North America's Widebody Imbalance

American Airlines has 126 widebody aircraft in service, with another 30 on order. The combination of 777 and 787 aircraft and the 30 787-9 aircraft on order will result in a widebody fleet of just over 41,000 seats.

41,000 is a significant number, yet 20% smaller than Delta Air Line’s planned widebody fleet with 48,000 seats.

But between its in-service fleet and the large 787 order book, United Airlines will have almost 86,000 widebody seats, more than double American’s plans and nearly as much as American and Delta combined. (And we’re not even counting the 45 A350 aircraft United may or may not take delivery of toward the back half of the decade, representing another 15,000 seats.)

In addition to a robust backlog of widebodies, United also sports some fairly old twin-aisle equipment. Still operating a large fleet of aging 767-300 and 777-200 (note the lack of the “ER” designator following -200), United has room to park old metal if needed. Many of those 787 aircraft arriving will ultimately replace the aging fleet for United.

Widebodies are precious for a North American sector leading into the international rebound, which makes this news all the more painful. American has had one of its 787-8 aircraft removed from service due to a little main passenger door problem. That problem? It’s not there.

A malfunctioning jetbridge lowered while the aircraft did not. The open door in between wasn’t enough to hold up the jetbridge, ripping it from its mounts and placing it gently on the tarmac. The result is a sorely-needed 787-8 stuck in Dublin.

But wait, that’s not all! Another North American widebody was taken out of service this last week. Air Canada had a 777-300ER take fire damage on the aft fuselage from a ground service truck that caught fire. The fire was extinguished, but extensive heat damage appears to have been located on structural components requiring more than skin repair.

There appear to have been no injuries in either incident, but as of this week, North America is without two widebodies for the foreseeable future.

A chat with Steve Mason, Managing Director and Head of Aviation, ITE Management

In which direction is the smart money in aviation pointed?

Time on Wing podcast is back with Steve Mason, Managing Director and Head of Aviation at ITE Management. We talk aircraft investing and financing, as well as the future of aircraft programs. Steve knows his stuff. Full stop.

A few behind-the-scenes tidbits on this podcast: First, in addition to his already-long CV, Steve can now also list “Namer of Podcasts.” The Time on Wing podcast owes its name to the one and only, Steve Mason. You can reply to this email offering congratulations for such an obviously-stellar podcast title. If you don’t like the name, email Steve.

Second, Gueric (not pictured) is in this podcast. We had an issue with a certain anonymous podcast editor where Gueric (not pictured) was recorded remotely only and without video. For this reason, Gueric’s (not pictured) audio has a few challenges through the intro; however, for the remainder of the podcast, the audio is clear, and you can clearly hear Gueric (not pictured).

Push through the early audio challenges because it gets better and this one is worth the listen.

You can listen on Spotify or through the Time on Wing Podcast website. The podcast is also available through your favorite podcast app. Enjoy the thoughtful conversation of Steve, Courtney, and Gueric (not pictured).

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