EasyJet has taken delivery of their first A320neo today, its 300th aircraft, registration G-UZHA

EasyJet is also looking at buying more A321neos instead of A320neos as it tries to reduce costs and increase capacity on its busier European routes

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-easy ... SKBN1951AS

With Wizz getting more A321Neos too and FR now openly looking at the 737Max-10, it's hardly a surprise. Expect a new age of "pile 'em high and sell 'em cheap".

Next question is, how are the legacy carriers going to respond to these significant capacity increases and unit cost advantages?

kaitak wrote:

Next question is, how are the legacy carriers going to respond to these significant capacity increases and unit cost advantages?

By giving more and more of their flying to their LCC brands, expanding their bag fees(if they have any right now) from their lowest Y fare to all Y fares, and continuing to cut whatever service is left.

Polot wrote:

kaitak wrote:

Next question is, how are the legacy carriers going to respond to these significant capacity increases and unit cost advantages?

By giving more and more of their flying to their LCC brands, expanding their bag fees(if they have any right now) from their lowest Y fare to all Y fares, and continuing to cut whatever service is left.

Or up their game, and offer a better service at a higher price...and not a cra*p service at higher-than-a-lcc price a'-la BA....

oldannyboy wrote:

Polot wrote:

kaitak wrote:

Next question is, how are the legacy carriers going to respond to these significant capacity increases and unit cost advantages?

By giving more and more of their flying to their LCC brands, expanding their bag fees(if they have any right now) from their lowest Y fare to all Y fares, and continuing to cut whatever service is left.

Or up their game, and offer a better service at a higher price...and not a cra*p service at higher-than-a-lcc price a'-la BA....

BA just needs to start disbursing their pax into random seats like FR does and they'll rake in billions in seat assignment fees.

Revelation wrote:

oldannyboy wrote:

Polot wrote:

By giving more and more of their flying to their LCC brands, expanding their bag fees(if they have any right now) from their lowest Y fare to all Y fares, and continuing to cut whatever service is left.

Or up their game, and offer a better service at a higher price...and not a cra*p service at higher-than-a-lcc price a'-la BA....

BA just needs to start disbursing their pax into random seats like FR does and they'll rake in billions in seat assignment fees.

..don't give BA ideas please!

Perhaps Easy Jet tries to catch up with the 321

EZY is losing out to Ryanair + Wizz on their cost per seat - largely due to the fact they fly smaller aircraft (still have a large 319/320 split). The 321 will help that, as well as the phasing out of the 319's.
The only problem - Wizz is doing the same, and looks like Ryanair is going to follow...

IMO the A320 is up for a 3-4m stretch to the optimal 200 seats with acceptable knee space. Right in between the A320 and 7+ meters longer / expensive A321. But I've been claiming that for more then a decade know, so maybe Airbus won't

Does the EZY A320NEO have 188 seats or 186? When HK Express received their 188-seat A320NEO one poster said that EZY would also get this...

Well the clear trend is for 'bigger' from just about everybody buying so it's not unreasonable to suggest a stretch to a 'real' 200 seater.Equally (if technically possible) stretching the A231 (not the wing mind) to a 250 regional aircraft would also have takers.But both cost good money to do and they are cranking them out as fast as they can Right now anyway so there is no pressure on them to do so at present.They are happy just making €€€€€€!

CRJ900 wrote:

Does the EZY A320NEO have 188 seats or 186? When HK Express received their 188-seat A320NEO one poster said that EZY would also get this...

Aircraft is equipped with 186 seats.

Revelation wrote:

BA just needs to start disbursing their pax into random seats like FR does and they'll rake in billions in seat assignment fees.

Ba wanted to charge me £13 the other week for letting me change my seat when I flew AMS-LHR last month so...

It was not more comfortable than the easyjet A320 I flew the month before but the people were a lot more smug on the BA flight.

