Bombardier launches C series

[Anthony]

QUOTE (victor_alpha_charlie @ Jul 15 2008, 09:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's why ANZ have near-new A320s though.

So it is why they have near-new A320s, but in the interests of fleet commonality Air NZ would surely be interested in replacing them with 737s.
If the 737 is replaced with something that isn't a 737 then the A320 is likely to stay a lot longer, but if the 733s are replaced with 73Gs and 738s then I think it's quite likely that the A320 could find itself out of Air NZ's fleet.
The A320 doesn't fit with anything else in Air NZ's fleet and I don't think it's likely that Air NZ will be looking to get much else from Airbus or more A320s. Though the A320s are a very popular aircraft and there would be tons of people willing to take the A320s.

It would be ideal if Air NZ could keep their interests open and not have such an agreement with Boeing, but think about it.
The agreement likely offered short term gains in price, without too much long-term damage - Boeing's stuff fits Air NZ better than the Airbus offerings and Air NZ is already sealed up with the 777 and 787, not the A340 and A350.
There isn't anything fantastic for Air NZ on offer from Airbus, hence any agreement with Boeing that results in a lower price on aircraft or other benefits was good for the airline.

[Naki]

QUOTE

That's why ANZ have near-new A320s though.[/quote]

Good point
Are they about 4-5 years old?
I'm meaning in say 6-7 years getting them replaced.
Anyway at the moment it isn't very easy to get a new 737 NG any time soon.
Airlines have heaps on order.

[Anthony]

C-Series won't be EIS'ed any time soon anyway, and the 737 NGs are pretty popular.
I don't think the A320s won't be going anywhere soon, as they fill a fairly unique niche that can't be filled by anything else for a while. Sure you could use the 733s on some A320 routes, but the 733s are quite a bit older looking especially on the inside, don't have IFE, etc.
In the future, I'm just not sure about the A320's place in NZ's fleet.

[Naki]

I have heard that announcement of the ATR replacement has been delayed to late September - I also note that Bombardier are also due to make an anouncement in late September on launch orders for the C Class (I thought it was already launched but appears not) - I wonder if the delay has to do with waiting for the C Series launch and tacking a few C Series orders (to replace 7373) onto a Q400 order - get in early and get good prices like they did with the 787 - anyway just speculation.

Then again they may get ATR-72-600s.............