United777 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 1648 posts, RR: 1 Posted (10 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 2247 times:
I just flew on Alaska Airlines from SEA-SMF-SEA with an MD-80. I was sitting in F class and I was noticing how old the aircraft has gotten. The seats seemed out of shape and the over head bins were kind of old also. I have been on Alaska Airlines about six times including this trip and this is the first time on a MD-80.
Does AS plan to retire the MD-80 soon how many do they have in there fleet.
I know they have a pretty young fleet now with the new 737-700 and 737-900 aircraft but they still have a lot of MD-80's.
I remember around January there was word AS could be looking at Airbus could they be looking for aircraft to retire the MD-80.
How about the 734's any plans to retire them?
( I will do a trip report soon on my trip on AS to SMF from SEA. ) I will say AS is my favorite US airline and this trip was very good.
Brianhames From United States of America, joined Feb 2000, 795 posts, RR: 2 Reply 1, posted (10 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 2226 times:
Well AS is already phasing out the MD-80, rather slowly though. I'm not 100% sure but I believe that with each new NG they bring online they take out one MD-80. But they are getting rid of the very slowly.
No plans to retire the 734s yet. Those are still rather young, 10 years at the oldest. THe 490s are quite a bit nicer and newer than the 4Q8s. Not even the 732Cs, in fact they just recently aquired a 9th 200 combi. Those'll be around forever probably.
I'd be very shocked and disappointed with AS went with Airbus, I really doubt it will happen. Because the whole reason they went with a all 737 fleet was to save costs with maintence, training, etc.
I will say AS is my favorite US airline...
Awesome man, glad to hear it. My favorite too as I grew up flying them. The good old days of the 727. And they're one of select few who are still making money. Long live AS
IndustrialPate From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (10 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 2229 times:
AS has 40 B734 (mostly delivered in the late 1990s -- the oldest one was delivered in 1992) and 32 MD80 (mostly delivered in the mid-80s via the early 90s). I wouldn't look for either of these fleet types to be retired soon...
IndustrialPate From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (10 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 2215 times:
I'd be very shocked and disappointed with AS went with Airbus...
I could give two hoots if Alaska choose Airbus, but I highly doubt it'd happen. A huge (but not primary) reason Alaska/Horizon choose Boeing/Bombardier was because of the carriers’ strong connections to Seattle and Canada.
FWIW, before somebody asks “when does Horizon plan to retire…,” let me remind you that Horizon has completed its fleet renewal, and the oldest plane in its fleet is about six years old.
Sjc>sfo From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (10 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 2210 times:
I've seen very few airlines get rid of their MD-80s... continental is the only one that comes to mind with their parkings. AA, AS, DL... and holding on to them. While the tail mounted engines are a pain, the fact that there is only a 20% (side to side) loss of seats for F (33% compared to a 737) and in coach there is only 1 middle seat out of every 5, it's a relatively customer friendly aircraft.
Dustweek From Japan, joined Aug 1999, 77 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (10 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 2131 times:
Hi guys,
One thought -- are old seats and old o/h bins really a sign of the aircraft's age? That is, AS could replace the interior fittings and repaint it, and the typical passenger would think he was riding a new plane.
The interiors are usually fully replaced several times in the life of a plane.
L-188 From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 29352 posts, RR: 62 Reply 6, posted (10 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 2125 times:
They where talking about phasing out the MD-80's when I worked there in 94.
Any they are still there.
OBAMA-WORST PRESIDENT EVER....Even SKOORB would be better.
AS739X From United States of America, joined Apr 2003, 5821 posts, RR: 23 Reply 7, posted (10 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 2113 times:
The MD is here for a while. The lease cost the company almost nothing. In addition to AS expanding to the east coast, we need the MD to replace 737/NG's being used on the new route on the north-south legs. They will all be based out of SEA though, the MD Pilot Base in LAX is being closed.
