Keep in mind the NEO is a paper aircraft at the moment. Many doubt that Airbus has the engineering staff available to have the aircraft flying in 2016. They have several huge projects they are way behind on as we speak. Its far more likely the aircraft will slide into 2018 or later. It Boeing were to come out with a brand new aircraft shortly after 2020 they would clean Airbuses clock. Everyone would wait for the new generation. Why buy a aircraft mostly based on early eighties technology that will be outdated in a few years. That is one reason Boeing has said that the NEO does not make sense. I think you will see Boeing launch a all new aircraft before 2014 to be available around 2020.

We really need the data for 2010 since in 08 and 09 we were carrying a lot of extra pilots do to the drawdown in flying. It would be better to see the 2010 data verses SWA to understand how we relate on productivity.

Amen, brother FTB!!! :D

Looking at that picture makes my loins start to tingle.;)

Oh, and the picture of the chick is alright too.

While you may be correct on a Boeing annoucement I think 2020 is pretty optimistic. Look at the 787 we are almost at the 10 year mark from annoucement and none have been delivered. Based on Boeing's recent history an announcement even today probably wouldn't yield an actual aircraft to an airline until 2022 at best.

Agreed, and I am waiting for the airlines to file their 2010 Form 41 data. It will be a great way to see how the merger has changed the way we utilize our jets.

Wrt to productivity you are correct.

Correct. They do some split out of the WB, Long Narrows and Wide Narrows as well. Pilot block hrs is not one of them though.

I have been looking at reams of raw data to find it, but not having much luck. If you look at our 2007 Pre-merger numbers, you can see that unadjusted, we were very efficient. By not furloughing we lost some efficiency; about 10 hrs per pilot per month based upon these numbers.

Exactly what I have been saying all along. Any manufacture decides to go with a clean sheet, the half gen improvements will be a flop. As you state why buy a multimillion dollar jets that you KNOW will be obsolete in less than ten years. If you are going to commit to 30+ billion dollars in CAPEX you are going to make it count.

Then again, it all depends on Boeing. Their announcement is, in my opinion a direct response to our RFP. DAL was not happy with its options, and stating we wanted to buy 200 to 400 jets publicly get everyone's attention.

That order number will equate to about half to 3/4rs of the jets needed to break even on any clean sheet R and D. All from one airline mind you.

Agreed- "Available" around 2020, but delivered "around "2025."

As opposed to the 73N, which is an aircraft based on early SIXTIES technology and was outdated ten years before it was built? Let's see, state of the art instrumentation...along with a 727 overhead panel, that ridiculous trim wheel, 707 tube, deafening, tiny cockpit, have to bring the generators online manually...I think Boeing wins the "lets glue a new engine on an old old idea and call it 'new'" contest.

Sorry...couldn't resist!