SWA and Airbus Preliminary Talks - Reuters reports

[$$$4nothin]

If they put a new engine in a 1998 Buick would you buy it?

Boeing has rested on its laurels long enough.

I just put a new engine in my '93 jeep wrangler. So yes. A new engine in a perfect design is sometimes the best option.

 

[Noserider76]

Why has Boeing let themselves get so behind the power curve lately? 787 appears to be a mess. 737 is seriously old technology. The 757 is probably the finest airplane around and should have been upgraded with new tech instead of closing the line with only the 737-9 as a replacement. It's almost like they're going out of their way to be bad. Southwest/DL/AMR and all the other loyal Boeing customers are right to be PO'd in my opinion.

 

[B6Busdriver]

It will be the first time an Airbus ever shouted "RETARD" on taxi out to the runway!

LOL....that was a good one!

 

[UALjan15]

Why has Boeing let themselves get so behind the power curve lately? 787 appears to be a mess. 737 is seriously old technology. The 757 is probably the finest airplane around and should have been upgraded with new tech instead of closing the line with only the 737-9 as a replacement. It's almost like they're going out of their way to be bad. Southwest/DL/AMR and all the other loyal Boeing customers are right to be PO'd in my opinion.

And just why would SWA be PO'd? They are the underlying reason behind all of the above. The 737 NG is the way it is in order to protect SWA's all important single-type. There is all kinds of technology that Boeing had to leave on the table for the NG just to appease SWA. Frankly, they're lucky to have sold as many to DL/AA/AK/AT as they did when the 320 is a much more advanced product.

I love the 757 and sentimentally agree with you, but I think it loses out economically. It is a great size for around 200 pax, but it's too bulky to scale down to the 120-160 pax market. In it's stretch version, I think most airlines prefer 2 aisles for ease in load/unload/inflight service. The 737 does have a nice range of scalability from the 600 to the 900, which makes good sense for both Boeing and their customers, and the economics are close enough to the 320 family that they have been able to preserve a fair number of customers.

 

[WSurf]

It will be the first time an Airbus ever shouted "RETARD" on taxi out to the runway!

If I made that money I'd taxi fast 2! If ya ain't first yer last!

 

[CaptWidgeon]

I just put a new engine in my '93 jeep wrangler. So yes. A new engine in a perfect design is sometimes the best option.

:beer:
a cj would have been better. but at least it's a jeep!
:beer:

 

[Dornier 335]

SWA and the 717 ...

source

Southwest appears less bullish on 717
By Dan Webb


Southwest Airlines is "happy to fly" the fleet of Boeing 717s that are operated by its AirTran subsidiary, but is planning its future fleet needs around the Boeing 737.
Chief executive officer Gary Kelly said yesterday that "we don't see a reason to keep the 717s longer than we have to, or find a unique replacement for the 717 that is anything other than the 737".
Kelly noted that Southwest has 717 lease commitments through 2024. According to a Southwest filing made with US regulators today, 88 717s are in the carrier's fleet, 80 of which are leased.
"We have broad discussions underway with Boeing on a number of issues, and at this point we don't see a reason why we would want to have a different aircraft other than the 737," he added.
Boeing Capital Corporation is a major lessor of 717s to AirTran, according to Flightglobal's ACAS database. According to a Boeing Capital filing with US regulators, AirTran represented 21% of its revenue for the first half of 2011.
When Southwest's acquisition of AirTran was originally announced last September, Kelly said Southwest was "pleased to have the 717" and that the aircraft could be utilised to serve smaller markets. Kelly also mentioned that the aircraft was "very cost effective".

 

[On Your Six]

source

Southwest appears less bullish on 717
By Dan Webb


Southwest Airlines is "happy to fly" the fleet of Boeing 717s that are operated by its AirTran subsidiary, but is planning its future fleet needs around the Boeing 737.
Chief executive officer Gary Kelly said yesterday that "we don't see a reason to keep the 717s longer than we have to, or find a unique replacement for the 717 that is anything other than the 737".
Kelly noted that Southwest has 717 lease commitments through 2024. According to a Southwest filing made with US regulators today, 88 717s are in the carrier's fleet, 80 of which are leased.
"We have broad discussions underway with Boeing on a number of issues, and at this point we don't see a reason why we would want to have a different aircraft other than the 737," he added.
Boeing Capital Corporation is a major lessor of 717s to AirTran, according to Flightglobal's ACAS database. According to a Boeing Capital filing with US regulators, AirTran represented 21% of its revenue for the first half of 2011.
When Southwest's acquisition of AirTran was originally announced last September, Kelly said Southwest was "pleased to have the 717" and that the aircraft could be utilised to serve smaller markets. Kelly also mentioned that
the aircraft was "very cost effective".

I think I just heard a bird cough "ARBITRATION!"



OYS

 

[SWA/FO]

I think I just heard a bird cough "ARBITRATION!"

Thats what you heard? I thought, I heard the bird say "$hit!!"