As for the Airbus rumor, well now that Boeing is look at the 737-900X, the rumor has became very quite. I heard it didn't even come up at the last meeting with the pilots!! Let you know........
"Some pilots avoid storm cells and some play connect the dots!"
Atcboy73 From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 1100 posts, RR: 3 Reply 9, posted (10 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2085 times:
I love MD-80s!
So they are closing the MD base in LA. Where are the other crew bases?
Doug_or From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 3163 posts, RR: 4 Reply 11, posted (10 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2068 times:
The other bases are in SEA and ANC. I believe only SEA will now have an MD-80 base.
Gigneil From United States of America, joined Nov 2002, 16215 posts, RR: 88 Reply 12, posted (10 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2061 times:
Scottb From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 6365 posts, RR: 34 Reply 13, posted (10 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 2045 times:
I was going to say, US Airways had grounded their MD-80 fleet acquired as part of the PSA merger. Grounding the MD-80's was already planned even before 9/11 given that US Airways' ex-PSA MD-80's were some of the first built by MDD; over half the fleet was over 20 years old. Similarly, Northwest also retired its small fleet of MD-80's a few years ago; those were picked up when the company merged with Republic.
It makes sense for CO to park its MD-80's, given that they are some of CO's oldest aircraft and many are leased. And since Continental's long-term fleet plan also has the MD-80's leaving the fleet within the next three years or so (as they move to three fleet types), it's sensible to take some of those out of the system if the capacity isn't needed in the short term.
I can't say that I see Alaska retiring its MD-80 fleet any time soon, given that many of them are still relatively new.
Dutchjet From Netherlands, joined Oct 2000, 7864 posts, RR: 58 Reply 14, posted (10 years 1 month 1 week 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 1949 times:
AS will slowly retire its MD80 fleet as leases expire and as the aircraft require heavy (expensive) maintenance, subject to AS's financial situation and the health of the airline industry in general. AS is still growing, and many of the 73G aircraft have been used to open new routes, so the MD80s are still around doing a lot of west coast service. AS does not have any large orders outstanding at the moment, with just a handful of 737NG aircraft yet to be delivered - when the timing is right, the next order is likely to be for additonal 73G and the proposed 737-900X (ideal for transcon services) which will probably result in a definite retirement schedule for the MD80. AS is also looking at returning 734s as leases expire (even while the MD80s are still around), depending on market condition, thus, the simple answer is that MD80s will remain in the AS fleet as long as they make economic sense.
As mentioned above, US dropped the MD80 as part of its massive type simplication and downsizing effort (and they were among the first of the type built for PSA), NW parked their handful of MD80s to simplifly their fleet when the A32Xs arrived, and CO is in the process of phasing the MD80 out which was planned as part of CO's huge purchase of new generation 737s, but many CO MD80s went out of service faster than planned due to the down-turn in airline traffic. Also, CO, NW, US (and AS) fly or have flown many early-1980s vintage MD80s, while AA and DL have, in general, much new examples. CO's MD80 fleet is a mix of aircraft delivered new to CO and acquired second hand from a variety of other carriers such as Frontier, New York Air, Muse Air, Air California, etc.
IndustrialPate From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 15, posted (10 years 1 month 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 1856 times:
I also thought it was worth noting that AS did have plans earlier to retire its entire MD-83 fleet, but the planes were to be delivered to TW (which, of course, is no defunct) as TW retired its aging MD-82 acquired from Ozark.
AS739X From United States of America, joined Apr 2003, 5821 posts, RR: 23 Reply 17, posted (10 years 1 month 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 1711 times:
955AS was broken up cause that's where the line end on an MD-80 who's lease isn't extended. We have extended the lease on many and outlook fleet sheet show's MD's till 2006. Now if finacially we can, they will be sooner. AS is looking deeply at the -900x and the 738. -ASSFO
"Some pilots avoid storm cells and some play connect the dots!"
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