MD-80s to be gone from American Airlines fleet by end of 2017 | Dallas Morning News

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MD-80s to be gone from American Airlines fleet by end of 2017
Published: March 2, 2015 1:47 pm
Terry Maxon Follow @tmaxon Email [email protected]


American Airlines filed information on financing it plans for new aircraft, and the info includes a time line for eliminating the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 from its fleet.

The 140-seat aircraft, long the most numerous in the AA fleet, was finally passed by the Boeing 737-800 in 2012. The final 34 MD-80s will leave the fleet in 2017, according to the disclosures.

The filing calls the Boeing 737-800 the “workhorse” and “backbone" of the American fleet. The Boeing 737-800 now accounts for more than 40 percent of American’s domestic flying capacity as measured in available seat miles flown. It now provides more capacity than the MD-80 and the regional partners combined.

The issuance of $1.21 billion in “enhanced equipment trust certificates” will finance American’s acquisition of 28 aircraft, including five Boeing 777-300ERs, eight Airbus A319-100s, five Boeing 737-800s, one Boeing 787-8 and nine Embraer E175s. The vast majority involve deliveries in 2014 and 2015. The aircraft have a book value of $1.66 billion.

In reviewing the deal, Fitch Ratings noted that the A319 “is also an important replacement aircraft” for the MD-80.

“While American is replacing many of its MD-80s (140 seats) with 737-800s and A320s (160 seats), not all routes currently served by the MD-80 have the demand to fill the extra approximately 20 seats on those aircraft,” Fitch said. “The 128-seat A319 is a good option for routes with lower levels of demand.”

 

Got an AA Capt mad at me one day jumpseating. When he asked me if I was familiar with the "Souper80" Jumpseat, I told him no, but was familiar with the MD88.

 

All these shiny new planes are awesome. Are any of you with more than a few years left a little concerned about the debt level that AA is carrying?

 

Not really, we're too big to fail.

 

I hope that was sarcasm? Probably true, but not too big for another cleansing in ch11. The drunk leaves to pursue other things and leaves the mess to you, the employees to clean up. While I would like Delta to order some 777-300s and some 78s, I like our mgmts. disciplined strategy of paying down debt. Good luck.

 

We all need luck bud.

 

Not really........at least for myself. It usually takes at least 7-10 years to play the "trash your shareholders" card and AA should be able to milk themselves at least that long. But, for arguments sake, let's say something forced them to file in 5 years or so. As part of that, would they then seek the usual "gut your union employees" move ?

Perhaps, but what would that result in for pilots ?

If it involved pay rates, likely an accelerated mass exodus of the older senior Group IV pilots who have had one too many bankruptcies and wouldn't stick around for another gutted low-ball pay contract. Not only that, the retirement acceleration rate because of that on top of the age 65'ers would be unpredictable and quick. Such a scenario could be disasterous for AA's International ops and could threaten their existance even IN Chapter 11. I'm sure many Group II captains would say "**** you" to AAG too. The next BK for this outfit (should it ever arrive) could be its last IF they included slitting the pilots financial jugular's as part of it. They'd have to be VERY careful what granades they threw at this old and rapidly retiring pilot group and they are VERY vulnerable in ways they never were before.

What they COULD do instead is go after scope or other non-pay items and since most senior and/or older (which will be the majority) would still keep flying if their pay rates wern't trashed, I could see Group I falling off a cliff, which would eventually catch up to the others and not jeopardize the remainder of their operation and more then age 65 already will.

 

By God, son, if you are jumpseating on an AA Super 80 you WILL refer to it as such...you "Mad Dog" Delta swine! How dare you...

 

Well those appear to be year-end numbers (it's 96 left ye2015 anyway so I assume all those numbers are ye) - the last few I'd expect to fly through summer 2018 (logical guesstimate).

 

I would've liked to fly it. Would certainly give the L-US guys some street cred with the AA crowd!!