Awa To Add 22 Planes To Fleet

[HPearlyretiree]

It just seems silly to maintain a fleet of both 737s and 319/20s. Pick one.

Seems even more silly to have a fleet of 737-200's, 737-300's, A319, A320's and ancient 757'!


(at least the 747-200 and DHC-8 are gone )

 

[mweiss]

True, though my understanding is that the 737s are going to ultimately be replaced by 319s/320s. Is that not true?

 

[hp_fa]

Not true......yet.

 

[Just Plane Crazy]

Hypothetically, if HP slapped some money down on the table I'm sure Boeing would be happy to keep the Renton 757 line going a little longer. Remember how TWA kept the Long Beach line humming a few extra years with their late '90s order for 25 more MD-80s.
It won't happen, but it could.

AWA has not enough money to get the B757 line up and running again. And Boeing learned from MD’s mistake.

Further more Boeing is looking into a replacement aircraft for the B737.

At this moment AWA can pressure Airbus to come up with a solution on the engines for the A321. That would be an easier and less expensive route. It would at the end be reflected with cost savings by having only one type of cockpit crew to train and maintain as well as some additional benefits in regard to maintenance.

 

[funguy2]

Further more Boeing is looking into a replacement aircraft for the B737.

Do you mean a replacement for the B757?

I would assume with lots of orders for the NG B737's, Boeing is happy with their replacement model for the "Classic" B737's.

 

[Just Plane Crazy]

Do you mean a replacement for the B757?

I would assume with lots of orders for the NG B737's, Boeing is happy with their replacement model for the "Classic" B737's.

No the B737.

 

[funguy2]

Well... That would surprise me given the versitility of the NG737's which have essemtially replaced the Classic 737's (i.e. with the -600/700/800 models) and the 757 (with the -900 model).

I guess these things take time to develop, but still, the NG program has only been producing new birds for 3-4 years... to be considering replacing it already is hard to believe. I would have to think that any replacement to the 737 is still many years away from production

 

[motnot]

Actually, if I'm not mistaken, the 757 line has not been shut down yet, but only is scheduled to at the end of 2005 (just going from memory). Thus, if any airline really wanted to order new 757s, it wouldn't cost Boeing a thing to crank out a few more before shutting down the line. Obviously, an airline couldn't make an order, say, two months before the shutdown, but a year, sure.

 

[firstamendment]

Isn't Condor looking to unload their 12 757-300s? If they are, I think that would be a great a/c for HP. That could be used for the East Coast to PHX/LAS runs.

I believe the A321 would not able to operate from LAS during the summer months to the East Coast. I am not positive why this happened, but I know that US dropped their A321s from their LAS schedule and returned those runs to 757s when the summer came, and they have not been seen in LAS again.

Just my thoughts.......

The 321's were retrofitted so that can now fly transcon with no problem..believe me..we do a large amt of flying coast to coast on the 321 at US. I like the plane and the customers seem to like it as well. It's great for the company because it gives additional lift in markets that may need an upgrade during certain times of the year without changing a/c types.

Just don't put 26 seats in FC like US...too many...go with 22 or 20.

 

[PHX Flyer]

The 321's were retrofitted so that can now fly transcon with no problem..believe me...

So, would you say then that there is a reasonable chance that US might dispose of their B757 fleet?

It so happens that the US 757s would be a perfect fit for AWA - in terms of engines and exit configuration, and incidentally, the number of 757s in US' fleet is almost identical to what AWA is rumored to acquire (see the other thread).

 

[firstamendment]

So, would you say then that there is a reasonable chance that US might dispose of their B757 fleet?

It so happens that the US 757s would be a perfect fit for AWA - in terms of engines and exit configuration, and incidentally, the number of 757s in US' fleet is almost identical to what AWA is rumored to acquire (see the other thread).

Anything is possible. Frankly, there seems to be alot of pushing from management to mirror the labor contracts as AWA. Also, the model of AWA is what our management seems to be talking alot about. You can take that info the way you want.

As far as getting rid of the 757's, I doubt it. We have about 31 of them. US seems to use them alot in high leisure markets such as Florida, the Carribean, and Las Vegas. They lowered the f/c cabin to 8 seats and have crammed in about a thousand seats in the back. Alot of FF's complain, but with about 190 coach leisure seat and minimum staffing, it makes the overall cost for those flights less...or so they say.

Many in our camp believe that if...and I repeat IF management can mirror your contract and labor cost, the two companies would be primed for a merger. as you guys are big on the west and we are big on the east. It would make up for our failure on th west coast and put you guys with a coast to coast presence.

Frankly, I don't know how this could ever happen as nobody has the money for this. I guess it would have to be a stock for stock? Who knows. I'll leave this to the followers of this site. I'm sure there will be lots of comments on this.