Any thoughts about that particularly in which direction should WestJet go, more seats or premium?
Introducing the Q gives them more flexibility on small & regional routes. More seats will make it even more an LLC, but a premium cabin could signal a shift toward possibly becoming a more traditional airline.
yyz717 From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 15989 posts, RR: 59 Reply 1, posted (1 year 2 weeks 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 1482 times:
The 738's are used heavily on YYZ-YYC/YVR where a premium cabin would sell well, OTOH the 738 is also used on heavy leisure routes to LAS, Hawaii, and FLA/Caribbean in winter. So they might need 2 738 subfleets (one with a premium cabin, one without) which would add (relatively) to operational complexity.
The pitch on the 736/73G is 32in, but 34in on the 738 so a 738 pitch decrease would enable more seats. Although since the 738 is used on longer routes on average, the extra pitch is welcome.
Incidently, WS just converted another 73G order to a 738. They now have 16 738's in service and 2 on order. No doubt more of the 34 remaining 73G orders will be converted to 738 likely one at a time.
With their high load factor, I can't help but smell a coming 739ER order from Westjet, but who knows?
Panam, TWA, Ansett, Eastern.......AC next? Might be good for Canada.
cyeg66 From Canada, joined Feb 2011, 166 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (1 year 2 weeks 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 1119 times:
Quoting yyz717 (Reply 1): With their high load factor, I can't help but smell a coming 739ER order from Westjet, but who knows?
I would like to see that, but I've heard many others on this forum suggest that the 739 is so significantly different from the 736, 737, and 738 that it's hardly financially viable to undertake this simply to justify the little extra capacity. In no way am I denying the fact that I've been wrong many times before, though.
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WestJet747 From Canada, joined Aug 2011, 1242 posts, RR: 7 Reply 3, posted (1 year 2 weeks 2 days ago) and read 1041 times:
Quoting cf105arrow (Thread starter): Any thoughts about that particularly in which direction should WestJet go, more seats or premium?
I think WS would do well with a Y/Y+ configuration, sort of like what TS does. As we all know, WS isn't your typical LCC, plenty of people with deep pockets (including business travelers) fly WS. I think introducing 12-16 (2-2) Y+ seats on their 738 fleet would sell well on the YYZ-YYC/YVR routes, as yyz717 mentions in reply 1.
Quoting yyz717 (Reply 1): used on heavy leisure routes to LAS, Hawaii, and FLA/Caribbean in winter. So they might need 2 738 subfleets (one with a premium cabin, one without) which would add (relatively) to operational complexity.
Apart from the dispatching nightmare the sub-fleets would be, I actually think Y+ would work on the Hawaiian and LAS routes. That is where you're going to see the "high rollers" and the honeymooners willing to drop an extra few hundred bucks on a (relatively) premium product. FLA and Caribbean, not so much.
Quoting cyeg66 (Reply 2): but I've heard many others on this forum suggest that the 739 is so significantly different from the 736, 737, and 738 that it's hardly financially viable to undertake this simply to justify the little extra capacity.
But at the end of the day it's still a 73X isn't it? Part commonality and maintenance shouldn't be TOO different I would assume. I'm the furthest thing from an AME though so I'm just speculating...
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