TurboFan779

I'm pretty sure if UA gets any 737-10s, it will be strictly order conversions from -9s, correct?

LarryJ

That is why the 737 is the most prolific airliner. The accountants love its economics.

It will be interesting to see how the economics of the CS100 and CS300 work out in comparison to the 737-7 Max and A319/320neo. I think the C-Series will be the most comfortable passenger experience in that group.

TurboFan779

Would the new landing gear make the 737-10 less prone to tail strikes than the 739?

milypan

The A321neo has 2-4% more seats than the MAX10, so even if we were to accept BA's own claims at face value, the CASM advantage would be down to 1-3%.

DA201

The CS300 has better economics than the 737-7MAX and the A319neo. Airbus has 50 A319neo orders and Boeing has 60 737-7MAX orders compared to Bombardier's 242 CS300 orders.

BBSHOPSINGER

Honestly, I find the whole issue of the "wider seats" kind of moot. If not for reading it on FT, I never would have known that there was a difference in seat width between the 737-xxx and the A319/320. I think the comments about a difference in comfort are mainly confirmation bias, as that small fraction of an inch really isn't noticeable unless you're looking for it. I'm sure either plane would work fine.


Are they thinking about putting lie-flats in some of these in first in order to replace some of the existing 757-200 a/c?

LarryJ

I guess that depends on your, and your seat-mate's, BMI.

Just as the comfort advantage of a few extra inches of legroom is greatly dependant on your height.

Kacee

Don't agree at all. I preferred the 319/20 long before I read anything here about cabin or seat width. The aircraft feels more spacious and is noticeably quieter.

dmurphynj

Yes, but the PTU sounds like a barking dog, so I'll take the Boeing please. Can't stand that noise.

Productivity

Is that truly a worthy reason to have less space?

I reasonably regularly do 4hr+ segments in an A321 and would hate to trade it for a 737.

Kacee

No. Nor is the take-off whine from the IAE V2500. Small price to pay for an overall more comfortable flight experience.

HeadInTheClouds

I disagree entirely. The room is either in the seats or in the aisle. Either of those improves the comfort factor. If it's it the seats, you aren't quite as squished. If it's in the aisle, there is less elbow bumping and sometimes it gives a person the ability to squeeze by people or carts.

As an example, the old NW A320s used standard (narrower) F seats in them, but the aisle was so wide in F that two people could pass each other with ease.

spin88

The airbus is 6" wider in the cabin. The result is that - holding arm rests the same size - airlines use seats that are '18" wide' vs. '17" wide' The a321 is a much, much nicer plane. Try AA or DL's ones, the experience is so much better than anything United can offer.

The new A321s are much nicer than the older A320/319 that United has. Overhead bins are much nicer, and the plane has a more open feel. Bathrooms are also much nicer than the Boeing slim jobs.

Only correction I would make is that the seats are not 1/2" wider, they are a full inch wider. The airlines flying Boeings (see UA) claim a wider seat by taking the 1" out of the seat in the arm rests, but this trick, while making the seat appear wider given the figures they provide, does not impact the actual feel of the seat, which is always going to be 1" wider on an airbus.

There are no A321neos flying, but it will look/feel almost identically to the brand new A321s that DL/AA have (only the engine is different). They have a much more open feel to the cabin, and in First Class have the openness of the 757, but with a wider aisle (since the 757 is 6" narrower). I have flow DL A321 and then DL B739 several times back to back, and the airbus is a much nicer ride. It is immediately notable, to the extent that I will try to book it when I can. And the difference is notable in both F and Y.

sbm12

And then try it on NK or N9. :-:

The existing models could be upgraded with the new bins and lavs. And the Airbus SpaceFlex lav is hardly glamorous. My shoulders touched both sides when I walked in one recently.

Virgin America/Alaska Airlines would choose to dispute that fact. And they'd win.
@:-)

Link to an external story I wrote; you've been warned.

tuolumne

The fuselage of the Airbus is wider (no debate here). It's also quieter, and really, it's not based off an original design conceived during a different generation.