BA 717's?
 

If you think the 737-800 is confined, BA is considering trading in their 757's for 717's. The 717 is the new name for the MD-80. Kind of difficult on my 6'6" frame.

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speedbird001

speedbird, I'm not sure where you got that information from, but it is very dubious indeed.

First, the 717 is not an MD-80. It is derived from the DC-9, like the MD-80, but in fact it is closer to the DC-9 in size and range than it is to the MD-80.

Second, being that it only seats 100 and has a significantly shorter range, I doubt that the 717 will be replacing any 757's in BA's or any other airlines service.

Beckles,

London, Aug 2 (Bloomberg)
British Airways, which is seeking to replace its aging fleet of 53 Boeing 757's, is leaning toward the purchase of as many as 40 Boeing 717's, Flight International reported. The weekly trade magazine said BA has issued a request for bids to Airbus, Boeing and British Aerospace for 20 planes on firm order and 20 options........
Boeing has been slow finding orders for it 106 seat 717, a McDonnell Douglas design originally known as the MD-95, and has said it will make a decision by the year-end on whether it will keep the model in production.

P.S.
Its range is 1580 miles which means its good for anything under two hours from London.


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speedbird001

Well, that story confuses the issue even more ... How do you replace 50+ Boeing 757's (180 passengers, 4500 mile range) with 40 717's (100 passengers, 2000 mile range)? Unless you're significantly downsizing your airline (which I don't believe BA is doing), it doesn't happen!

I do believe that BA is considering the 717 (I recall reading reports saying that elsewhere), but they are not to "replace" the 757. I'm sure the 757 replacements will be coming with the order BA placed with Airbus a bit back for A320 family aircraft.

Doesn't BA use 757's on some trans-Atlantic routes?

Beckles-- speedbird is correct, BA is looking at the 717, A319, and another 100 seater to replace the 757. The plan is to cut the coach seats, maintaning a high ratio of FC seats, to keep high-yeild traffic. Similar kinda thing they did with replacing the 747's with 777's. (Other than those old 747-100's that were taped together.)

I do not think the 757 is used any more on Transatlantic routes.

Possible uses for the 717 would be the Super Shuttle (increased frequency with less seats per flight), all Club?? class or more service to smaller cities.

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speedbird001

I heard a similar topic of conversation (717 for 757 swap) when I last flew on BA. This apparently is part of the brilliant strategy of increasing premium business and reducing eco seats.

As it has already been discussed extensively on the FT board I won't comment. But it remains to be seen what happens??

When did BA do away with the 757 flight from JFK and Boston to Glasgow. My wife always complained that I wouldn't fly that direct flight and made her fly to Heathrow and connect to Glasgow (she HATES takeoffs and landings), but I couldn't stomach a transatlantic flight in a 757, especially in coach.

You know, it would be very interesting to see the battle unfold between the 717 and the A319 and (I think) A318. The MD-80/DC-9 config of 3-2 seating in coach is really annoying, though. It'd be nice to see BA offer a premium service with 2-2 seating throughout the plane for high frequency short hops within Europe.

And BTW, there was one nice thing about the old BA 747-100's... they had humidifiers! It was the only aircraft I've ever flown in where the air didn't dry out my eyes and make my skin dry up! But I believe they stopped running those humidifiers years ago...

The 717 is the MD-95 which is a total redesign for MD. It's not at all like the MD-80. Try it before you dump it.

Spot on Larrude - to be avoided at any cost. Any that includes AA's and CO's T/A 757 flights too!