Originally Posted by
David Puddy
I'll look. Iti s important. Once you go 120 lb max weight limit table you never go back.
Originally Posted by
David Puddy
First, neither Boeing nor Airbus offers a new or efficient 120-150 seat alternative that makes sense without price reductions. The CS300 is a big step forward in technology and efficiency with big cost savings vs. geriatric, 1990s airplanes like the 700 or the A319. See this video regarding technology advances for the new SWISS CS100 (95% commonality with the CS300):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9yWF9cCVJY
No doubt Boeing and Airbus want to thwart Bombardier and they are willing to dump their pre-NEO airplanes on customers considering aircraft in the 120-150 seat range. UAL has benefitted greatly from Boeing's willingness to do a deal.
Again, despite Delta's reputation for only buying proven airframes, Delta ordered the A350-900 before it was operational and the CS300 (the best option for the MD88 replacement) shares 95% part commonality with the smaller CS100 which will start service with SWISS in Europe next month (it is currently doing route-proving with SWISS out of Zurich). If the CS100 does well in terms of meeting performance expectations with SWISS and others, Delta should have more confidence in the CS300. The CS300 would fit perfectly between the 717 and the 737-800/A320 in terms of seating capacity and range capability (it is even Hawaii capable). Obviously Delta will add more E190s because they won't stop at just 20 airframes, but the E190 is not a suitable replacement for the bigger MD88/90.
As far as marquis customers are concerned, the C-Series has been ordered by SWISS, Korean and now Air Canada with several other smaller players. No doubt now is the time for Delta to both secure a very low per-unit price as well as production slots if they are interested in retiring the MD88 in the next few years...
Time for Bombardier to sharpen it's pencil for Delta and make it happen!!!!
I hope for your sake it happens.
I just don't know. I've got nothing to do with aircraft acquisitions at Delta beyond forcing them to replace one if I have a really rotten day at work. But I have several arguments, and it's all imho:
- I bet they're not looking to replace 116 MD-88s with 149 seats with 116 brand X jets with 150 seats. A 1:1 shell and capacity swap. They could use some mix of 190s, 319s, 320s, 321s, 737s, 738s and 739s and it might not even be 1:1 in capacity. It could be fewer jets and more capacity, more jets and same capacity or fewer jets and fewer capacity.
- The 737-700/A319 are never too small and never too big for a particular route. If there is a demand for 100 seats at 6am and 100 seats at 10am, they're happy with one 125 seater at 6am. If you need 200 seats on a route at 6am, a 125 seater will do just fine too. Want to get on? Pay more. More PRASM. The 110 seat 717 has done a lot of MD-88 replacement in ATL despite seating 39 fewer people.
- The routes we fly, for instance DTW-GRR, ATL-ORF, MEM-LAX, LAX-SEA, NYC-BOS, NYC-PBI, and so on, do not need a lot of technology.
- Fuel efficiency can be trumped by rent, reliability, maintenance, staffing, program sustainability and any combination thereof.
If they order the CS, they're taking a gamble. Looks like a cool plane and hopefully it works. But I'd just be surprised. What are you flying now?