Think Big ..etihads Farnboro Order

[TBWG]

Hi

Now you know where all your petrol dollars are going! Etihad airways announced an order for 100 odd planes at the Farnborough airshow cost US$43 billion. see ....http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article4333177.ece

This is in addition to the recent Emirates and Qatar airways orders.

Not only do the middle eastern operators have all the oil they will now have the most modern fuel efficient fleets on the planet the rest of the worlds operators should be very afraid.

Would you rather fly on new aircraft or with British aws average fleet age 11.4 years, or American als 14.7 years average fleet age. The boot is on the other foot these days

TBWG

[tw25rw]

I'd rather fly an old plane non-stop than a new plane and have to stop in the Middle East!

[onzestan]

I'd rather fly an old plane non-stop than a new plane and have to stop in the Middle East!

Well contrary to you, I don't mind a stopover as long as its not more than 2 to 3 hours.

Furthermore please bear in mind that older airplanes are a lot thirstier than the new ones, as far as fuel consumption is concerned. Typically it's the airlines that still use the 747's that face difficulties.

cheers

onzestan

[Goshawk]

I don't mind a stopover as long as its not more than 2 to 3 hours.

i first flew with Etihad not long after they started operating and the stopover LHR - BKK was an unbelievable 13hrs..

was put up in a very swanky hotel in Al Ain, just outside Abu..

thankfully now its down to 2 or 3hr and they are my preferred carrier bar none..

[THAIPHUKET]

Perfect flat beds in business class, as long as you are not too broad in the shoulders / and or too heavy. Really cozy to fly with a partner, like having your own cabin.

The sitting position is a bit unusual like sitting on a chair with a free foot rest. But it seduces you to keep playing with the "electric chair" which keeps you moving. It has actually built in massage vibrators.

[tolsti]

Super airline... forward thinking and modern. Their business class is a treat and has just got better on longhaul (it seems AUH -BKK) is not longhaul though.)

Etihad every time for me.

[lomatopo]

Good news for Boeing, Airbus, RR and GE.

Having the hottest fleet is just one part of success; you also need routes, access to which is limited by treaty, agreement, availability, etc.

Fares, given the dismal global economy, are already becoming the limiting factor for both business and leisure travelers. But mybe not a bad time to invest, expand; some savvy investors say to jump in when things look their worst, especially when you have tons of USD and potentially low-cost fuel.

Edited July 17, 2008 by lomatopo

[tw25rw]

Some of those planes aren't actually new orders, they just kept it secret who had placed the existing orders so they could make their grand announcement at Farnborough..

[tolsti]

Some of those planes aren't actually new orders, they just kept it secret who had placed the existing orders so they could make their grand announcement at Farnborough..

As you seem to be '' in the know''.. when exactly were these alleged new orders placed then?

[tw25rw]

Some of those planes aren't actually new orders, they just kept it secret who had placed the existing orders so they could make their grand announcement at Farnborough..

As you seem to be '' in the know''.. when exactly were these alleged new orders placed then?

I'll have to dig around (I get this stuff from airliners.net btw, I'm not really "in the know" as in an insider), but I know they "only" placed orders for 55 planes during Farnborough. The rest were on order to an undisclosed buyer.

Edited July 17, 2008 by tw25rw

[tolsti]

Some of those planes aren't actually new orders, they just kept it secret who had placed the existing orders so they could make their grand announcement at Farnborough..

As you seem to be '' in the know''.. when exactly were these alleged new orders placed then?

I'll have to dig around (I get this stuff from airliners.net btw, I'm not really "in the know" as in an insider), but I know they "only" placed orders for 55 planes during Farnborough. The rest were on order to an undisclosed buyer.

Thats interesting stuff. I realise that airlines are often ''economical with the truth'' regarding their orders for allegedly commercial reasons.

However these guys seem to thing differently.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/f...rbus-order.aspx

If you count the aircraft that they took options on and those they took rights on it makes 205 aircraft!!

Very brave and very scary at the same time eh??

I must admit it is confusing sometimes to distinguish between orders and options and rights but at the end of the day it'll all come out and those with the oil will always have a head start.

[NotNew2You]

All the new planes are great if you are going LOS-Europe. Not much use if going the other way...LOS-North America