Why Is AA's MD-80 Still In Use?

The jet at the center of American Airlines' flight travails gulps gas and rumbles about in a far noisier fashion than newer models. It first took flight nearly 30 years ago and today is greeted by some passengers as a technology-deprived torture chamber. Yet despite its age and costs, the MD-80 remains a valued and dependable workhorse in airline fleets worldwide--which points to the many nuances in assessing flight safety at a time of heightened concern about aircraft maintenance.

American--which dubs the plane the Super80--is the world's largest operator of the jets, with 300, while Delta Air Lines (DAL) flies 117. In Europe, Alitalia and SAS Scandinavian Airlines are also major operators.

"The MD-80 has been a terrific airplane for American Airlines," Gerard Arpey, chairman and chief executive of American parent AMR (AMR), said at an Apr. 10 news conference to discuss the airline's 2,500 flight cancellations this week. "This [incident] will have no impact on our long-term fleet plans. The bigger issue for the MD-80 will be oil prices."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[willo]

Why do I drive a car that is ten years old?

[Fire]

American Airlines is getting every last drop out of its airplanes because after deregulation no-one ever checks these things now. They still operate turboprops.
Why not buy 300 ERJ 195 LRs and go to sleep?
Stop grounding people.

[loki]

Just think, MD80s, just an extended version of the DC9 , have the same problems as the old DC9s. Want to know a real shocker. A real big problem with those models is also around the rear bathrooms. Between the bundles of wiring that converge there, combined with the different metals at that point, then ad the moisture from water, urine, and so on, and it is the most corrosive spot on those planes and if it gets to bad, the plane could fold at that very spot. Think of that next time you use the bathroom in the rear of the plane. Many of the planes flying today are banded at that spot, or just covered over and ignored. By the way, banding is suppose to be a temporary patch so the plane can be transported to be repaired, but nowadays all the of airlines commonly continue to fly the planes with banded fuselages and major structural parts. If your boarding a plane and you see a big shiny , or freshly painted 6, 8 inch or wider strip with multiple rivets wrapping part of the exterior of the plane. Just remember, that is really suppose to be a band-aid for the trip to the airplane doctor. Not so the plane can continue to play. Travel safe!

[realitytrumpsbull]

Well, maybe if the aircraft manufacturers weren't up against the wall thanks to their in-house unions etc., then they could turn out replacements for the old birds more rapidly and economically, and carriers like American could consider retiring the old fleet....but, next best thing is to make sure their birds are 100% airworthy, so kudos and hats off for making it happen, there. Oil prices? BA already got busted for some kind of price fixing stuff...Richard Branson showed em, though, biofuel jumbo jet...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23321510/

[loki]

I am sure you would prefer if all the planes were made in 3rd world countries by untrained but cheap labor, like is currently used to maintain these aging fleets. Is if right for a CEO to make millions of dollars and the employees who actually do the hard work and make the CEO's rich get low wages and no protection or benefits? It sounds like your a real American Capitalist. Whatever you can reap off the backs of anyone your can profit from. Greed wins no matter who suffers.

[billu]

Let's see "why do they still fly the MD-80?"

They fly well still and they cost more than most neighborhoods. So do the replacements. They are probably all paid off as well.

It's why I'm still driving my 2000 Kia sportage. It's paid off and it works why take on another payment?

[MajorKong]

Exactly. I'm sure the metrics are a bit more complicated than this but basically they weigh the cost of replacing the plane against the cost of keeping it. As a plane ages, it becomes more expensive to keep it flying and spare parts can become scarce. At that point it becomes more cost effective to purchase or lease a new aircraft. They also factor in fuel cost, because the newer aircraft are significantly more efficient.

For example, my company has 727s and Airbus 300s. The newer Airbus will carry twice the payload of the 727 while burning the same amount of fuel.

[RogerHWerner]

Honestly, as awful as the MD 80 may be I see little improvement with the 737. If one is flying for an hour or two, these planes are fine but on a haul of several hours, I would just as soon not fly than fly either of these jets. But then I felt the same way about the DC 10 (I refused to get on one and changed flights to avoid it). I really loved the L1011 Tristar; that was a wonderful jet for midrange flights.

[GerryS]

are u a shill for the L1011??

[MajorKong]

Every pilot I've known who flew the L1011 said it was the greatest plane ever. Unfortunately Lockheed never sold enough of them to break even.

[MajorKong]

I've heard MD-80 pilots refer to the plane as "The Long Beach Sewer Tube".

[marignymitch]

The MD 80 is why I fly so infrequently on AA out of New Orleans. It is the most claustrophobic plane on the ground or in the air. If you like cigar tubes, you love the MD 80.

[GerryS]

The MD-80 is still in use so that the management can justify the huge bonuses that they will all receive from the board of directors, for their most excellent work in bringing the airline out of bankrupcy. Bonuses to be declared after April 15th.

Then the losses because of the 1000's of cancelled flights will be used to grind the AA unions for more concessions, to drive more $ to the bottom line to help bolster stock prices for the stockholders.

Think I'm crazy, just watch! Isn't America grand.

[Ping]

American Airlines never went into bankruptcy.

[loki]

"American Airlines never went into bankruptcy."

I think you are right there. They , like all the airlines benefited from millions of tax payer dollars given to them by Bush after 911. That, and by using their failed management style to bring the unions to their knees and to dispose of the pensions. All the time management profited dearly.

[GerryS]

you are CORRECT- me bad.

here, a post from an employee earlier

triceydicey See Profile I'm a Fan of triceydicey
As a long time employee of AA (23 years), what you are seeing is a part of all of the US airlines' "smoke screen" advertising: Pretending that we are in the business of customer service when in fact we are in the business of just transportation. The hidden message behind the advertising campaign is just FLY AT YOUR OWN RISK. The AA cancellations are a combo of many things: airlines under financial duress; FAA whistle blowers coming forth; Congressional testimony, and something else that is not likely reported upon by the media. That is, the need to set the American Airlines unions up for more concessions as all of the major union contracts are currently up for renegotiation at the same time. This is unprecedented in AA's history and comes on the heels of all of the unions giving $1.7 BILLION dollars in concessions in April 2003 to allegedly "save" the company from bankruptcy. All the while, just like in 2003, the executives are preparing on April 15 2008 to take MILLIONS in dollars in bonuses as directed by the AA corporate Board of Directors three years ago as part of an executive "incentive compensation plan" that is to last until 2010. Continue to keep your seatbelts fastened during this extended fright flight.

Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:35 PM on 04/11/2008