Originally Posted by
forgot to bid
I think one thing I heard directly related to the DC-9-50 was that it had a lot of life left in it despite high fuel prices because it is paid for, has a high life cycle, is cheap to maintain and the engines are very cheap. When you do the math I bet the CASM, just a bet, is worth keeping it then replacing it.
Also not every thing is strictly dollars and cents because even if someone could show that closing MEM and shifting the flying to ATL would save millions of dollars per year then I'll show you an ATL that will hike up the rates at some point.
And we also looked at that MD80 mod that AMR is talking about, and I hope we get in on, where their old 80s would have same stage length fuel burns on par with their 738s.
Thats kind of like hitting your funny bone, its funny but its really not funny because it hurts.
I am sure you are referring to the Super 98 Phase I and II mods. I believe phase 1 reveals a 4% fuel savings, that's what they pulled with the Airtran MD-80 anyway. The MDs will look strange with tail strakes. Phase II has not been certified yet.
Super98 > Products > MD-80
What are MD-88s powered by anyway, the same JT8D-219 as the MD-83?
What will hit the funny bone is Alaska pilots, west coast based, higher paid, with higher reserve guarantees and full pensions being integrated by third party arbitration into our narrow body list. Unless you are unGodly senior, standby.