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Could COVID be UA’s opportunity to order the 777X?

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Could COVID be UA’s opportunity to order the 777X?

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Old Jul 21, 2021, 12:21 pm
  #46  
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Originally Posted by nerdbirdsjc
Let's be absolutely clear about WHY the 777X is rapidly proving to be a dud -- the type (esp the 779) offers zero upside over widebody a/c types currently in the marketplace. Boeing lists a seating capacity of just 414(!) seats (42J + 372Y) for the 779 -- this is due to the aircraft's design and door placements, and cannot be easily shifted upward. Realistically, with a sizable Premium Economy cabin AND some Economy Plus seating, the 779 will carry few/no more pax than today's 77Ws/A350s, and the 779 will carry a much higher price tag and a host of new tech headaches.

Oh, and the 779 has slightly LESS range than the prior generation 777-300ER!

One of the few things UA has gotten right in its fleet planning is staying far away from the 777X.
779 is more a 744 replacement... 414 seats is a huge aircraft. UA prefers frequency over having a massive aircraft they need to fill.
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Old Jul 21, 2021, 1:17 pm
  #47  
 
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Originally Posted by JimInOhio
...until you factor in the 10-abreast seating introduced (by UA) on the 77W.
Yes. After a terrible SFO-TPE flight (#1 on the upgrade waitlist, never cleared) stuck for 14 hours in a narrow 16" seat, I'm never flying again in a 10-abreast 777 unless I'm in paid business/premium plus, or an upgrade clears at time of booking. It's much worse than the already bad 787 in Y.
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Old Jul 21, 2021, 9:01 pm
  #48  
 
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Originally Posted by artvandalay
Which model A350 carries 426 pax 7285 nm?


And both A350 models have more range than the 779…
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Old Jul 21, 2021, 9:33 pm
  #49  
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Originally Posted by nerdbirdsjc
And both A350 models have more range than the 779…
and at least 12% to 30% fewer seats in a two class config (the 426 seats is 779 in two class config), so need to compare apples to apples
And a similiar amount less cargo space.
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Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 21, 2021 at 9:45 pm Reason: cargo
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Old Jul 22, 2021, 2:04 am
  #50  
 
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Current configurations from SeatGuru:

789 (UA) — 257 seats
781 (UA) — 318 seats
77W (UA) — 350 seats
359 (DL) — 306 seats
359 (SK) — 300 seats
359 (LH) — 293 or 319 seats

Last edited by JimInOhio; Jul 22, 2021 at 2:17 am
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Old Jul 22, 2021, 7:20 am
  #51  
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Originally Posted by nerdbirdsjc
And both A350 models have more range than the 779…
Not when you load exit-limited pax and nominal cargo.
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Old Jul 23, 2021, 5:06 pm
  #52  
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Originally Posted by thejaredhuang
The easiest thing for UA to do with the RR order is just to pay the penalty for terminating the contract. Having 2 separate engines is a logistical nightmare, there are different operating procedures for each engine, different overhaul procedures, different parts, different maintenance schedules, etc. It is also RR's own fault for backing themselves exclusively into the widebody market and essentially onto one plane.



Nope, its not as easy at it seems, in the long term it would be much cheaper to pay the contract termination penalty. The real bonkers move is when they increased their order to 45 A350s.
IF UA wishes to cancel their A359 order and pay RR the contract termination penalty. Maybe they could replace the 77E with more 789s, 78Js and 778s. The 78J can deal with TATL routes, then the 789/778 can do TPAC and ULH routes. Maybe they could even retrofit the 764 to a domestic high-density layout to replace the 77G and replace the 763 with more 788s and A21Xs.

Last edited by UA857; Aug 22, 2021 at 3:18 am
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