Over the next 21 months, Alaska plans to retire all of its Airbus A320 family and Bombardier Q400 planes, leaving the Embraer 175 as the airline’s regional jet and the Boeing 737 as its mainline workhorse.
Committing to just two aircraft types will allow “operational simplicity, flexibility and scalability, better fuel efficiency, and reduced maintenance costs,” according to the carrier.
“We’re well-positioned to continue that trend, leveraging loyalty, alliances, network growth, and our brand to unlock significant value and deliver $400 million of incremental revenue as part of our 2025 strategic plan,” Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci said in a press release. “Accelerating our transition to single fleets while upgauging for growth is also a key part of that strategy.”
Alaska bought 60 A320 family planes when it merged with Virgin America in 2016, but the airline has subsequently decommissioned all of its A319s due to the epidemic, according to ch-aviation. In the merger, it also received an order for 30 A321neo planes, which it canceled in late 2021.
While Alaska canceled the Airbus purchase and plans to retire almost 80 planes, the airline expects its fleet to increase to about 400 planes by the middle of the decade. Alaska Airlines has placed an order for 145 Boeing 737 MAX planes.
Meanwhile, according to Reuters, the airline placed an order for 17 Embraer 175 jets in May 2021, which will be operated by subsidiary Horizon Air and partner SkyWest Airlines.
Alaska’s move, according to Henry Harteveldt, travel expert and head of Atmosphere Research Group, was predicted due to cost savings.
“There is a benefit to simplifying a fleet in many ways, from pilot and flight attendant training to maintenance costs,” Harteveldt explained. “There are thousands of parts you have to stock for routine day-to-day maintenance repair, as well as more comprehensive maintenance checks, but Alaska simplifying to the 737 will make it a much more cost-efficient airline.”
Harteveldt told Insider that the retirement of the Q400 did surprise him, saying it’s an “excellent turboprop plane.” However, he believes it is likely that Alaska did not need enough of the small aircraft to justify the high pilot and maintenance costs needed to keep it in the fleet.
Furthermore, he added that while the Embraer 175 may not be economical on some routes, the cost savings of flying a single small aircraft rather than two is worth the loss.
According to Harteveldt, Alaska’s commitment to Boeing comes down to its history of operating the 737 and the number of the type in its fleet compared to Airbus, particularly since the carrier has adorned “Proudly All Boeing” on the nose of its 150-plus 737 planes.
“When you already have a sizeable majority of aircraft made by one company and you’re looking to simplify, the decision is a fairly obvious one,” he explained.
