blackball

Article is in Greek, so use Google translate if needed.

ErnstH

I am hoping for inclusion of proper business class seats for longhaul flights!

KLouis

Before hoping for inclusion of proper business class seats for longhaul flights, A3 would have to have longhaul flights!

Xandrios

I'm assuming this is about replacing older/existing aircraft with ones that are more efficient. Especially since the article mention that they are now suffering from overcapacity. Since they lease everything I can imagine that some of the older leases are up for renewal and can be exchanged for other/newer types perhaps..

What does strike me as weird is the inclusion of Boeing. It does not make much sense to me to include B737's on an otherwise only A32x fleet. The costs and overhead to support a completely different aircraft type would be huge. And if lower fuel consumption is the main objection of the change - Airbus has options for that too. The A320 NEO is almost fully compatible with the A320 in every respect (even spare parts). That would be the likely choice for new aircraft I'd think.

blackball

I'm also pretty sure they will end up sticking with Airbus- however, it makes sense that they'd also see what Boeing can offer in terms of immediate and long-term cost, efficiency (and whatever else comes into play for such a decision).

Personally, I have a general preference for Airbus as far as comfort goes (though admittedly this is based on my experience on long-haul aircraft).

DELLAS

Airbus have it in the bag. A3 will go through the motions just for protocol and also maybe to get a better deal. The usual bargaining tool airlines use. Pressure unofficially will come from the Greek Govt to buy European.

headingwest

They don't own any of their aircraft?

WorldLux

IMO that's SOP when it comes to negotiating. Looking at all available options puts pressure on your previous partner to make you a good deal. And if it happens that Boeing makes them a very good deal, it may be possible that they may switch. For that to happen, Boeing would need to make them a really sweet deal and I don't think that Boeing will do that. They have plenty of customers for the 737.

Swanhunter

Please no 737. Considerably poorer passenger experience compared to Airbus.

kaneporta1

Personally, I think a fleet of CS100, CS300 and A321 would be the ideal solution for Aegean.

KLouis

Based on what?

kaneporta1

A321 for the busy, longer LHR and Germany routes. Costs are only slightly higher than the A320 anyway.
CS100 and CS300 for all other routes:
- Unbeatable economics
- Better passenger experience
- Ability to open new markets with the CS100 (i.e Islands to Europe)
- Ability to offer more frequencies
- Performance of the CS100 out of smaller airports
- Seasonal nature of Greek market means that slightly smaller aircraft makes more sense.

johnirvine

You are perhaps making judgements on Aegean strategy without a full knowledge of the facts. There are many other sectors, like the high-frequency LCA-ATH route, where most flights are heavily booked that could in no way cope with small CS100/300 aircraft. In my opinion, Aegean are short of a few A321 aircraft which could replace the currently used A320 on certain popular routes.

Xandrios

If they are just talking to Boeing to get prices down, and that is so transparent that even we can figure it out, won't Airbus understand that too then? Its not much of a threat if everybody knows they would not go through with it..

I sincerely hope they go for the best deal available to them, and not get involved in EU politics in that way. Plenty of other EU operators fly Boeing aircraft, including Air France, so there would be no need to force anybody to buy Airbus.

I'm pretty sure they don't. Perhaps Olympic does?

Keep in mind that the Olympic short-haul fleet are turboprops which, as far as I know, are much more economical than any jet engine (Even though a turboprop technically is also a jet?). These also seat up to 100 pax, which is great for domestic flights.

kaneporta1

What facts? I already said they should operate A321s. Would be good for LHR, FRA, MUC and some LCA and SKG runs from ATH.

The OA Q400s have 78 seats. CS100 would be 120-125 seats and CS300 145-150. Quite a big gap. And the beauty is, a CS100 could easily and profitably do an ATH-JMK run followed by ATH-DUB. The flexibility is unmatched by anything else out there.