The flights aren't full. I've looked at some of the loads, not every single day of course, but they seem to only fill about 100-135 seats. I think we'd do great filling a 737 like Alaska does, but not the 757. I've heard contrary things about whether we can get an A320 ETOPS certified to do it (don't bark at me on this, I had one person with thousands of hours in the 320 tell me it IS possible and then another management type tell me it's not. FYI I don't fly it or know much about it at all). But if we don't, obviously we'll have to drop HNL with our current fleet.

Also, the 757s are coming up for heavy checks late 2015 going into 2016. Each one is something like 2 million dollars a pop and the company is having trouble justifying paying that much money for an aircraft that isn't pulling it's weight in profits. There are already plans to park one 757 in the next couple months I think as it comes up on it's check.

 

You're looking at the wrong numbers if you're only seeing 100-135 seats. Most flights are selling 195+ with another 10-20 non revs.

It's all about revenue.

 

Not completely accurate. The HNL flights are almost always full. They are parking the 75s because they are all coming up on C checks that cost in the millions to complete. They are coming up at different times over the next 3 years and plans on what to do are not certain but many within the company have stated most will be parked despite the money maker these trips are.

 

I've checked numerous times, most recently about a week ago when I was trying to get home. I've always seen it wide open. Either way, non revs don't count.

 

I believe some of us airways A320s are what are referred to as EOW, at lea st that's what the safety cards say.

 

Roger.... Generally when people say the loads are very low, they're looking at checked in vs sold.

 

The first gen A320/19 will definitely not be able to do Vegas-HNL, especially in a high density config. A NEO might be marginally capable, but that would require purchasing brand new airframes, which does not jibe with the G4 business model.

 

That's what I figured, can an A321 do it?

 

Airbus grand opening in Mobile brings the aircraft manufacturer ‘home’ to Alabama


WRITTEN BY ALABAMA NEWSCENTER ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2015 AT 10:26 AM CDT
Airbus's new manufacturing facility in Mobile (C/O Alabama NewsCenter)
Airbus’s new manufacturing facility in Mobile (C/O Alabama NewsCenter)

By Kelli M. Dugan


With enough real estate under lease to expand at will, a locally-recruited workforce garnering high praise from veteran European employees and a $600 million final assembly line set to debut as the most efficient in the world, Airbus confirmed Sunday an unyielding commitment to Mobile and the U.S. aircraft market.

“Mobile is our industrial home in the United States … It is not likely at all that we would try to find some other state to go to,” Allan McArtor, chairman and chief executive officer of Airbus Group Inc., said.

Meanwhile, Airbus Americas President Barry Eccleston touted repeatedly the integral role its Mobile operations will play in expanding the planemaker’s global market share to meet escalating demand for single-aisle aircraft, and Airbus President and CEO Fabrice Bregier said the Toulouse, France-based aircraft manufacturer does not just feel welcome in Mobile but “at home.”

The comments were delivered a few hours after media from across the globe were allowed sneak-peak, guided tours of the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility, debuting officially at 10 a.m. Monday at an invitation-only ceremony.

The final assembly line – which actually began production quietly on its first two planes a few weeks ago at Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley – will focus solely on the commercial jetmaker’s popular A320 family of aircraft.

Airbus Americas spokeswoman Kristi Tucker confirmed the first

of the two A321s under construction will take its first flight in the first quarter of 2016 and is slated for delivery to Jet Blue in the second quarter of 2016. The second A321 glimpsed Sunday in the sprawling final assembly hangar will be delivered to American Airways at a later date.

Frank Fahrendorf, who oversees all aircraft production at the state-of-the-art facility prior to handoff to the flight line, said Delta and Spirit airlines are next in line to receive Mobile-assembled planes with Allegiant, Frontier and Hawaiian airlines on the books to follow.



Airbus grand opening in Mobile brings the aircraft manufacturer 'home' to Alabama - Yellowhammer News

 

OThe article is clearly incorrect. For Allegiant to be on the books, the purchase would have to be public and no public announcement has been made.