amsspot From Netherlands, joined Jun 2005, 78 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 months 2 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 5526 times:
Hey all,
After my recent Westjet flight from LAX to YYC I had a short chat with the captain. He informed me that Westjet is in talk with Boeing about a 737-900 order. According to him Westjet can see its first 737-900 joining the fleet in 2014 already.
Has anyone else heard something about this?
If this is true, I think Westjet will become the sole airline operating all next generation 737 series.
wedgetail737 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 5527 posts, RR: 5 Reply 1, posted (3 months 2 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 5435 times:
If this indeed is true, then they will be ordering the 737-900ER. The standard -900 is no longer in production. Also, Westjet will be the first airline to operate all NG-series airplanes.
9252fly From Canada, joined Sep 2005, 1342 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (3 months 2 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 5373 times:
The B373-900ER would be an ideal aircraft on the main trans-con trunk routes. I can't see it being a significant order if comes to pass, perhaps a dozen units. How does the range compare to the 700 and 800?
kaitak From Ireland, joined Aug 1999, 11952 posts, RR: 37 Reply 4, posted (3 months 2 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 5286 times:
Quoting odwyerpw (Reply 2): Do they still have any of the 736s in their fleet?
Thirteen, as of December.
Quoting 9252fly (Reply 3): How does the range compare to the 700 and 800?
Slightly longer; the 73G (with winglets) has a range of about 3,440nm, with 3,100nm for the -800; still move than sufficient for anything they need to do.
I wonder if the -900ER might encourage them to do some short t/a flights - perhaps to the UK and Ireland, maybe even Quebec to regional French cities? Range-wise it would work, but do they have any plans in that direction?
TWA772LR From United States of America, joined Nov 2011, 755 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (3 months 2 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 5239 times:
Quoting kaitak (Reply 4): I wonder if the -900ER might encourage them to do some short t/a flights - perhaps to the UK and Ireland, maybe even Quebec to regional French cities? Range-wise it would work, but do they have any plans in that direction?
Does the 9ER have the legs for that? It seems like even the 73G would have trouble with that, unless it was from St. Johns like AC to LHR.
There's nothing like the smell of Jet-A in the morning. It smells like... VICTORY!!!
WestJet747 From Canada, joined Aug 2011, 1262 posts, RR: 7 Reply 8, posted (3 months 2 weeks 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 4525 times:
Quoting kaitak (Reply 4): I wonder if the -900ER might encourage them to do some short t/a flights - perhaps to the UK and Ireland, maybe even Quebec to regional French cities? Range-wise it would work, but do they have any plans in that direction?
WestJet CFO Vito Culmone said during a presentation at an investor's conference recently (sorry, can't find a link) that crossing oceans wasn't even on their radar right now.
I personally feel that that is a smokescreen. Given their steady growth, trans-at flights are inevitable. I would peg a timeline of about 5-7 before we see it, but that would certainly put it well within the realm of WS's radar.
Quoting BD338 (Reply 7): Why do people think that pilots...have insight to the strategic and capital planning initiatives of an airline?
Because senior pilots have friends that work in head office? It's not so far-fetched to think that they talk about work.
sunrisevalley From Canada, joined Jul 2004, 3952 posts, RR: 4 Reply 12, posted (3 months 2 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 3499 times:
The 737-900ER with winglets is good for about 2800nm with a 177- passenger load. Do they have in mind something like YYC-HNL with something like 150-passengers or YVR/YYC into the Carribean where the range would work rather well or from Atlantic Canada points to YVR. It would work well on a strong winds day westbound from YYZ/YUL.
YVRLTN From Canada, joined Oct 2006, 2087 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (3 months 2 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 3452 times:
I am surprised there has been no 900 to date. I have been told several times on here it would not work, but I disagree. I am pretty sure a new MAX order will include the 9.
Quoting 9252fly (Reply 3): The B373-900ER would be an ideal aircraft on the main trans-con trunk routes
As well as YVR - Hawaii and to CUN from many origins.
Quoting kaitak (Reply 4): I wonder if the -900ER might encourage them to do some short t/a flights - perhaps to the UK and Ireland, maybe even Quebec to regional French cities? Range-wise it would work, but do they have any plans in that direction?
Not sure it has the legs for that as someone would be doing it already. I think if WS are going to take on AC and all the other major airlines and their respective alliances plus Canadian Affair (TS), they will do it properly with a 787 (or a widebody anyway).
brilondon From Canada, joined Aug 2005, 3172 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (3 months 2 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 3404 times:
Quoting BD338 (Reply 7): Why do people think that pilots or FAs have insight to the strategic and capital planning initiatives of an airline?
