Originally Posted by Astro14
If you're going to reduce your fleet size, vertical cuts (single airplane type) make sense, because you shed the costs of a fleet type; spare parts inventory, training equipment, simulators and training space. Small fleets (low number of airplanes) are the natural choice.
The A-380 had been a break-even airplane for Lufthansa, I'm not certain that 747-8 ever made money and the A-340 is a gas guzzler and has high maintenance costs. Each of those fleets at Lufthansa is small. Those vertical cuts make perfect sense, because small fleets cost more to keep, as the overhead of parts, and training support, is amortized over smaller numbers.
To be honest, I think my beloved 757 and then 767, will be the first airplanes to go should United begin parking airplanes. The oldest, and least fuel efficient. Spare parts for the round dial cockpit have become harder to source. The 767 and 757 are the smallest fleet. Smaller retraining numbers. We had already begun selling some of oldest 757s last year and this year, as the 737 MAX was to take the domestic flying that the 757 was doing. Granted, I'm no MAX fan, but it's the same passenger capacity of the 757 at half (yes, half) the fuel burn.
Those two numbers (passengers and burn) are awfully compelling to the C-suite.
You have a point about pilots, there is no doubt about this. And yes, for some this will be opportunity and for some it will be the end. It is all about leadership now. There will be winners and losers in this crisis. Those that have good lobbying operation will do good. Congressional delegations are important.
Going back to pilot issue. People do not understand that losing such know-how is ridiculous to make up for. I have been part of the process where pilots in military were lost, and than military had to play catch up. It is grueling process. And that is military, where funds are available and there are no loses. That is why companies cannot just like that get rid of pilots.
Also, this crisis will solve pilot shortages in military. People will think four times before leaving military and no one will be hiring for some time. That means that current pilots are very, very important.
As for Lufthansa, I think A343 are gone. Probably 346 at my disappointment too. Hypothetically, if UAL get's rid of 757 and 767, where that leaves you?
If you're going to reduce your fleet size, vertical cuts (single airplane type) make sense, because you shed the costs of a fleet type; spare parts inventory, training equipment, simulators and training space. Small fleets (low number of airplanes) are the natural choice.
The A-380 had been a break-even airplane for Lufthansa, I'm not certain that 747-8 ever made money and the A-340 is a gas guzzler and has high maintenance costs. Each of those fleets at Lufthansa is small. Those vertical cuts make perfect sense, because small fleets cost more to keep, as the overhead of parts, and training support, is amortized over smaller numbers.
To be honest, I think my beloved 757 and then 767, will be the first airplanes to go should United begin parking airplanes. The oldest, and least fuel efficient. Spare parts for the round dial cockpit have become harder to source. The 767 and 757 are the smallest fleet. Smaller retraining numbers. We had already begun selling some of oldest 757s last year and this year, as the 737 MAX was to take the domestic flying that the 757 was doing. Granted, I'm no MAX fan, but it's the same passenger capacity of the 757 at half (yes, half) the fuel burn.
Those two numbers (passengers and burn) are awfully compelling to the C-suite.
You have a point about pilots, there is no doubt about this. And yes, for some this will be opportunity and for some it will be the end. It is all about leadership now. There will be winners and losers in this crisis. Those that have good lobbying operation will do good. Congressional delegations are important.
Going back to pilot issue. People do not understand that losing such know-how is ridiculous to make up for. I have been part of the process where pilots in military were lost, and than military had to play catch up. It is grueling process. And that is military, where funds are available and there are no loses. That is why companies cannot just like that get rid of pilots.
Also, this crisis will solve pilot shortages in military. People will think four times before leaving military and no one will be hiring for some time. That means that current pilots are very, very important.
As for Lufthansa, I think A343 are gone. Probably 346 at my disappointment too. Hypothetically, if UAL get's rid of 757 and 767, where that leaves you?
