So what aircraft would you select for a low utilisation business model then?
Nobody can afford to park new aircraft overnight AND on weekends AND on low utilisation days.

How did SFP 737's with ACARS become more fuel efficient, exactly?

Some un-named airline or lease co just ordered 14 x A330 NEO at the Singapore show..... with VA running 11 widebodies in two types, would 14 NEO in about 4 - 5 years make sense?

By that I was pointing out the new SFP aircraft in the fleet are more fuel efficient than the older NG's with performance degradation over time. Obviously acars does not make them more fuel efficient, but offers efficiencies in other ways.

Spare a thought for the e-Jet drivers during this. Only last week being assured e-Jet isn't leaving.

No base protection in the EBA - union not wanting to get involved and the most senior of them only being high enough to bid for a MEL/SYD 737 command.

Pilots - who'd want to be one :D:=

If I was them, I'd wait it out for a while, more to come to this story I'd suspect.

But they (the F100s) aren't just being used on the mining charter flights now. RPT routes to places like BME/KTA/PHE where people book on VA or QF and end up with an inferior product - no IFE, slower and lower aircraft, poor reliability.

But whack a VA or QF flight number on it and as long as the paint job on the tail is correct, make the uniforms the same then the bean counters are happy!

How is an SFP more fuel efficient? Because they use less fuel for takeoff generally, and coinciding with the entering into the fleet of the SFP, there was also a tech insertion engine wise that also lowered fuel burn. You can see same by looking at the turbine outlet. You'll also find they start about 100 degrees hotter than the old, indicating a leaner start schedule.

Expected to be Garuda.

Future widebodies will probably come from Singapore or Etihad's current fleet or order book. I'd say Singapore they seem to dictate all major decisions behind closed doors.

Alliance these days seem to buy/sell/lease frames and make good money out of it. They are also masters of the FIFO. Their pilot group whilst lower paid than others seem to enjoy working there. It's an interesting tie up.

I flew on a F100 for the first time the other day - fly a lot as a platinum member. I was quite surprised about how comfortable they were for passengers. Good on ALLIANCE. I think that they will be around until 2022 at least. Many more miles in them, and cheap to operate. Not every passenger needs new aircraft, just comfort and great service.

With low fuel prices they are pretty unbeatable. Dare say however their presence in the west is set to diminish with the end of mining. Ghost town rings a bell.

Yep it's worth balancing the lack of IFE (just bring your own tablet, most people do anyway) with the unbeatable seat pitch. I know I'll always choose 34" of space in Y over whatever Virgin thinks will keep me entertained.

The punters couldn't even take a guess at the age of the frame they're riding in so as long as they have space to stretch out they won't be bothered in the slightest. The modern-day 737, while a venerable workhorse, has lowered the standard for personal space in economy class.

E2
 

http://http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pl...-regional-jet/

The revised version.

They don't muck about...

Two E190s already gone. ZPD is now on the East Coast USA, ZPG is currently inbound to HNL as I type. Apia-Honolulu-Van Nuys-Nashville. Exit of Service Maintenance.

As SLF, inferior to what--apart from lack of IFE. Try and find an equivalent seat pitch anywhere else on oz's domestic fleet. I'll take one over ANY 737 I've flown on, any day.

I've done a lot of airmiles in the F100, Platinium also, always happy with the "old" Fokker--just don't go aft of the overwing exit rows.. E 190 next preference.

The 34" pitch in the F100s is a good 3-4" more than QF/VA give in Y on their 737s, and with only 5 abreast seating in the Fokker there's less middle seats too.
And 34" is only 3-4" less than you get in the expensive Business class cabins of the 737s.

Expect to see lots more F100s and F70s in our skies now that Alliance and Pixie have hoovered up most of the remaining F100 and F70 fleets of Austrian and KLM.

We all thought TBM was taking drugs when he made this statement...

Porch Monkey,

The tech insertion engine came out well before the SFP packaged NG. There is no way to tell a tech insertion engine by looking at the 4th stage LPT outlet. The changes are all internal.

So the F50 fleet has been retired, the EMB fleet is prob next for the chopping block so what's next.........
Hardly worth keeping small fleets of A330's or B777's. Maybe back to a sole B737 operator in a few years?

No probably about it. 5 already sold and will be gone in the next few months. 2 more reach the end of their lease in March next year. Present buyer may have options on more. Best case will be down from 18 to 11 by early next year. Only one more 'deal' needed after that and they'll all be gone or the remainder will be parked awaiting sub-lease.