher, Faster, Further&nbsp;— The Boeing Company ... The Giants Merge |url=http://www.boeing.com/history/narrative/n079boe.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080124221227/http://www.boeing.com/history/narrative/n079boe.html |archive-date=January 24, 2008 |access-date=July 3, 2015}}</ref> most industry observers expected that Boeing would cancel development of the MD-95. However, Boeing decided to go forward with the design under a new name, Boeing 717.<ref name="717_innovations" /> While it appeared that Boeing had skipped the 717 model designation when the [[Boeing 720|720]] and the [[Boeing 727|727]] followed the [[Boeing 707|707]], the 717 name was the company's model number for the [[C-135 Stratolifter]] military transport and [[KC-135 Stratotanker]] tanker aircraft. 717 had also been used to promote an early design of the 720 to airlines before it was modified to meet market demands. A Boeing historian notes that the Air Force tanker was designated "717-100" and the commercial airliner designated "717-200".<ref>[http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Aerospace-Notebook-Orphan-717-isn-t-out-of-1162508.php "Aerospace Notebook: Orphan 717 isn't out of sequence"]. seattlepi.com, December 22, 2004.</ref>  The lack of a widespread use of the 717 name left it available for rebranding the MD-95.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

At first, Boeing had no more success selling the 717 than McDonnell Douglas. Even the original order for 50 was no certainty in the chaotic post-deregulation United States airline market. Assembly started on the first 717 in May 1997.<ref>Flight International Commercial Aircraft Page 45 (September 3, 1997)</ref> The aircraft had its roll out ceremony on June 10, 1998. The 717's first flight took place on September 2, 1998. Following flight testing, the airliner was awarded a type certification on September 1, 1999. Its first delivery was in September 1999 to [[AirTran Airways]], which Valujet was now called. Commercial service began the following month.<ref name="717h" /><ref name="The_Boeing_717" /><ref name="isr">{{Cite journal |date=June 5–11, 2001 |title=Boeing 717 in-service report |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2001/2001%20-%201986.html |journal=Flight International |pages=42–48 |access-date=July 4, 2015}}</ref> [[Trans World Airlines]] (TWA) ordered 50 717s in 1998 with an option for 50 additional aircraft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TWA to Continue Fleet Renewal with Boeing 717-200s |url=http://boeing.mediaroom.com/1998-12-09-TWA-to-Continue-Fleet-Renewal-with-Boeing-717-200s}}</ref>

Boeing's decision to go ahead with the 717 slowly began to pay off. Early 717 operators were delighted{{citation needed|date=March 2018}} with the reliability and passenger appeal of the type and decided to order more. The small Australian [[regional airline]] [[Impulse Airlines|Impulse]] took a long-term lease on five 717s in early 2000<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Impulse airlines first in Australia with 717s |date=April 11, 2000 |url=http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2000-04-11-Impulse-airlines-first-in-Australia-with-717s |access-date=July 8, 2015 |author=Boeing}}</ref> to begin an expansion into mainline routes.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Impulse Airlines Boeing 717-200 Cockatoo Takes Off For Home |date=January 9, 2001 |url=http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2001-01-09-Impulse-Airlines-Boeing-717-200-Cockatoo-Takes-Off-For-Home |access-date=July 8, 2015 |author=Boeing}}</ref> The ambitious move could not be sustained in competition with the majors, and Impulse sold out to [[Qantas]] in May 2001.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gaylord |first=Becky |date=May 2, 2011 |title=Qantas to Absorb Competitor As Fare War Takes a Victim |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/02/business/qantas-to-absorb-competitor-as-fare-war-takes-a-victim.html |access-date=July 1, 2015}}</ref>

Within a few months, the 717's abilities became clear to Qantas, being faster than the [[BAe 146]], and achieving a higher dispatch reliability, over 99%, than competing aircraft.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}} Maintenance costs are low: according to AirTran Airways, a [[C check]] inspection, for example, takes three days and is required once every 4,500 flying hours.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}} (For comparison, its predecessor, the DC-9 needed 21 days for a C check.) The new [[Rolls-Royce BR700#BR715|Rolls-Royce BR715]] engine design is relatively easy to maintain. Many 717 operators, such as Qantas, became converts to the plane; Qantas bought more 717s to replace its BAe 146 fleet,<ref>{{Cite press release |title=QantasLink to Replace BAe146s with Boeing 717s |date=October 29, 2004 |location=Sydney |url=http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/media-releases/oct-2004/3177/global/en |access-date=July 7, 2015 |author=Qantas Corporate Communication}}</ref> and other orders came from [[Hawaiian Airlines]] and [[Midwest Airlines]].<ref name="profit">{{Cite press release |title=Boeing 717: Designed for Airline Profitability |date=May 28, 2002 |url=http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2002-05-28-Boeing-717-Designed-for-Airline-Profitability |last1=Lamb |first1=Warren |access-date=June 30, 2015}}</ref>

Boeing actively marketed the 717 to a number of large airlines, including [[Northwest Airlines]], who already operated a large fleet of DC-9 aircraft, and [[Lufthansa]]. Boeing also studied a stretched, higher-capacity version of the 717, to have been called 717-300, but decided against proceeding with the new model, fearing that it would encroach on the company's 737-700 model. Production of the original 717 continued. Boeing continued to believe that the 100-passenger market would be lucrative enough to support both the 717 and the 737-600, the smallest of the Next-Generation 737 series. While the aircraft were similar in overall size, the 737-600 was better suited to long-distance routes, while the lighter 717 was more efficient on shorter, regional routes.<ref name="Janes" /><ref name="713r">{{Cite press release |title=Boeing Releases Proposed 717-300X Rendering |date=September 18, 2003 |url=http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2003-09-18-Boeing-Releases-Proposed-717-300X-Rendering |access-date=July 7, 2015}}</ref>