Those of you that like the Boeing 717 such as myself will be sad to hear another customer drop out. Qantas Airlinks’ 14 Boeing aircraft are bieng talked over to drop them in place for A319’s or A 320’s.
This announcement has been made following a previous announcement that Qantas and Singapore airlines will be launching low cost brands.
No official decision has been made by Qantas as the phasing out would not start until June 21st 2004.Can anyone out there shed any light on this.:confused: :confused: .It would be such a great shame to see another customer of the type to drop them:( 🙁
By: steve rowell - 18th February 2004 at 09:04
According to Boeing VP and GM-717 Program and Long Beach Division James Phillips, the 717 program is alive and well.
“We have a number of proposals out in the market and the interest level is very high,” Phillips told ATWOnline. Industry analysts suggested that the Star Alliance buy was a last gasp for the model, and following Air Canada’s decision to purchase regional jets naysayers forecast closure for the 717. But Phillips noted that the Star partners’ timeframes differ greatly. “We are still working with Lufthansa, SAS and Austrian,” he said. “We don’t expect decisions until later this year.”
The 717 has been ticking over at 12 aircraft per year–hardly exciting–but Boeing sticks by it believing that a sustained upswing will see orders flow in. With Harry Stonecipher back as CEO, the 717’s fortunes are looking better as it was he in a previous position as CEO of McDonnell Douglas who launched the then-MD-95 on an order for 50 from ValuJet, later reborn as AirTran. Despite buying 737s for its transcontinental requirement, AirTran has been a great supporter of the 717 and intends to keep its huge fleet, Phillips said.
In addition, he said Boeing has not given up on Qantas, which ordered A320s for its new low-cost carrier Jetstar. It is transferring its fleet of 14 717s from its regional arm QantasLink to launch Jetstar in May and intended to phase them out as A320s arrived. But Phillips is preaching the virtues of the 717 to Jetstar and the new airline’s management has committed to look at a two-aircraft fleet with the 717s operating on its short, thin routes. It will be a challenge to keep the model in the Jetstar fleet but Phillips is committed to make it happen.
He also told ATWOnline that airlines such as Cebu Pacific are looking to roll over their DC-9-30 fleets for 717s.
By: robc - 16th February 2004 at 18:38
The MD90 is soo smooth!
By: Airline owner - 16th February 2004 at 17:25
Nice photo. I have just found out that the 717 was going to be called the MD 95. This had different features. So when Boeing decided to take the programme off of thier hands they changed it around a bit so did that make a difference.:confused: :confused: :confused:
By: Airline owner - 16th February 2004 at 12:49
Why because they only have the MD83, MD85, MD87… but do they own MD90’s:confused:
By: Airline owner - 16th February 2004 at 11:50
Yeah but if they did it would put a 🙂 on my:( face
By: Airline owner - 16th February 2004 at 11:45
Hold on i thought that Boeing was launching the 300 series that would have longer range, More capacity and it would be cheaper because then they would have more customers according to Boeing:) 🙂 🙂
By: Airline owner - 16th February 2004 at 11:29
Sorry i thought you were
By: Airline owner - 16th February 2004 at 11:24
Originally posted by Matthew Murray
😀 It has absolutely no place int he market, a small niche market. Air Tran being the only large order, and even they are going to the 737NG.
That is news to me.Air Tran has just recently phased out its final DC-9 so the final phased 717 wont be for a while
By: Airline owner - 16th February 2004 at 11:14
In every issue of AW the Boeing deliveries suggest that 1 717 is delivered every month. Surely the programme is losing money
By: steve rowell - 16th February 2004 at 11:12
Originally posted by wysiwyg
My money says it’ll be dropped from production inside 4 years.
No doubt at all
By: wysiwyg - 16th February 2004 at 11:09
My money says it’ll be dropped from production inside 4 years.
By: Airline owner - 16th February 2004 at 11:08
Thanks in advance
By: steve rowell - 16th February 2004 at 11:06
I’ll do some research and get back to you
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February 16, 2004 at 10:57 am