Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
American 767 wrote:Because the A318 a high CASM (Cost per Available Seat Mile). It is for the same reason not many 737-600s were sold. This is why there won't be an A318NEO and there won't be either a 737-6MAX. Even the 737-7MAX isn't getting too many orders.
Apart from Frontier, the only other A318 operators in the world are Air France, Tarom, and British Airways which only has a couple of those configured in an all C-Class layout and used solely on the LCY-JFK route.
TWA772LR wrote:Didn't TWA have 50 on order?
Goodyear wrote:What happened to the PW-powered A318s?
reffado wrote:Goodyear wrote:What happened to the PW-powered A318s?
If what's mentioned is correct and only LA ever had them, all 15 saw a second life with Avianca Brasil (Oceanair). Some 5 frames are still in service with O6 - PR-ONC, ONI, AVJ, AVL and ONR - though I believe they're being phased out - , while some are stored, at varying airports around Brazil. There might even be one or two in the desert in the US already. Can't see anyone leasing the stored frames to give them a third chance, so it's likely they'll end up like F9s A318s: scrapped for parts at way too young age.
callumconroydub wrote:Why were these small, easy to manoeuvre and long range jets so unpopular?
For example, Frontier scrapped all of their fleet. Why was that?
zakuivcustom wrote:Well, I can see O6 keeping them around just for SDU operation (Although A319 works just as well there, O6 is not getting new A319s, either). Those 5 remaining A318s pretty much run SDU-CGH and SDU-BSB shuttles all day long anyway (Plus BSB-JDO and GRU-JDO-FOR runs, JDO has a pretty short runway also at 1800m). In a few years after they retired all of them? I've no clue what would replace them (A320neo? Not sure how good they'll do at SDU).
aemoreira1981 wrote:This is why an airline like Azul went with the E195 instead of the A318 or A319.
mariner wrote:aemoreira1981 wrote:This is why an airline like Azul went with the E195 instead of the A318 or A319.
I wish him luck with the E195, but they E190's have been a problem at Jetblue from the git-go, as they were at Virgin Australia.
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... rn-435199/
"JetBlue operates 169 Airbus A320 family aircraft and 60 E190s.
“The stage length of the E190 is 40% shorter but the E190 is a high CASM airplane,” says Hayes. “We look at the E190 issue not as a CASM issue, but a return issue.”
It is not the first time that JetBlue’s executives have made less than flattering remarks about the E190, which it launched into service in 2005"
Apart from the various maintenance issues and costs, It comes back to CASM. Some time after Republic acquired Frontier, they did a fleet review which showed the BELF (break ever load factor) of every type in the fleet, remembering that this was at Frontier's average fare as it was then, before it became ULCC. The A320 led the way with the lowest, followed (further behind than might be desirable) by the A319, and finally the E190, with a BELF in the mid-90's. Tough to make money with that.
The A318, carrying fewer passengers, had a greater CASM than the A319 but the same CASM problem is happening - has happened - to the A319. Why buy the A319 when you can have the A320 at almost the same price? This is why so few A319Neos have sold.
There was a further issue with the A318 which had garnered a decent number of frames, but then PW had problems and a major delay with the engine. Airbus told customers they could wait it out or switch to the A319. Most of them switched.
mariner
aemoreira1981 wrote:The CSeries might finally put the A19N out of its misery as well. I doubt that there is any route for an A319neo that an A320neo is too much plane or an CS300 doesn't have the range.
F27500 wrote:Plus ... they were ridiculous looking ...
bunumuring wrote:And yes, TWA ordered 50 A318s as well as 50 717s.... At the same time, stating that they were for different markets and route profiles. If I remember correctly, the A318 were for longer routes centring on more 'premium' markets while the 717s were meant for shorter, 'regional' routes?!?!
F27500 wrote:Plus ... they were ridiculous looking ...
B777LRF wrote:callumconroydub wrote:Why were these small, easy to manoeuvre and long range jets so unpopular?
Care to elaborate on what you mean by 'easy to manoeuvre'?
Pontius wrote:I would make the argument that the 318 was the least "easy to maneuver" model in the family, and most of my colleagues that have also flown all four lengths would agree. The 321 has its horizontal stabilizer tailored to the long moment of the aircraft, the 318 used the off-the-shelf stab from its longer sibling and was likely relatively undersized, (consider the taller vertical to combat degraded stability on the A318, 747SP, etc. Same principle, different axis). The aircraft was very "pitchy," especially at altitude with the autopilot engaged. Flight director orders would almost float you in your seat at top-of-descent.