Originally Posted by
rickair7777
The 717's are apparently long of tooth, so they probably need to go sooner rather than later.
But the 321's can hang out for quite a while, I don't think they're going to cut off their nose to spite their face. They can keep the 321's as long as they need the lift. If there was a big downturn, like another covid or big recession they'd get parked on Jan 1st. If things keep humming along they might last 15 years, or however long it takes BCA to deliver the hulls they need with the desired fuselage stretch.
If nothing else, the NEO fleet is a good bargaining chip down the road when Boeing inevitably $#!+$ the bed with the MAX10. Remember the thing has to be certified, but also DELIVERED in sufficient quantities to cover the gaps if the 321 is sold. The fleet runs efficient schedules these days which are quite full, and remember they are mostly owned outright or on good lease / “mortgage” terms, and yes share quite a bit of support structure with the A330.
”Get us in front of the line or we will go with Brand X” will carry some weight. If Boeing pulls it off, the 321 is gone. If they don’t, then perhaps it will stick around for a minute or two.