He is a stakeholder in the company, and like all stakeholders he would probably have that kind of information that all shareholders would be privy to, which would include information about aircraft acquisitions.
bobloblaw From United States of America, joined Jan 2012, 1360 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (3 months 2 weeks 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 3120 times:
Do they fly YYC-HNL now? It would be a good summer plane for YYZ-YVR and winter to FLL from YUL or YYZ.
yyz717 From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 15989 posts, RR: 59 Reply 17, posted (3 months 2 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 2637 times:
Given WS's profits and high LF's, the 739ER seems a likely addition.
WS ordered another 738 (a conversion from a 73G order). Now 19 738's in service and 4 on order (all due 2013). Along with 30 73G's on order thru 2018. It seems likely that many of the 73G's will be converted to the 738, 739ER or MAX.
Quoting sunrisevalley (Reply 12): The 737-900ER with winglets is good for about 2800nm with a 177- passenger load.
WS is reconfiguring their 738's to seat 174 so any 739ER would likely seat more than 177. Likely 190 or more.
Quoting YVRLTN (Reply 13): I am pretty sure a new MAX order will include the 9.
Agreed. By 2018 (when the MAX 9 enters service), WS will have many 738 routes that could support a capacity boost. If/when WS orders the MAX, it will likely be a mixed 8/9 order.
Quoting bobloblaw (Reply 15): It would be a good summer plane for YYZ-YVR and winter to FLL from YUL or YYZ.
Agreed, along with many other routes.
Panam, TWA, Ansett, Eastern.......AC next? Might be good for Canada.
robsaw From Canada, joined Dec 2008, 172 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (3 months 2 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 2085 times:
Quoting brilondon (Reply 14): He is a stakeholder in the company, and like all stakeholders he would probably have that kind of information that all shareholders would be privy to, which would include information about aircraft acquisitions.
And as a publicly-traded company shareholders have legal access ONLY to publicly disclosed information, which would include signficant things such as major capital purchase decisions. If the pilot WAS privy to insider, non-disclosed, material information he would be breaking the law by discussing it publicly.
hoMsar From United States of America, joined Jan 2010, 803 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (3 months 2 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 2012 times:
Quoting brilondon (Reply 14): He is a stakeholder in the company, and like all stakeholders he would probably have that kind of information that all shareholders would be privy to, which would include information about aircraft acquisitions.
Not to be pedantic, but a stakeholder and a shareholder are not the same thing.
All employees of any company could be considered stakeholders of that company.
Now, assuming you mean shareholder in all cases (as in, owning stock), and assuming that shareholders somehow had access to info that the rest of the world didn't, how do you know he is a shareholder?
All the OP said was that he spoke with the captain on his flight. He never said who the captain was, or why this captain would have insider info that some other pilot wouldn't have.
Shareholder is probably accurate in this case. It's pretty hard to work for WS and not be a shareholder. A senior pilot would probably have quite a pile of stock through the company plans.
WS makes a pretty big deal of it...one of their ad tag lines is something like 'because owners care' implying you get better service because everyone working there owns a part of the company.
As for being in on the rumour mills about fleet ideas...WS is still small enough that a lot of people know a lot of people in the company. (I recently flew on their newest plane, which they made a fuss over as it was the 100th plane in the fleet).
So, it would be too easy for the coffee or adult pop talk to revolve around the pros and cons of different frames, or even that the 739 was a possibility...which given their groeth and load factors seems like a really, really logical thing from the outside anyway!
As for exchange rules, there is probably nothing material in the idea that they might get a different version of the 737. If a substantial order was in the works and ready to sign it might be material, and of course the impending purchase of 30 A350 s to launch international service is material. (OK, I made that one up, but it would be material if it were true).
rampbro From Canada, joined Nov 2012, 64 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (3 months 2 weeks 21 hours ago) and read 1857 times:
Quoting BE77 (Reply 20): WS makes a pretty big deal of it
Revenue sharing day is by far the best day of the year at any WS station.
Quoting WestJet747 (Reply 8): I personally feel that that is a smokescreen.
Given your handle, I can see why you'd say this!
I don't share your view. This rumour has been bouncing around in different forms for about the last 7-8 years. I remember being told by a WS CS agent that one of her friends from HQ was site surveying major gateways in western Europe. Nothing has ever materialized, and rather than do their own flying T/A WS has focussed on what they do best, and signed codeshares with their minority of travellers who want to fly WS on their way to Europe. I suspect the demise of Zoom burned itself into WS's memory.
Can't wait to see some stretchy 737s in teal and navy!
27 robsaw: If it is a change from one type of 737 to another for an existing order, I agree, not material; if it is a new order of aircraft that would likely be
28 9252fly: It wouldn't surprise me if we see a conversion of future orders to the B739ER and as you mentioned,it would not be a new order.
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As well as YVR - Hawaii and to CUN from many origins.
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