United now seeks new narrowbody aircraft bids
 

3rd UPDATE: United Airlines To Seek More New Aircraft In '10


Interesting how they do not use the term replace but "refresh" narrowbody aircraft. Would not be surprised if a bunch of A320's get thrown in the mix with the A350 order.

Well - we are going to "refresh" a new contract in response :p

A320 family and B737NG family.

Where is UAL going to find a rube to fund this dream?

Madoff's son is financing it.

100 Seaters will be coming to Mainline
 

United Airlines to ask Embraer to bid on planes

Wed Dec 9, 2009 12:40pm EST





BRUSSELS, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer (EMBR3.SA)(ERJ.N) will be invited to join a tender to supply narrow-bodied planes to United Airlines, the head of United's parent company UAL Corp (UAUA.O) said on Wednesday.
"We are going to go into the narrow-bodied (plane) market next year. We are going to invite Embraer into that competition," UAL Chief Executive Glenn Tilton said in an interview.
Tilton also said he was seeing a gradual, steady improvement in the corporate and international travel market and that media estimates of the size of discounts that UAL won on plane orders it placed this week were "on the low side".
Taking advantage of reduced market prices, United Airlines said on Tuesday it had placed a $10 billion-plus order for 50 wide-bodied jetliners divided between Airbus (EAD.PA) and Boeing Co (BA.N).
United has letters of intent to order 25 of Boeing's 787 Dreamliners and the same number of A350 planes from its European rival Airbus, part of EADS, following a six-month contest. The carrier also has future purchase rights for 50 of each aircraft. (Reporting by Pete Harrison, editing by Dale Hudson)

You're the expert, why don't you tell us?

Perchance 7576United, it should be palpable to the casual observer, such as yourself, that I don't have the riposte to the question that I presented... or perhaps not.

I think he is drunk.

No scope relief ..........

UAL asking jet maker Embraer to compete for its business | Crain's Chicago Business

They'll buy whatever they can most effectively have a regional airline fly for them.

With all this United stunting and fronting about buying new narrow or wide body jets (of which they have no money to do so), I think its safe to say that nobody is taking them very seriously.

I know there was talk about the "narrow" bodies last year. There is another thread about that. I just think they are trying to blow smoke somewhere, so they can get everyone excited, and then ask for a crappy contract to get signed. "You can have shiny new airplanes, and bring your fellow pilots back, if you just keep flying for crappy wages."
I can't vote,and I am furloughed, but DON"T DO IT!!! Get the rates up, the freezes off, and maybe a "longevity" since hired even if furloughed. What, a man can dream can't he?;)

If it's over 70 seats, the regionals won't be flying them. Period.

SBD, completely off-topic, but how have you found working for Amtrak? Just lookiing at it as a possible backup, reading online seems like quite a different work environment, but perhaps moe stable.

they are going to get boeing aircraft so the merge with CAL will go smoothly since they operate an all boeing fleet.

Should be:

If it HAS seats, nobody but United Airlines pilots will be flying them. Period.

Use the search function, and look at some of my posts. There was a thread somewhere about it. I don't want to take away from this subject.


P.S. I see they are now looking for an engineer for Chicago.

Well, it is a good thing you are not working at Boeing or Airbus...because with that attitude, you would have "not taken seriously" a $10 billion order between the two companies and passed up options for 100 more Heavy's.

They will be taken seriously and get an excellent price.

You are stuck in your 50 or 70 seater...get VERY comfortable..

United Airlines says the total cash outlay for its combined order it placed today with Boeing and Airbus will be $60 million during the next three years.

The carrier has divided its widebody order evenly between the A350-900 and the 787, ordering 25 of each type. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2016 and continue through 2019.

"We have also secured deferral rights that provide us with further financial flexibility," the carrier says. "We have also secured considerable backstop financing from both manufacturers, which will protect us in the event of tight credit markets as the new aircraft are delivered."

Describing the rationale for placing orders with both rival manufacturers United says that neither airframer offers next-generation aircraft sized to optimally serve its current and future markets.

United says the mix of A350s and 787s offer the right range of aircraft sizes needed to replace its 747s and 767s. The A350s have 11% more range than the carrier's current Boeing 747s, while Boeing 787s have roughly 32% greater range than 767s.

The new aircraft also allow United to downgauge its widebody fleet, reducing average seat count for the 50 aircraft by 19%, and resulting in a system-wide international fleet count reduction of 10%.

"This reduction is largely the result of the retirement of our Boeing 747 aircraft," the carrier says.

Only one engine is available for the A350, the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB, while GE offers the GEnx and Rolls-Royce supplies the Trent 1000 for the 787. United has not indicated an engine selection for its 787s.

Today's order was the first United has placed in more than ten years

Exactly. Scope needs to be recovered. Without mainline positions there is no career in this industry. Working at a regional is a job with limited potential and poor security.

Unless being a "Professional Pilot" can be a career with reasonable expectations to support a family and quality of life the sacrifices we make are not worth it. While I do enjoy flying I am not willing to prostitute myself just to have a job I love. I would rather have a job that sucks and pays well with good benefits and quality of life for me and my family when I am off.

I really would like to know where all the people who were critisizing United for not having any new aircraft on order. They kept saying it was a sign that UAL had no interest in the future. As it turns out, looks like United waited until the best time to buy, and I guarantee you United wound up with both a lower price and much better provisions (deferral rights, credit, etc...) than any other US airline that ordered a year or two ago.


At least Tilton has done something right.

And that is why the stock has moved up the way it has.....

They have not made a single purchase order. All those 787s and A350s are just letters of intent to purchase. Basically a rough draft but no money has been put down. When United puts their money where their mouth is, then we can talk.

Actually, UAL selected the Rolls Royce Trent for their B787's a while back. NWA also selected the Rolls engine for their B787's and that was part of a VF deal. I'm wondering if this is a similar deal.

UAL has been doing a lot of business with Rolls in recent years.


Al

don't relax scope anymore....please I beg of you

SkyWest just loaned UAL $80 million with a credit line up to $300 million. That is a good start.

Why would they "loan" money to such a poor credit risk?

Extorted is more like it. Glen thanks ya.

Now back to the original thread; lets get these 190s and sh!tcan the RJs! The outsourcing has to stop and our furloughed pilots need to return. I'm glad we're seeing more support in the rank and file too.

Oh, and you have a Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

furloughed 09/08. Have not given up on alcohol and violence....:)

More Disclosure needed
 

I think the government got sidetracked yet again when they slowed down their pursuit of having the major airlines disclose more information on the airlines doing their codeshares. The Buffalo Q 400 crash has brought this to light along with a plethora of other important issues, but let's concentrate on the codeshare and their partners. I for one can't believe that there are not many lawsuits concerning this matter in regular terms. For one, I do research when I book a ticket that requires a stop, which airline will be doing the actual flying and what equipment is expected. I would be beside myself if I booked a trans pacific flight on Cathay Pacific and came to the gate and saw a United plane there, sorry no offense to United, but I have my preference. The same applies to John Q Public while transiting the USA. I don't believe that the public is aware or as informed as it should be. I do not have a law background, but isn't there something wrong with 2 certificates colluding with their schedules and pricing. How can one certificate holder influence another's. If one airline is buying aircraft and letting another airline fly them, albeit at a much lower cost, how is that allowed to continue. There seems something intrinsically wrong with that.