A318

was TWA not the launch customer? but when American took them over, they cancelled the order.

TWA was launch customer for the 717 , I didn’t know for the A318 …

There are 83 A318s currently on order.

As well as Air France and Frontier, customers include TAROM, America West and Mexicana.

Leasing companies ILFC and CEGAS have also ordered A318s, but I suspect that the TAROM machines may be amongst them.

was TWA not the launch customer? but when American took them over, they cancelled the order.

Tarom the Romanian airline have a couple on order.

Clearly, the A318 suites their needs also. Then again… the Airbus sales team are very very presuasive.

Tarom the Romanian airline have a couple on order.

I think the A318 is a customer customised machine.

Just like Boeing with the 757-300 and 767-400, Airbus created the A318 to deliver a customised product to either Air Frog or Frontier.
I think it was Air Frog that asked for it. Therefor as its engineered towards whatever requirements the airline set, the A318 is not going to suite the needs of every operator.

No.

Cypriot- I to thought it was ugly before but in that livery its great.

Enlarge it and you have the A310!

yeah, i thought she was ugly, on the favourite Airbus threat I wrote she looks like a spoiled child!

but look at her.. she is great esp on the Frontier colour scheme!

I think that plane has loads of character its great.

Most of the airlines mentioned do not have a route structure which would favour the A318 over a 717. But they all operate existing A320-family aircraft, which would generate economies of scale and operational flexibility.

Horses for coures; the ultimate choice for Star is mostly political.

Airlines plan group jet order

Aerospace Notebook

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER – June 11, 2003

WASHINGTON — The Star Alliance, which includes several of the world’s most influential airlines, eventually could team up to make a group purchase of bigger commercial jetliners, including Boeing’s new 7E7, according to an airline executive in the alliance.

But first, the alliance must make the group-buy concept work on a smaller scale — with an order for 100 smaller, single-aisle, “standardized” planes from either The Boeing Co., Airbus or the regional jet makers.

“It all depends on the success of this effort,” said Vagn Sorensen, chief executive of Austrian Airlines, one of four carriers with the Star Alliance that are looking to buy those 100 standard airplanes by the end of this year.

“If this is a success, then it is very likely we would continue (with future orders),” he said.

The group began what Sorensen described as “concrete” talks last week with Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier and Embraer for those 100 planes plus 100 options. The Boeing plane under consideration is the 717. If the 717 is picked, Sorensen said, it could be a stretched version. Boeing has said it might develop the 717-300 stretch if it gets enough firm orders to justify development costs.

This may not be a winner-take-all competition. A combination of planes from more than one manufacturer could be purchased to fill the order.

In addition to Austrian Airlines, the other three alliance members working together on the bulk buy are Lufthansa, Air Canada and Scandinavian Airline System.

They have sent out a joint request for proposal for an airplane that can seat from 70 to 120 passengers.

In addition to Boeing’s 717, the alliance group is talking with Airbus about its new A318, Embraer about the ERJ 170-195 models and Bombardier about its CRJ 700/900 models. By buying planes as a group, the alliance should be able to drive a better bargain with the manufacturers, given the size of the order. In addition to being able to get a better price, the alliance also expects a standardized fleet of planes will boost their resell or residual value.

Mongu, I think LH will order A318’s, for the same reason AF will.

ya and the biggest tail in the A320 family.

Yes cargo doors are smaller on the A318.

Originally posted by mongu
Possibly, yes.

The RJ’s don’t have the same cargo capacity which means airlines can’t carry cargo on their passenger flights to enhance revenue.

Agreed, but it’s a shame the A318 can’t take the same containers as the A319-321. Think it’s due to engine / cargo door clearance, can anyone confirm or correct this?

If you are mainly a RJ operator (like Flybe) then you’d probably go for a large RJ – if you’re mainly a big airliner operator you might stick with a cut down mainline airliner.

Agreed again. This is especially true if the big airline has an Airbus fleet.

Mike

Thanks again mongu. 🙂

Would you…(or anyone else here for that matter)…know where I could find a complete/detailed ‘matrix’ on Airbus models vs Boeing models?

(Preferably posted on the Internet.)

Possibly, yes.

The RJ’s don’t have the same cargo capacity which means airlines can’t carry cargo on their passenger flights to enhance revenue.

This size of aircraft is a crossover point – do you go for a large regional jet or a small mainline airliner? There are lots of pros and cons each way depending on the structure of the airline in question.

If you are mainly a RJ operator (like Flybe) then you’d probably go for a large RJ – if you’re mainly a big airliner operator you might stick with a cut down mainline airliner.

Thanks mongu! 😎

Do you think the Embraer 195 or Bombardier CRJ900 could also fall into direct competition with the A318?