Originally Posted by
BER Flyer
Not sure how good you're in airline economics but they measure their costs by CASM. DL does not want "capacity discipline" but CASM discipline. If the A330 has an similiar CASM as a 787 ( and is has as it's cheaper when buying ) then you have an additional 30-50 seats "for free" which you can sell - even cheap. If the trip costs for a certain aircraft & city pair are very similiar you always choose the larger aircraft. Also, DL already has A330 crews, maint. base and tons of spare parts availalbe - nothing for the 787.
If passenger numbers raising in the next years ( and my guess is they will ) we will see DL partner airlines doing the US-EU hub flying including the AF 380 from/to ATL with the larger aircrafts they have. DL's 777 will most likely ending up serving Asia and Australia.
Oh good, someone who knows what they are talking about. Explain to me why some airlines ordered huge fleets of both A319 and A320 aircraft. From what I understand the operating costs of both the 319 and 320 are so similar that it is foolish to not use the A320 for its great capacity. To my understanding an aircraft like the A319 is only needed in limited numbers where its performance is needed.
PMDL had the textbook version of this with the 737-800 and 737-700. The -800 was ordered in the greatest number due to its great capacity. The -700 was ordered in limited numbers for airports where its performance was necessary. So why did NWA, UA, and US order so many A319's? This question has been bugging me for the longest time and no one has been able to answer to it.