737 MAX
Oct 25, 2020, 7:13 pm
#166
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I don’t think so. They don’t need the planes given the current diminished route schedule. They are contemplating other options. And in the past they allowed you to switch flights if you didn’t want to fly a MAX and I expect that will continue until the public has confidence in MAX. So no, it is not time to say goodbye to WN.
Oct 25, 2020, 7:21 pm
#167
Join Date: Sep 2012
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I don’t think so. They don’t need the planes given the current diminished route schedule. They are contemplating other options. And in the past they allowed you to switch flights if you didn’t want to fly a MAX and I expect that will continue until the public has confidence in MAX. So no, it is not time to say goodbye to WN.
Oct 28, 2020, 5:38 pm
#168
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Adding A220s or A321neos to the Southwest fleet would add one or two entirely new aircraft types to the inventory. All the pilots would need training, or they'd have to hire other pilots who are already rated on those types. And aircraft swaps would become as problematic (or, in other words, expensive) as they are for Delta/United/others.
Oct 29, 2020, 9:00 am
#169
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
WN's business model has always revolved around a single aircraft type in the fleet - all 737s. Boeing enabled this fixation on all 737s by convincing the FAA not to require pilots to re-certify on newer 737s as they entered service. (Part of the reason why the MAX was so troublesome, IMO - it should have been a new "type" but that would have meant significant training of pilots on a new "type.")
Adding A220s or A321neos to the Southwest fleet would add one or two entirely new aircraft types to the inventory. All the pilots would need training, or they'd have to hire other pilots who are already rated on those types. And aircraft swaps would become as problematic (or, in other words, expensive) as they are for Delta/United/others.
Adding A220s or A321neos to the Southwest fleet would add one or two entirely new aircraft types to the inventory. All the pilots would need training, or they'd have to hire other pilots who are already rated on those types. And aircraft swaps would become as problematic (or, in other words, expensive) as they are for Delta/United/others.
Oct 29, 2020, 11:56 am
#170
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In addition to pilots, I have to think that the increased costs to the entire maintenance org would be quite high to take on Airbus support in addition to Boeing.
If things get so bad that Southwest is seriously contemplating cutting over to the A320 platform, with the 3 to 5 year costs that would entail, then Boeing itself is in serious trouble because that will mean that its major customers see it as without a post-737 strategy for that size of aircraft.
If they were already on the 320, then it would be less of a stretch to see them order 220's. The one time Southwest could have easily had smaller planes - Airtran's 717's - they passed on them. But that may have been partly because there really isn't much commonality between a 717 and a 737 since the former is basically a McDonnell-Douglas, not Boeing, product.
If things get so bad that Southwest is seriously contemplating cutting over to the A320 platform, with the 3 to 5 year costs that would entail, then Boeing itself is in serious trouble because that will mean that its major customers see it as without a post-737 strategy for that size of aircraft.
If they were already on the 320, then it would be less of a stretch to see them order 220's. The one time Southwest could have easily had smaller planes - Airtran's 717's - they passed on them. But that may have been partly because there really isn't much commonality between a 717 and a 737 since the former is basically a McDonnell-Douglas, not Boeing, product.
Nov 1, 2020, 1:40 pm
#171
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At some point there will be no more 737s. and Southwest will be forced to do something. I'd suggest that the MAX has shown that barring some new technical innovation that there is little if any development potential left in the 737 and that some of the historic decisions like low ground clearance prevent much further development.
Nov 3, 2020, 1:15 pm
#172
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 143
Southwest, American pilots say new Boeing 737 Max manual may lead to errors in emergencies. Here is the link to the article from USA Today
https://www.usatoday.com/story/trave...ay/6135927002/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/trave...ay/6135927002/
Nov 3, 2020, 2:30 pm
#173
Join Date: Jun 2011
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Southwest, American pilots say new Boeing 737 Max manual may lead to errors in emergencies. Here is the link to the article from USA Today
https://www.usatoday.com/story/trave...ay/6135927002/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/trave...ay/6135927002/
Nov 3, 2020, 2:44 pm
#174
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Nov 18, 2020, 6:40 am
#175
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 143
FAA has issued the order to begin bringing the 737 Max back into service. Here is the link to the article:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/18/busin...val/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/18/busin...val/index.html
Nov 18, 2020, 8:19 am
#176
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,514
Canada holds off. It demands "additional procedures on the flight deck and pre-flight, as well as differences in training."
Transport Canada
"Commercial flight restrictions for the operation of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in Canadian airspace remain in effect and will not be lifted until the department is fully satisfied that all its safety concerns have been addressed, and that enhanced flight crew procedures and training are in place in Canada."
Nov 18, 2020, 10:52 am
#177
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Statement from Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly regarding the 737-MAX return to service:
https://www.swamedia.com/releases/re...urn-to-service
https://www.swamedia.com/releases/re...urn-to-service
Nov 19, 2020, 1:32 pm
#178
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
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Southwest 737 Max Jets Returning From Desert
Southwest customers’ response to the MAX in a recent survey was positive, executives said. About 25% have indicated that they are not comfortable flying on the jet but expect their comfort level to improve once it has been flying for a period of time.
Nov 19, 2020, 1:51 pm
#179
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The only authority I will listen to on MAX questions is the pilots and their union leadership. Airline managements, Boeing, and the FAA have all forfeited their credibility.
Gary Kelly in particular can get lost. For all his pious talk in the press release about how "there is nothing more sacred to me than the Safety of our Customers and Employees. If we had a cause for doubt of the Safety of our fleet—or any subset of it—simply put, the planes would not fly," Kelly was dismissing MAX danger and talking about what a fabulous plane it was literally as they were crashing.
Gary Kelly in particular can get lost. For all his pious talk in the press release about how "there is nothing more sacred to me than the Safety of our Customers and Employees. If we had a cause for doubt of the Safety of our fleet—or any subset of it—simply put, the planes would not fly," Kelly was dismissing MAX danger and talking about what a fabulous plane it was literally as they were crashing.
Last edited by BearX220; Nov 19, 2020 at 1:59 pm
Nov 19, 2020, 4:17 pm
#180
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In addition to pilots, I have to think that the increased costs to the entire maintenance org would be quite high to take on Airbus support in addition to Boeing.
If things get so bad that Southwest is seriously contemplating cutting over to the A320 platform, with the 3 to 5 year costs that would entail, then Boeing itself is in serious trouble because that will mean that its major customers see it as without a post-737 strategy for that size of aircraft.
If they were already on the 320, then it would be less of a stretch to see them order 220's. The one time Southwest could have easily had smaller planes - Airtran's 717's - they passed on them. But that may have been partly because there really isn't much commonality between a 717 and a 737 since the former is basically a McDonnell-Douglas, not Boeing, product.
If things get so bad that Southwest is seriously contemplating cutting over to the A320 platform, with the 3 to 5 year costs that would entail, then Boeing itself is in serious trouble because that will mean that its major customers see it as without a post-737 strategy for that size of aircraft.
If they were already on the 320, then it would be less of a stretch to see them order 220's. The one time Southwest could have easily had smaller planes - Airtran's 717's - they passed on them. But that may have been partly because there really isn't much commonality between a 717 and a 737 since the former is basically a McDonnell-Douglas, not Boeing, product.