When considering a big-ticket purchase, many of us end up asking the same old questions. “Should I repair what I have now or buy a new one?”
American Airlines is currently struggling with just that decision — even though the stakes are far greater than a home improvement project or a new car.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline is considering what to do with its long-haul flagship Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, CEO Robert Isom said at a recent industry event.
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American Airlines has 47 777-200s, more than any other widebody in its fleet.
This jet plane flies around the world, serving passengers on the plane. Airline new routes From New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND). This accounts for a large portion of America’s transatlantic flights, as you can see in the July 2024 map below from Cirium.
Facilities are not bad. It features 37 lie-flat business class pods and 24 premium economy seats.
But American Airlines’ 273-seat 777 is not young either. With an average age of just under 24 years old, the jet’s history dates back to the early days of Boeing’s 777 program.
Let’s change our perspective a little here. Commercial aircraft can fly for decades, so it’s unlikely that American Airlines’ 777-200ER will ever see its way into the twilight. But to extend their lifespan in the long run, they may need a little tender loving care on board.
And just as car owners ponder how much they are willing to spend on maintenance once they hit, say, 90,000 miles, American Airlines is currently I’m contemplating how I want to approach the future of .
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Speaking at the Skift Aviation Forum in Dallas on Nov. 12, Isom acknowledged that “the 777-200 is something we’re talking about right now.”
The future of long-haul routes
One reason the 777-200’s fate emerges is that all of American Airlines’ other long-range jets have a clear path forward.
Cirium says its 20 large 777-300ER aircraft are newer, with an average age of just under 11 years old. These planes will be heading to stores starting in 2025 for a complete interior makeover, including ditching the Flagship First cabin in favor of American Airlines’ all-new Flagship Business Suite.
The jets are “in very good condition,” Isom said.
American Airlines’ new, more upscale Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner — which will soon join its fleet — also includes Suite with privacy door (Narrow body allows for transatlantic crossings Airbus A321XLR expected to join the fleet in 2025).
Sure, American Airlines’ existing Dreamliner fleet doesn’t have a new suite concept, but it’s also much younger than the 777-200s it used for most of this century.
On a recent flight from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR), I found the current Dreamliner business class product to be more than adequate.
A look into Isom’s dilemma with the oldest long-haul 777-200 aircraft.
“Is that an aircraft that we’re going to invest in and retrofit and upgrade?” he posed while speaking in Dallas. Or are you considering possible future replacements?
Among other factors for American Airlines to consider, its 777-200 has two different business class configurations. Some aircraft feature the new reverse herringbone Super Diamond pod, while others fly with the less popular Concept D seats, which alternate between forward-facing and rear-facing configurations. If airlines choose to refurbish their aircraft interiors, they may consider harmonizing (and modernizing) their jet business class products.
Those factors will certainly factor into the final decision.
detail: Inside American Airlines Tulsa aircraft maintenance facility
The rest of the fleet is young.
In many ways, American Airlines could argue that only one twin-aisle aircraft actually faces this type of dilemma.
American Airlines has not enjoyed the same benefits as its top U.S. competitors in recent years, but it does have a younger fleet of aircraft than Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have large backlogs of long-range jets on order, and long-range jetliners such as the Boeing 767, which is older than American Airlines’ 777-200, are in both airlines’ fleets. continues to operate.
Additionally, as mentioned above, American Airlines isn’t done procuring new planes.
In addition to hundreds of single-aisle jets, including 50 new XLRs, the airline has a backlog of 30 new Dreamliners over the next few years. This includes the new premium-heavy 787-9 (known as the “787-9P”), which will debut in the near future.
“We like what we have. We’ve got a lot of momentum coming in with the 787-9 over the next few years, so that really allows us to expand and serve the market the way our customers want. “It’s going to be like that,” Isom said. .
What happens next?
One might wonder what could be done to replace American Airlines’ 40 or so 777-200s — that is, if the airline decided it wasn’t worth growing up the planes.
Isom said the company has high expectations for existing and future Dreamliners over the next 10 years.
But he acknowledged: “Of course we are in discussions with Airbus as needed.”
Although American Airlines’ wide-body plans are betting solely on Boeing’s Dreamliner, the airline has hundreds of narrow-body A320 family jets, and the company’s ties to the French plane maker have been cited. It is no exaggeration to say so.
It’s worth noting that Boeing is also currently producing a new generation of 777X jets. However, the 777X has suffered a series of delays, and to date no U.S. airline has ordered the aircraft.
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