tsquare

SWA rates are pre-bankruptcy 2001 rates.. not enough IMHO.

Ottopilot

I was on the 757 before I upgraded on the 737. I love the 757 and hate the 737. Unfortunately Boeing has stretched this thing into a poor-man's 757 and the airlines love it ($$). The cockpit is small, but at least its all glass unlike the 1980's cockpit of the 757. The systems and overhead panel of the 737 is 1960's though. When I "volunteered" to go back to the right seat so the scabs can fly another 5 years, I stayed on the 737 because it pays the same as the 757.

Ottopilot

No, but today I had to wait to depart wrong-way, flaps 15, improved climb, no reduced power, bleeds off. I rotated on the opposite end numbers. Gotta love the 900ER! Again, its not all a power issue, but often its a rotation issue. Very high speeds to avoid tail strikes. Takeoff and landing.

Of course, when I was on the 757, I flew the 757-300 out of LAS often when hot & heavy and it flew like the 737-900ER.

sailingfun

It can be whatever the company wants it to be depending on the profitability of Delta. If we can keep older aircraft in service and make a acceptable return then some of these will no doubt be growth aircraft. If the economy really sucks we could see a net reduction in aircraft or at best a 1 for 1 replacement. Since no one can predict this crazy economy its hard to make any blanket statements. A lot is going to be happening at Delta in the next 3 years. A dice roll probably is about as good a prediction as you can get.

sailingfun

From a pilot standpoint yes. From a cost and profitability standpoint the 900 wins hands down.

forgot to bid

Hey Otto, these high VR's are understandable for tailstrike issues but is it a runway hog just for derate takeoffs? Can it do better but it's just for derate reasons?

Because how is the 739 on wet runways out of EWR for instance on a transcon?

forgot to bid

From what I read once it was the 738 that killed the order book on the 757. The 757 admittedly is taking a sniper rifle to a fist fight on many routes. I get that it couldn't last forever.

sailingfun

At one of the lounge meetings Delta stated that the non employee CASM on the 800 was 30 percent below the 757. Dispatch reliability was also quite a bit higher. That could be a factor of age however.

forgot to bid

I wouldn't doubt that at all. We all love to fly the 757, but the order book eventually did die. There's no way around that. Frankly, ATL-FLL or ATL-PBI or possibly ATL-MCO for instance doesn't require all the punch a 757 offers.

Bucking Bar

Sailing, I don't dispute that you heard that, but it does not match the numbers Delta reported to the DOT BTS. According to those numbers, the 757 is about 15% less to operate and the -300 is the most efficient airplane in the fleet.

You are correct the airplane is simply getting old. The construction of the fuselage cycles out. Maybe maintenance is the killer.

The 757 is a clearly superior airplane, which is easier to fly and enjoys more "big airplane" systems. Unless they change that L1 door, closet, galley choke point, it will be difficult to have any efficiencies as far as turn times go.

I like some of Boeing's big, flat and fat dual aisle designs. The A330 and 767 are so much easier to get on and off of. Even the baby bus' lager aisle width allows folks to drag bags, making it easier to exit.

End of the day, I'm thrilled we are investing in our narrow body fleet. Job security is bottom line.