Airliners.net

Hi all! Whick airline do you all think has the best fleet?? I think Delta does because they keep their fleet pretty new. (besides the L1011 and the 727's)
See ya later,
Camille

If one likes new fleets, Finnair is pretty good; they have a modern fleet of MD-11s and MD-80s, plus DC-9-50's of which the oldest one isn't even 20 years.

I'd say overall I like a fleet based on the MD-80 or A320 for short haul and the MD-11 for long haul routes. So Swissair and Finnair are two favorites...

I think that Virgin withe the 737 in the Express and the Long Range airplnae for Virgin Atlantic.

I like Delta too. The MD-11's my favorite plane, and I've flown it it every time I go to England. Delta's food has improved I guess, because I had quite a nice steak with A1 sauce in the MD-11! Maybe it's improved like spacefood. I've flown on the L1011's to San Juan and Gatwick. Not very nice any more. What is Delta planning to purchase next?

Noel Benford

I'd have to say that Swissair has one of the best fleets. They've always had a young fleet, & with their new orders they are in the process of making their fleet an all airbus fleet.

Rob

Thai Airlines has a pretty nice fleet with a wide variety of types, including the MD-11, A330, 777,747 and I think they have some DC-10s but I'm not sure.

Bryan

I like Reno Air's fleet (all MD-80s and -90s) and I like FedEx's fleet

I think that the best overall fleet in my opinion is Cathay Pacific's. They have 747's, A340's, A330's, and 777's including the 777-300. They have a really new fleet and perhaps the greatest variety of anybody in widebody aircraft. In terms of major American airlines I like United the best since they have 777's, 747's, 767's, and DC-10's as well as a variety of narrowbody aircraft. I don't think United's fleet will be as exciting once it phases out 727's and DC-10's.

Hi Camille,

do you really think Delta has a "pretty new fleet"? I can tell you their average plane age is at about 12,5 years, not very good compared to United (ca. 9,8), American (ca. 10,0) and especially Southwest (ca. 7,8).
Beside the 727 and L1011 Delta has many old 767(-200) and 757, as long as many 737-200 (Adv) so that explaines the high average age.
European and Asian airlines do much more for young fleets, Lufthansa, KLM, Swissair, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific for example, all their ages are under 8 years!

Well but I see American airlines have much bigger fleets, so it is not very easy to keep a fleet of more than 400 or 500 aircraft brand new.
I think Northwest is one of the worst in the field of fleet age. Their average age is more than 19 years!!! Although they have more than 50 A320, the many many DC-9s keep the age high.
I hope they will order the A318 soon, not the B717 which is not more than a re-named, old-standart DC-9-30.

Interested in talking more about that great aviation? Write me to Germany, it would be a pleasure.

Regards
Udo

I think KlM has the best fleet. They have a range of aircrafts from prop (saab 340) to jets such as the 737-300/400, and there very well utilized 747 where they have different models from the 200, 300, and 400. they also have the 767-300ER and the MD11. But What I like the most about this airline is that they really went "dutch" on their aircraft like the 747 which saw many changes in their fleet like for example 747-206 PH-BUH which was bought originally as a 200 version then converted to a 300 then converted to a 300F.
so i think thats pretty cool.

I think that United has teh best fleet. They have planes from all the major airplane makers (Airbus, Boeing, Douglas). I really like that they are still making orders for more 777's, which I really like. This is their fleet in order of what I like best to what I like least:
1.777
2.757
3.A320
4.767
5.747
6.A319
7.727
8.737
9.Dc-10 (their getting old. United with probably retire them soon.)

SABENA because they have a recent fleet in co-operation with Swissair and a worldknown SABENAservice in aircraftmaintenance.