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Virgin Australia delays Boeing 737 MAX order, adds more MAX 10s

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Notso Swift

Notso Swift

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Notso Swift

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 06 Oct 2016

Total posts 32

While no doubt this was financially driven, it absolutely makes sense PR wise as well. Even if the 737 Max is back flying by November, the public will still associate it with poor safety for some time. The media will call out that Virgin is flying them, and the average punter may well associate all Virgin 737s with being unsafe because of it.

Indeed, I have had friends talk about the "risk" of flying on a 737 and I explained to them there are no Max's (Maxes?) flying in AU and they on the same bus that does 90% of flights in AU, which is still the old 737 that has never crashed in this country

Albinoni1967

Albinoni1967

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Albinoni1967

Member since 01 Nov 2018

Total posts 4

Interesting news but not overly surprising. Wonder what other changes we will see in the near future now Scurrah is on board. I do hope we still see something special on the MAX10's for Perth.

I wonder what this means for Tiger and their transition to 737's instead of A320's. From memory Tiger were supposed to get hand me down's from Virgin as Virgin added new aircraft. This would seem to indicate a stalled transition for a few years for Tiger which isn't ideal for a LCC having a mixed fleet.


Give me a A320 or A320 Neo over a 737 any day.

Albinoni1967

Albinoni1967

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Albinoni1967

Member since 01 Nov 2018

Total posts 4

So will Virgin still keep their Airbus A330's which I think are a nice plane, probably the best fleet they've got.

14AspenDrive

14AspenDrive

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14AspenDrive

Member since 19 Jan 2018

Total posts 5

Virgin will never take delivery of a Max 8...ever. By converting the Max 8 orders to Max 10, they are letting down Boeing gently. Scurrah will move to Airbus A321 neo and LR within 12 months. The words MAX anything are poison just like DC anything was in the 80’s. Trump was right...again...Boeing will add a few extra trinkets then put lipstick on the pig and call it the 737 888...999.

DanV

DanV

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DanV

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 04 Nov 2017

Total posts 96

So will Virgin still keep their Airbus A330's which I think are a nice plane, probably the best fleet they've got.

A330s will still be required for SYD/MEL-PER Transcons and HKG flying in the short term.


Depending on HNA's (and subsidiary HK Airlines (HX)) financial situation, the x2 A330s currently on SYD/MEL-HKG may be moved elsewhere within 12-24 months (e.g likely to be back to East Coast-Perth TransCons or potentially Japan in a NH JV) should HX go from bankruptcy protection to liquidation. (Therefore dissolving the VA/HX HKG JV).

Ian_from_HKG

Ian_from_HKG

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Ian_from_HKG

CX

Member since 05 Jun 2012

Total posts 61

I’m told as that as the Max has only 2 engines that it’s top heavy and makes the airplane dip upon take off. This can be managed with assistance. Unfortunately, the upgrade of training costs millions of dollars and it may be that the poorer countries haven’t bought in.

I don't really understand your point; every 737 since the 737-100 in the '60s has only had 2 engines. The issue with the MAX appears to be that due to the size of the engine intake the engine was moved further forward of the wing altering the centre of gravity of the plane as well as creating a source of lift independent from the wing surfaces. Due to an issue with MCAS and the deletion of software that advised on conflicting AoA readings, the plane could, in some circumstances, be difficult and even deadly to handle. At this stage, it is believed the revised software will overcome these issues.

The other issue is that there are still only two AoA sensors on a 737, so if one fails (as does seem to happen), which one does the software trust? Airbuses have three AoA sensors - as it is unlikely two will fail at the same moment and give the same false reading, having the software rely on the two that agree seems an inherently safer approach to me (but then I am not an aeronautical engineer!)

declanr

declanr

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declanr

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 26 Nov 2017

Total posts 17

Some people just enjoy knocking VA at any opportunity. This decision to delay the Max 8 until 2025 and ramping up the Max 10 is a smart move. They are not alone in having Max 8's on order and are dealing with the issue in the right way. I don't see what else they could have done for a better result. Also, I don't get the issue with the current VA 737 on domestic short haul. Little difference in seat width with compared with alternatives for short haul domestic, and we know their domestic performance is doing OK.

I honestly think some people need to realise just how good we have it over here when it comes to domestic air travel standards. I flew Ryannair a few months ago and am grateful to still be alive! Reminded me of flying Dan Air as a child - we used to call it Dan Dare!

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