Originally Posted by
spin88
What is interesting is that AAL and DAL (both of which have modern Airbus fleets) will be able to take advantage of this. B6/VX could also do so. UAL though is not well suited. I don't see it making any sense for UAL to have a sub-fleet they buy new and then have to have a sub-group of pilots for, nor to have to stock parts for this A/C. Yet, I expect both AAL and DAL to jump on this, and be able to undercut United on certain routes (think BOS-Europe, NYC-secondary Europe, Mid-Con to Hawaii, West Coast to Hawaii, ATL/DFW/MIA mid-south America, LAX-mid-South America). And Boeing has nothing that they can even remotely offer United to compete with this A/C in the foreseeable future.
The "modern" Airbus models operated by AA and (soon) DL have the same avionics, engines (AA, save for some PIP options) and type rating of UA's 152 in-service A319/320s. A prospective NEO fleet would not require a 'sub-group' of pilots as it would share the same type rating as the existing Airbus fleet and incoming A350s.
Lastly, an order for a 757 replacement at UA would run close to 100 frames, which is large enough to have the critical mass to offset the increased costs associated with inducting a new engine type into the fleet. If the CFM LEAP engine is available on the long-range A321, it could conceivably be the same engine as the 737MAX.
The bottom line is that the 737MAX order does not foreclose the possibility of a next-gen A321 order as a 757 replacement if it is far-and-away the best option.