Originally Posted by
hoover
WN doesn't have any gates at IAH DFW EWR for starters. They also dont need the same size plane that they already have and 45 of them is not enough to do anything with. If they get another type it will be to replace the 700 and they'll need 500 of them.
It would be a yuuuuuuge win for Airbus is WN added Airbus to its certificate. Boeing surely caters to WN as its largest client, but surely AB is also generous with its offers to WN as well.
This is hopeful speculation at best, but the addition of gates and NKs international routes does have some advantages for WN. NKs future deliveries could be altered with Airbus or sold. They could even sell/lease current A320/A321.
Worth noting that Airbus already has flying aircraft that could fill in for WNs future growth plans -the A220 and the 321XLR. Southwest will have to divorce the 737 at some point. The max should never have been built and there will not be another variant. That platform is not future proof like the Airbus platform, i.e. fleet commonality, EICAS and avionics