Fred

keesje wrote:

IMO the A320 is up for a 3-4m stretch to the optimal 200 seats with acceptable knee space. Right in between the A320 and 7+ meters longer / expensive A321. But I've been claiming that for more then a decade know, so maybe Airbus won't

Well, here's your answer from Fabrice Bregier, Airbus commercial aircraft president: "We have the A320neo, which is leading [in terms of orders]. It is basically the A320ceo with a new engine. We wanted to transition seamlessly and did not want to take a risk at the aircraft level. We have enough risks at the engine level.".
Source: http://aviationweek.com/commercial-avia ... ngle-aisle

Even a simple stretch could lead to unexpected issues, IIRC the 747-8 suffered some not so easy to solve flutter issues during testing.

And is long as the 737MAX-8(-200) doesn't maul the A320neo in sales, I think Airbus is wise to keep its narrowbody line-up as it is

Revelation wrote:

BA just needs to start disbursing their pax into random seats like FR does and they'll rake in billions in seat assignment fees.

BA already does that on HBO fares

frigatebird wrote:

keesje wrote:

IMO the A320 is up for a 3-4m stretch to the optimal 200 seats with acceptable knee space. Right in between the A320 and 7+ meters longer / expensive A321. But I've been claiming that for more then a decade know, so maybe Airbus won't

Well, here's your answer from Fabrice Bregier, Airbus commercial aircraft president: "We have the A320neo, which is leading [in terms of orders]. It is basically the A320ceo with a new engine. We wanted to transition seamlessly and did not want to take a risk at the aircraft level. We have enough risks at the engine level.".
Source: http://aviationweek.com/commercial-avia ... ngle-aisle

Even a simple stretch could lead to unexpected issues, IIRC the 747-8 suffered some not so easy to solve flutter issues during testing.

And is long as the 737MAX-8(-200) doesn't maul the A320neo in sales, I think Airbus is wise to keep its narrowbody line-up as it is

The A320 has been outselling the 737-8. As more A320NEO's get converted into A321NEO's (which A no doubt applaud$) this benefits the 737-8.

I've a conspiracy theory A is avoiding going frontal with the 737-8 to keep a superior 737 successor (NSA) out of B's product planning for as long as possible..
Let 'm commit on a MoM first, spending all their $$ and best people for the next 5-7 years

Keesje, Well that is a fun conspiracy theory, but I don't want to hijack the thread with A vs B superiority consipracies. It is hard to know how the specific A320neo vs 737-8 orders look since Boeing doesn't provide a breakdown of 737max orders.

What is true though is that the 737-800 has outdelivered the A320 for 4 years in a row as A320 delivieries have dropped 4 years in a row as A320 family orders have shifted to the A321. The A320 may be a bit small for many operarors.

Easyjet, Wizzair and Ryanair all seem to be interested in bigger planes. The European low cost market is shifting.

All we do know is that Airbus have been hawking around two potential derivative ideas for the A320 family for about a year.
One is called 'plus' the other 'plus plus'.So there is something out there.Could it refer to a small stretch to both the 320 and 321?Possibly.

But it might as easily refer to a far bigger development such as brand new wings.
Frankly I don't think anybody knows or is bound not to tell.

Newbiepilot wrote:

Keesje, Well that is a fun conspiracy theory, but I don't want to hijack the thread with A vs B superiority consipracies. It is hard to know how the specific A320neo vs 737-8 orders look since Boeing doesn't provide a breakdown of 737max orders.

I think Boeing deciding to hide those numbers is a sign they have reason to hide them.

Newbiepilot wrote:

What is true though is that the 737-800 has outdelivered the A320 for 4 years in a row as A320 delivieries have dropped 4 years in a row as A320 family orders have shifted to the A321. The A320 may be a bit small for many operarors.

Agree. Large A320 operators having to replace their old A320s asked for a growth version, but the A321 is a significant jump in capacity (42 seats) & cost.

keesje wrote:

Newbiepilot wrote:

Keesje, Well that is a fun conspiracy theory, but I don't want to hijack the thread with A vs B superiority consipracies. It is hard to know how the specific A320neo vs 737-8 orders look since Boeing doesn't provide a breakdown of 737max orders.

I think Boeing deciding to hide those numbers is a sign they have reason to hide them.

That is another A vs B conspiracy theory that could hijack the thread since it doesn't have anything to with easyjet.

What is relevant and was discussed in the article is that both Wizzair and Ryanair are shifting towards bigger planes. It may be necessary for Easyjet to order bigger planes with lower CASM to compete.