Rumor Mill Quiet
 

We just had the Annual Training & Standards Meeting and there haven't been any speculation or rumors to come out of it yet... what gives? Normally there's pie-in-the-sky optomism about umpteen aircraft delieveries per month, hiring 3k pilots in the year ahead, A321/A330/A350 order hallucinations, new bases, etc.

Let's go, people. What do you all have?

Looks like there is a rumor of a PHX base, per the thread directly below this one

I got nothing lol….

Not really a rumor, but based on discussions between Boeing and United, United will receive 3 787s this Fall/Winter and 1 787 a month in 2025. That's what Boeing predicts they will be able to achieve.

It was supposed to be over 20 deliveries in 2024 and 2-3 per month in 2025.

BA on its ass, I wouldn’t expect anything from them and be happy at whatever they can crap out. They’re honestly the biggest hold up to hiring and growth.

if only we had a order with another manufacturer 😉

Pretty sure we are buying A380s.

All of the classes for 2025 were just put out on FT, I know it's subject to change but as of now looks like 1700NHs for 2025. I don't know if that's based on Boeing ending the strike soon or what. (would be nice to hire as many NK people as posible, yanno, outside of us buying them, lol)

Hiring approximately 1,700 in 2025. The number will adjust downward depending on aircraft delivery issues.

Due to the reduced delivery schedule, United Next hasn't gone according to the original plan, but we are still currently growing mainline faster than American and Delta combined.

Approximately half way through the expansion plan at this point. Airbus and Boeing deliveies will eventually pick up, and we will be in a position to adjust since instructors and LCP's have already been hired.

The upgauging is working and making money. With additional deliveries we will see a further reduction of 50 seat aircraft.

Due to delivery shortcomings, the 756 fleet will be on property until 2030? (not exactly sure of that date)

That's the basis of what a LCP told me, so take it for what it's worth.

When the Boeing strike ends will determine how many new hires we have next year. Based on their marginal delivery capabilities before the strike our new hire plan was 1700. With the strike, that number is slowly decreasing every day.

Won't get any of the current Spirit planes that were just sold as it would take too long to retrofit them to the UA interiors and there are plenty of third world carriers that will fly them in whatever configuration they currently have. We are trying to get more 321 leases and that sounded more promising. Those would be from aircraft that are getting ready to be built for a leasing company that had leases lined up with Spirit, JetBlue, Frontier, etc and now those airlines are delaying their aircraft. We could get those leases resolved early enough so that as the airplane is built it will be in UAs interiors, so ready to go as it comes off the line. That timeline is almost identical to retrofiting current Spirit (or other available NB) aircraft in the used market, so they are definitely more interested in this option.

Looking at WBs in the used world but this seemed less optomistic. Mentioned how the 3 HA 767s did work out, but that they really would want a larger group of aircraft than just 3 if they were going to go down this road. The work to changeout everything to get them in UA configurations requires a substantial amount of work (new STC) for UA maintenance and getting that done for a small number of aircraft hurts the economics. The larger the group of planes the more you can spread the costs of the STC across airplanes and the more it makes sense. Again with Boeing's slow production rates on the 787 it makes them want to get used planes if they can, but there are many others that want those planes as well. Mentioned some possible 777-300s but seemed to downplay that likelyhood and then mentioned some possible 787-8s out there as well.

Made it clear they were always exploring opportunities, but would only do so if it made economic sense. Hopefully the right deal comes along!!