Another type for Southwest Airlines?
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: North by Northwest
Posts: 476
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
At some point, SW will have to consider a new aircraft type in order to maintain their existing route structure, maybe sooner vice later given the Max. I doubt there will be a 737-SuperMax or any other derivative. A new aircraft type or two is inevitable.
There are only ten cities in the USA with the population of more than one million.
That may be true if you look only at the population within the central city limits, but on a metropolitan area basis, there are dozens and dozens of metropolitan areas with greater than 1 million people. For example, the population within the city limits of Washington, DC is only about 700,000 -- but its metropolitan area exceeds 5 million.
Notwithstanding the thread title, it's not about SWA's replacement for the 737-700, but about adding a second, smaller-gauge type to the fleet to serve thin routes. The consensus appears to be that that's not about to happen.
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: North by Northwest
Posts: 476
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Point being, reliance on one manufacturer is hurting a couple of airlines. Though replacement for the 700 may not be the immediate need, pickle fork impact on maintenance and ops bottom line notwithstanding, beginning the process of adding a second type may be a prudent move in any case. If you look at their route map, their coverage in north central/western US is non-existent - mostly service by Alaska, United, etc. with regionals that charge just as high a price as their namesake partners. A220 may not be the right answer, but nothing coming out of Boeing in the near future.
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Polar Route
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Clearly, another type doesn’t work well within the SWA model. They acquired many 717s from AirTran which both Delta and Hawaiian Airlines operate profitably. They clearly didn’t find value there. I find it highly unlikely that SWA will order A220-100 or -300. I think it’s far more likely that SWA orders Max10 or perhaps a Boeing NMA for growth.
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: North by Northwest
Posts: 476
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Clearly, another type doesn’t work well within the SWA model. They acquired many 717s from AirTran which both Delta and Hawaiian Airlines operate profitably. They clearly didn’t find value there. I find it highly unlikely that SWA will order A220-100 or -300. I think it’s far more likely that SWA orders Max10 or perhaps a Boeing NMA for growth.
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Honolulu
Posts: 197
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
SWA business model is about simplicity.
Single type means lower training costs for pilots and mechanics as well as cost savings on parts. A broken airplane is replaced by a similar spare, seats are all the same.
They have plenty of growth, now flying to the Hawaiian islands.
I doubt they will change their model unless they have no other choice.
Single type means lower training costs for pilots and mechanics as well as cost savings on parts. A broken airplane is replaced by a similar spare, seats are all the same.
They have plenty of growth, now flying to the Hawaiian islands.
I doubt they will change their model unless they have no other choice.
I expect that the routes "sanctioned" by major partners are more a contract of a service with a minimum of "x" passenger capability for a fixed price - certainly not a ticket price. The aircraft type and capacity is then up to the regional operator/airline to make that fixed price work, and there are vast options there on aircraft to use such as age, max seating, cargo area and quality of service to work with.
SWA business model is about simplicity.
Single type means lower training costs for pilots and mechanics as well as cost savings on parts. A broken airplane is replaced by a similar spare, seats are all the same.
They have plenty of growth, now flying to the Hawaiian islands.
I doubt they will change their model unless they have no other choice.
Single type means lower training costs for pilots and mechanics as well as cost savings on parts. A broken airplane is replaced by a similar spare, seats are all the same.
They have plenty of growth, now flying to the Hawaiian islands.
I doubt they will change their model unless they have no other choice.
If there is another MAX stabiliser trim issue (or NG) they will be grounded again and possibly forever - the 737 will then be history and so will SWA.
SWA will had had this discussion at the Board level. It will be bonuses against long term vision/and insurance - guess what will win.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 2,524
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would be very interested to know, who sets the ticket prices then?
I expect that the routes "sanctioned" by major partners are more a contract of a service with a minimum of "x" passenger capability for a fixed price - certainly not a ticket price. The aircraft type and capacity is then up to the regional operator/airline to make that fixed price work, and there are vast options there on aircraft to use such as age, max seating, cargo area and quality of service to work with.
I expect that the routes "sanctioned" by major partners are more a contract of a service with a minimum of "x" passenger capability for a fixed price - certainly not a ticket price. The aircraft type and capacity is then up to the regional operator/airline to make that fixed price work, and there are vast options there on aircraft to use such as age, max seating, cargo area and quality of service to work with.
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Europe
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: US
Posts: 2,205
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not sure if I got your point right but in Europe, living in megapolis city can still easily take you 1,5-2 hours drive through the traffic to airport. There are numerous areas in Central/Western Europe where the nearest airport served by airline(s) is 2-3 hours away in an average traffic.
If that customer lived in the western U.S. he might have a 3.5 hr drive to a one city served by mainline aircraft. Out west, if he's willing to fly on regional jets he'd have at least two options within 3.5 hrs. If he's willing to fly on single engine commuters he'd have more options. The customer's complaint was about the distance to find a population density that supports larger aircraft. Would he be the first to complain about the traffic density that comes with the population needed to support larger aircraft and more frequent service? If it doesn't support at least 3-4 flights a day SW isn't interested. In the eastern U.S., if you lived in the right location, you could have access to five hubs within 2 hours because of the population density.
With traffic an hour drive into any major city can take 2 hours or longer. That's true in Europe, the U.S., Asia, or S. America.
I would be very interested to know, who sets the ticket prices then?
I expect that the routes "sanctioned" by major partners are more a contract of a service with a minimum of "x" passenger capability for a fixed price - certainly not a ticket price. The aircraft type and capacity is then up to the regional operator/airline to make that fixed price work, and there are vast options there on aircraft to use such as age, max seating, cargo area and quality of service to work with.
I expect that the routes "sanctioned" by major partners are more a contract of a service with a minimum of "x" passenger capability for a fixed price - certainly not a ticket price. The aircraft type and capacity is then up to the regional operator/airline to make that fixed price work, and there are vast options there on aircraft to use such as age, max seating, cargo area and quality of service to work with.
In the US its set by the partner whose paint job is on the side of the aircraft. Regional carriers are contracted lift. They’re not stand alone carriers with their own ticketing/reservation system. Type/capacity is largely a function of scope and CPA.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: netherlands
Age: 56
Posts: 769
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Clearly, another type doesn’t work well within the SWA model. They acquired many 717s from AirTran which both Delta and Hawaiian Airlines operate profitably. They clearly didn’t find value there. I find it highly unlikely that SWA will order A220-100 or -300. I think it’s far more likely that SWA orders Max10 or perhaps a Boeing NMA for growth.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Tana
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't we have a.nother forum for NMA, NSA, FSA, and all other Boeing abbreviated future planes, where you can argue for months about their technical specs' suitability for certain airlines, and where noone cares that we know absolutely nothing about those programs' contents, intentions or existence?
