777 or A350 fleet
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777 or A350 fleet
This is not meant to be a flame thread or pitting one group against another. I recall reading an interesting Cathay thread a year or two ago discussing how the 777 fleet was basically a different airline when compared to the A330/40 fleet in terms of layovers, sectors per day, variety of flying, etc. At that time, the Airbus pilots seemed very frustrated.
So, with the A350 about to arrive and with such a large order of 900 and 1000 versions, how will that comparison with the 777 routes, sectors, layovers, etc. likely change, if at all? SQ is also adding a huge fleet of A350s and will be deploying them all over the world. Is the A350 at CX expected to add some better route variety? Will it be flying many of the same high-frequency regional flights as the A330? Will A350 pilots continue to fly the A330 or will those Airbus fleets have separate pilot groups?
Will the situation improve for current Airbus pilots with the arrival of the A350 or will the 777 fleet still be viewed as "separate" airline?
So, with the A350 about to arrive and with such a large order of 900 and 1000 versions, how will that comparison with the 777 routes, sectors, layovers, etc. likely change, if at all? SQ is also adding a huge fleet of A350s and will be deploying them all over the world. Is the A350 at CX expected to add some better route variety? Will it be flying many of the same high-frequency regional flights as the A330? Will A350 pilots continue to fly the A330 or will those Airbus fleets have separate pilot groups?
Will the situation improve for current Airbus pilots with the arrival of the A350 or will the 777 fleet still be viewed as "separate" airline?
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Honestly, even the people who "know" probably don't really know as the plan changes every five seconds. Too busy putting out fires everywhere on the existing schedule.
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Here's an update regarding the A350 delivery rate:
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/cathay-to-take-first-a350-on-27-may-425394/
Looks like 80 pilots trained on the A350 so far with something like 22 900s to be delivered in the next 2 years. Sounds like regional trials for the first few months and then more long haul flying...
Can Boeing pilots bid the Airbus fleet and vice versa or do you stick to your assigned fleet?
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/cathay-to-take-first-a350-on-27-may-425394/
Looks like 80 pilots trained on the A350 so far with something like 22 900s to be delivered in the next 2 years. Sounds like regional trials for the first few months and then more long haul flying...
Can Boeing pilots bid the Airbus fleet and vice versa or do you stick to your assigned fleet?
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If you're a new joiner and trying to decide which fleet to opt for, here are my thoughts:
A350 will take over the "long thin routes" as the A340 used to fly previously (until 4 engines became inefficient). The 777 will continue to do the bulk flying as was previously flown by 744.
Think - A350 most of Europe ex-London, some smaller capacity North America, and opening up some Central America, and new MEA, Aust and Pacific destinations.... POSSIBLY less than daily (so better for crew if you need to rest downroute due 3 crew ops/ or like longer layovers).
777 - think all of the big solid ports... LHR, FRA, CDG, JFK, LAX, SYD, YVR, YYZ... etc. daily, to 4X daily.
A330 will still be flown regionally on the lower capacity routes. And that will include India 2 crew WOCL, MEA, Asia... Some Oz destinations. If you fly A350, you will have to start A330.
CX has decided to move away from being a premium carrier by not ordering A380's. CX moves toward a cheaper, high frequency product, and a more conservative business plan.
A350 will take over the "long thin routes" as the A340 used to fly previously (until 4 engines became inefficient). The 777 will continue to do the bulk flying as was previously flown by 744.
Think - A350 most of Europe ex-London, some smaller capacity North America, and opening up some Central America, and new MEA, Aust and Pacific destinations.... POSSIBLY less than daily (so better for crew if you need to rest downroute due 3 crew ops/ or like longer layovers).
777 - think all of the big solid ports... LHR, FRA, CDG, JFK, LAX, SYD, YVR, YYZ... etc. daily, to 4X daily.
A330 will still be flown regionally on the lower capacity routes. And that will include India 2 crew WOCL, MEA, Asia... Some Oz destinations. If you fly A350, you will have to start A330.
CX has decided to move away from being a premium carrier by not ordering A380's. CX moves toward a cheaper, high frequency product, and a more conservative business plan.
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CX has decided to move away from being a premium carrier by not ordering A380's.
Systemic and ill-thought-out cost cutting is the culprit here.
Higher frequencies are actually sought after by the front end pax, whose business CX actively seeks.
That is a good thing, provided you can use your fleet efficiently, and assuming you plan your crewing accordingly rather than subsequently start complaining that you don't have enough pilots...
A strategy of providing lots more frequency with smaller wide bodies like A350s, when your home base slots and parking bays are already gridlocked for much of the day, also seems slightly flawed.
Or maybe all the other airlines using their A380s to HKG have got it wrong.
Or maybe all the other airlines using their A380s to HKG have got it wrong.
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Are A350 pilots currently being sourced only from the Airbus fleets? What about stragglers from the 777 or 747 fleets? Where are the freighter pilots going as their fleet is being revamped?
A strategy of providing lots more frequency with smaller wide bodies like A350s, when your home base slots and parking bays are already gridlocked for much of the day, also seems slightly flawed.
Buzz,
EK have a couple of 380s. They send 5 a day to LHR, two a day to LGW. They are full, and fares are equal to or more than the competition. They also send two in MAN, and one into BHX a day. Seems you can still keep up frequency with a larger aircraft and not kill the yield.
DXB is slot/gate limited and they have no choice but go to larger aircraft if they still want to grow.
EK have a couple of 380s. They send 5 a day to LHR, two a day to LGW. They are full, and fares are equal to or more than the competition. They also send two in MAN, and one into BHX a day. Seems you can still keep up frequency with a larger aircraft and not kill the yield.
DXB is slot/gate limited and they have no choice but go to larger aircraft if they still want to grow.
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Iver, seems like it will be A330 to A350 only for the time being. Strictly in Airbus seniority.
Think that after the hell of the past few years on the regional only fleet there would be a complete uprising if they tried to do it any other way. And they know this.
Think that after the hell of the past few years on the regional only fleet there would be a complete uprising if they tried to do it any other way. And they know this.
