In what may end up being the biggest aircraft order of 2009, United Airlines appears close to purchasing a massive number of widebody aircraft by the end of the year from Boeing and/or Airbus to replace the airline’s aging 747, 777, 767 and 757 fleets.
I’ve put together a graphic that lays out all of United’s options (PDF) for
fleet renewal that shows the existing fleet and potential replacements
from both Boeing and Airbus.
There are many options that United could exercise for its fleet renewal, choosing to buy exclusively from either manufacturer, or creating a mixed fleet. Flightglobal’s ACAS database shows United operates 25 747-400s, 34
767-300ERs, 19 777-200s and 33 777-200ERs. The carrier also operates 94
757-200s. Each aircraft has a range of options that that could feasibly be replaced by each manufacturer. What follows is a general comparison of models and the airline’s options for renewal.
757-200 – United’s narrowbody workhorse seats 182 (3-class) or 110 (United ps.) and could be replaced by the A321 or 737-900ER for hub-to-hub or coast-to-coast operations.
767-300ER – The 787-8 or A330-200 would fit for United in this 183 and 244-seat category for trans-Atlantic, Trans-Pacific and Latin America operations. The A330-200 could offer an interim solution before the larger A350-800 is available, but it fits in a category closer to United’s 777 rather than the 767.
777-200ER – The stretch 787-9 and A350-800 or even larger A350-900 would be ideal replacements for long-haul trans-Pacific 253 and 258-seat 777-200ER operations. Even the 777-200LR could fit for ultra-long haul operations opening up new markets from the airline’s US bases. United is also keen to continue to compete on the US-Australia routes against Delta (777-200LR) and V Australia (777-300ER).
777-200 – As the launch customer for the type back in 1995, United’s early non-ER 777s have a range of just over 5,200 nm for 348-seat Hawaii flights and 258-seat trans-Atlantic flights. The 787-3 or A330-300 may fit on these routes designed for high density operations of 5-6 hours or less.
747-400 – As the largest aircraft in United’s fleet, the 747-400 could be replaced by four potential aircraft. The twin-engined 777-300ER and A350-1000 are the closest in seat count to the existing 374-seat 747-400. However, the larger 747-8 or A380 would offer significant growth for the airline flying high-capacity long haul routes between large cities.
United appears to be leaning away from the A380 and 747-8 and 777, potentially opting for a mix of 787s or A350s. In addition, a report by Leeham.net says that United is concerned the 787 won’t be able to perform the missions the airline is looking for. The report also indicates that any A321 purchase would come
with winglets to put them in line with the 757 in terms of
performance.
This post was originally published to the internet between 2007 and 2012. Links, images, and embedded media from that era may no longer function as intended.
This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.