Defender

Boeing says it's not shutting the program down, but who, domestically, is buying them?

I have flown on 717's four times somewhat recently, a couple of times prior to TWA's shutdown and more recently on AirTran. I really like that airplane.

Is American flying any of TWA's 717's or did they park them all in the desert?

Other than capacity and fleet mix, why are carriers buying 737's at such a healthy rate over 717's?

I wish there were more available for me to fly.

Analise

Midwest is buying them. I sat in two new ones on my roundtrip flights from LGA to MCI. They are wonderful!!!

FWAAA

In addition to Midwest, Airtran is buying about a hundred of them. In fact, Airtran just flew its last DC-9 flight the other day:

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040105/55117_1.html

SEA_Tigger

Commonality. Since the design is from a different manufacturer, the 717 has little in common with the rest of Boeing's fleet.

Also, Boeing was extremely successful in selling the Next Generation 737 against the MD-95 (as Douglas referred to the 717), so the 717 is probably seen as somewhat of a "lame duck" aircraft.

Most DC-9/MD-8x carriers are selecting Airbus A318-21 or Next-Generation 737 aircraft to replace those planes. So the 717 automatically has a strike against it being of the same type that the airlines want to get rid of. Being close to the same size as many of the DC-9/MD-8x planes it would be replacing doesn't help, either, since airlines want to go bigger (737/A3xx) or smaller (RJ).

I believe the 717's days are numbered. Air Canada not selecting them - while still considering the A318 - for consideration once they have completed their RJ purchase probably dooms it for the other three Star Alliance members considering a "package order". Air Tran alone probably can't keep the line alive unless they do a Southwest and firm book a few hundred planes to guarantee the line another 5-10 years of deliveries.

Defender

I hear the logical things you're saying, but I can't tell you how much I'd rather fly a 717 over a thousand miles than a CRJ. Is there any chance Boeing might pitch the 717 as a reasonable regional jet alternative or is it too big/expensive.

I am admittedly thinking with the seat of my pants, so to speak. I was always a huge fan of non-stretched DC-9's.

chtiet

Hawaiian has a number of them on their inter-island services. This past summer, I asked one of the FA's about Hawaiian's inter-island fleet, and she said that it was now entirely 717's, and that all the DC9's + MD's were all gone.

IMO the 717 is a nice plane, but then again, I'm a big fan of the MD80.

SEA_Tigger

They tried with the Air Canada order (as a prequel to securing a four-airline Star Alliance order), but Air Canada felt the plane was too large compared to Regional Jets (they split between ~70 seat Embraer and Bombardier aircraft) and as they are now flying Airbus narrow-aisles, they want the A318 for fleet commonality if they do decide to buy a ~100-seater.

Human Unit 763246B

American Airlines is an idiot or bean counter for getting rid of such a nice plane.

Others have mentioned the disadvantage of not having other versions of the 717 such as a 717-300 or 717-400 (which could be an 85 seat or 130 seat model). The 717 is also small enough that airlines figure they can farm out the route to slightly smaller (but very uncomfortable) CRJ700 and 900's.

Still the 717 is light enough that it is more economical than the A318 or 737-600.

Fly the 717 on Midwest (they have more routes through MKE and MCI than many people think), Hawaiian, AirTran, Qantas Link (formerly Impulse), and others.

GWU ESIA STUDENT

Airtran picked up most of them, IIRC none are parked in the desert.

kanebear

As I recall, TWA leased those 717s at decidedly unfavorable terms. Thus, AA was definitely beancounting in getting rid of 'em but I don't view that as a bad thing.