Airline Business received 22 responses from our narrowbody survey. Here are the complete unedited responses from five airlines from five different continents:
AirAsia (Asia)
Q: When would your carrier want to put a new-generation narrowbody into service?
A: We are expecting the new narrow body aircraft to be introduced in 2013 and it would be ideal for us to put the new-generation aircraft into service by then.
Q: How much better should it be compared to the current generation of narrowbodies (ie efficiency gains)?
A: For a start, it should be much more fuel-efficient than the current generation as AirAsia is a low cost airline. Naturally, keeping the cost down is our main objective. Maintenance cost should also be relatively lower than current one.
Q: How much should it cost in relation to the current generation of A320s/737s? (How much of a premium would you expect to pay, or should it be the same price?)
A: It should be the same price or even lower.
Q: In your view, what is holding manufacturers back in launching new generation narrowbodies?
A: The market for the current narrow body is maturing and the aircrafts are serving the airlines’ needs well, hence the manufacturers are not in the rush to launch new generation aircrafts. Another point to note is that new engines are still in the development stage. As and when the new engine is introduced, the launch of the new generation narrow bodies will fall into place.
Delta Air Lines (North America)
Q: When would your carrier want to put a new-generation narrowbody into service?
A: Delta has two large narrowbody fleets (MD88 and 757) that will likely require replacement beginning early next decade. Therefore, Delta would probably put a new generation narrowbody into service as soon as it was available.
Q: How much better should it be compared to the current generation of narrowbodies (ie efficiency gains)?
A: Probably 5-10% lowering aircraft operating cost, primarily through fuel burn and maintenance cost efficiency improvements.
Q: How much should it cost in relation to the current generation of A320s/737s? (How much of a premium would you expect to pay, or should it be the same price?)
A: It should cost about that same as the current generation of narrowbodies, passing along to airline customers the engineering and production efficiencies that aircraft manufacturers have been achieving.
Q: In your view what is holding manufacturers back in launching new generation narrowbodies
A: A combination of (a) strong order books for current models, and (b) engineering resources committed to wide-body programs already well underway.
Easyjet (Europe)
Q: When would your carrier want to put a new-generation narrowbody into service?
A: 2015, as this gives enough lead-time for new architectures and technologies to be validated prior to a program launch ~2010.
Q: How much better should it be compared to the current generation of narrowbodies (ie efficiency gains)?
A: The challenge the airline industry faces if it wants to continue growing is to manage emissions. Thus the next generation of narrowbody aircraft must offer significant emissions savings(= fuel) – one must question the validity of the multi-billion dollar investment the next generation of narrowbody will require for anything less than a 1/3 fuel saving (per passenger km).
Q: How much should it cost in relation to the current generation of A320s/737s? (How much of a premium would you expect to pay, or should it be the same price?)
A: In most industries newer technology actually costs less, not more (just think how much PCs would cost if their price increased with every performance increase). easyJet has yet to be convinced why commercial aircraft should be any different.
Q: In your view what is holding manufacturers back in launching new generation narrowbodies?
A: Work is needed to research and validate the new architectures and technologies that will deliver a step change in environmental performance, which requires engineering capacity in the next 3 years. The manufacturers will also need to do significant work to ensure these technologies can be industrialised to meet the monthly production rates that will be demanded of new generation narrowbody aircraft.
Kenya Airways (Africa)
Q: When would your carrier want to put a new-generation narrowbody into service?
A: In the next 2-3 years.
Q: How much better should it be compared to the current generation of narrowbodies (ie efficiency gains)?
A: Should be a replica or better than the coming 787s, efficient fuel consumption, low maintenance cost, less maintenance ground times/intervals, better cabin appearance/comfort, less corrosion, better navigation equipment, bigger cargo capacity etc.
Q: How much should it cost in relation to the current generation of A320s/737s? (How much of a premium would you expect to pay, or should it be the same price?)
A: Less than the 787 family/Slightly higher than the current 73G.
Q: In your view what is holding manufacturers back in launching new generation narrowbodies?
A: Demand is currently on the wide body but also have not managed to strike a balance between pax demand and cargo demand especially in Africa-Mid/Far East routes.
Mexicana (Latin America)
Q: When would your carrier want to put a new-generation narrowbody into service?
A: If amount of savings register or commit to a double digit figure, we would like to introduce this new generation aircraft as soon as possible. In any case one must bear in mind that demand for such aircraft will be the highest in the history. Replacing 6,000+ aircraft plus incremental demand of it will be a great challenge for both aircraft manufacturers.
Q: How much better should it be compared to the current generation of narrowbodies (ie efficiency gains)?
A: At least I would expect a 12-15% lower at DOC's level.
Q: How much should it cost in relation to the current generation of A320s/737s? (How much of a premium would you expect to pay, or should it be the same price?)
A: When equating the DOC's fuel, maintenance, navigation and ground handling cost savings should not be offset by ownership and insurance costs.
Q: In your view what is holding manufacturers back in launching new generation narrowbodies?
A: I guess manufacturers are reluctant to stop production of an aircraft that has been fully amortized and which demand is at its historical peek. They need the cash to fund other programs. Each of them has its own motive and incentives to pursue this program at a later stage. P&W is probably the only entity in a position to push for the new single aisle aircraft, wishing to be considered as an alternative of the existing ones.
Source: Airline Business
