I was bored last night on layover and watched the latest UP Front news on the I-pad. There was a video of Network Planning vp addressing a class of new captains on the virtues of the 737-900er vs. the 757.

Beyond the condescending remark about how pilots prefer the 757 because it is a hot rod..

He relates as how they are aware of the load/range limitations and have calculated the cost of blocking seats and unplanned fuel stops west coast to Hawaii


Now doesn't this seem typical?
He says he thinks they overestimate the cost when they bump revenue.


I remember shortly after Delta bought 13 used 757's back in '07, that Larry Kellner was quoted as saying " the biggest fleet mistake he ever made was not buying every 757 he could put his hands on".
(qualifier) he was talking about Rolls Royce 757's with GPS and the -300's

There is a reason at Continental we called that 50 year old cockpit part of the "junk jet". Tiny F/C lavs where the seat won't stand up, smaller overhead space for F/C customers.....etc..

 

Did they estimate the cost of lost goodwill on behalf of the passengers? If it's not a numerical observation, they don't have a clue.

Spectravision not working in your room?

 

Ok, stupid question, but what is UP Front news?

 

It's all that junk on your iPad you delete to clean up your screen.

 

Unplanned fuel stops, West Coast to Hawaii? Are the chinese building islands and airfields somewhere in there? I never knew I had the option. LOL

Last HNL trip in a 737, we denied boarding to 12 pax. Agent said 1500 dollars each.

 

Seriously, what is UP Front news, where do I find it?

 

People going on vacation are generally on a schedule. Missed tours, hotel rooms, reservations, etc. They don't want money they want the seat they paid for at the time they scheduled it. Someone said lost goodwill? Yeah I wouldn't expect to see those pax back.

Hopefully they were volunteers.

 

If you don't already see that Up Front News blue icon on your iPad home screen and you really want to read it, go to the UA App Store (also an icon on your iPad) and you'll find it there to download.

 

The problems with execs is they would spin a pile of dog doo if their bosses told them to do it or they thought the idea up and want others to invest in it.

The reality of the airplanes is the B757 is a superior airplane and Boeing doesn't make them anymore.

If the airframes had enough life in them UAL could easily reconfig the cabins of the 757 with better entertainment, overhead bins, seats and such. The balance always is the seat mile cost and the ability to generate revenue that exceeds that cost. If UAL could make more money by putting one seat on a 747 rather than hundreds it would make sense.

From a pax standpoint to me there are only two advantages to the 757 over the 737, it's quieter and takes less time to unload from the back few rows (because of middle door). Other than that it's the same tube flying through the sky.

 

And how are you going to generate more revenue on an airplane that has the same number of seats as the 900 but is heavier and burns more fuel? You said it yourself it is the same fuselage, what are these better entertainment and overhead bin options that are available? Yes the 75 is better than the 73 in many aspects...except for that pesky operating cost. There is a reason the 737 survived and the 757 did not.

The hot rod comment was spot on as many pilots have an emotional view of the 757 and not a realistic based one.