alasizon wrote:brooklynchris13 wrote:The fleet plan adjustments announced today seem to make pretty good sense. It appears as though the deferrals of 50 A321NEOS to 2024 and beyond may line up more effectively with the planned retirement of the International 757s. By 2024, Airbus may even have the XLR(?) version of the 321 ready for customers like AA who need an effective 757 replacement on those longer, thin international routes. Very curious to also see if the reconfiguration of 321s and 738s to larger capacities continues as planned, given the effect that would have on capacity with the reduction in 738/E190 retirements and the lease of additional A319s. (Kudos to all those who called that a few months ago btw). Finally, with the full prices starting to spike, would an accelerated MD80 retirement be on the way? Maybe that depends on how fast those A319s can be placed into service?
It would be near impossible to retire the S80s any earlier. If that were to happen, it would result in quite a drop in capacity that would be difficult to backfill because the S80 currently is used to keep frequency up on certain aircraft. The MAXes displace regular 738s back into DFW which displace the S80. Plus, you would be looking at cutting 26 frames in Q1 which although is a slower period for travel; AA is situated very well with PHX, DFW & MIA that still power through the winter and the S80s are a core part of that capacity still. I'd expect the last one to be retired in August of 2019 after the busy summer season.
I agree; if the last S80 is scheduled to leave in 2019 anyway, it doesn't really make any difference if they retire in Q1 or Q4.
Narfish641 wrote:Sad to see both the 757-200 and 767-300ER go. At least for the 767-300ER they have new lives in the cargo industry and will be flying many miles in the sky for years to come! It also makes me wonder what Roswell is going to do with Americans retired 757-200s with the old chrome livery. Yes I know they are stored and waiting to be strapped but most of those have been desert dwellers for a bit and majority with their engines still on the aircraft. Majority of them are 1990s build and are well at 28 years, and tbh Idek if they are even cargo worthy. Hell, I dont even know if anyone wants a 24-28 year old bird with RR engines. Still good the see them in one piece before they become a mangled mess.
Other than that, love the idea of them adding more A319s to the fleet as well as differing the A321neo 5 years back. Would be good to see them have an upgraded version of the aircraft. Also one more question, I know they are in the process of removing PTVs of all narrowbody aircraft as well as get the new seats to match the 737 MAX 8, does anyone know when is that gonna be completed?
The 757 is not slated for retirement except the LUS 75H which was scheduled to leave in 2020 anyway. They are pretty bad in both Y and F so I don't see any merit of keeping them. I think they'll keep the retrofitted 75L until many 738 and A333 are retired and take updated A321neo with ACF for replacement.
The 763s are in bad shape compared to UA or DL 763s. Pretty soon we can't lob the US3 into one bunch when it comes to aircraft because both UA and DL are keeping the 763 significantly longer than AA and Robert Isom sure wants the A333 gone. Next time he finds an excuse the A333 with its PW engines are going on the chopping block again. Isom mentions fleet simplicity in almost every press release and he won't stop at anything to get rid of S80, 75H, 763, A333, and E90 by 2023.