DTownBrian

For those who didn't see this in today's USA Today...

Dear Northwest...Please retire the DC9...before 2015!

http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztra...-04-fleets.htm

http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztra...old-planes.htm

SMessier

From USA Today article:

Funny how NW ranks near the top for on-time flight records, and has done so for some time already.

travelnick

Don't you find it pretty interesting that this article comes out the day after the DC-9 accident at MSP. I wonder if it had anything to do with the accident or not, since it didn't even mention the accident.

God, I hope they retire them way before 2015 DTownBrian. I remember flying Republic Airlines way back when, when they had DC-9's before NW gobbled them up. Boy, that was a long time ago. I wonder if I'm still flying in any of those planes when I take a DC-9, which is not my first choice of aircraft.

DTownBrian

I'm in my late twenties...and some (most) of the DC9s I fly are older than me. Wouldn't it be nice to have modern amenities on a plane...power ports, IFE (at least music)...I know they have a great safety record but there is a reason that every other North American airline has gotten rid of them. Air Canada donated their last one to the Canadian equivalent to the Smithsonian. And yes 2012-2015 is the scheduled retirement window for the DC9. I'll find the quote from Richard Halea and post it here later.

the wide chair

The DC9's have the second best disptach reliability in the NW fleet (second to the A319).
The DC9's have been approved by the FAA for 100,000 cycles(a cycle is one take-off and one landing), so they won't be going anywhere soon. Also, NW owns these planes, meaning a huge finacial advantage.
Lastly, and most importantly, NW has a very good safety record, its mechanics are very familiar with the DC9's and NW is recognized throughout the world for its DC9 maintenance program.

duxfan

I don't think it's very fair to compare AC's decision to retire their 9's with NW. When AC was privatized, they were given one last big cashinfusion by the Canadian taxpayer. AC used the money to by new airplanes, and resulted in a big investigation of the Mulroney administration over how the bid was handled.

NW, as a private company, has decided to invest time and money into their fleet of 9's, in order to keep competetive.

I fail to see the problem that you all have with the 9's. No IFE or power ports? Big deal. The majority of the flights on the 9's are shorter than the lifespan of your laptop battery.

NW has chosen to rebuild the 9's because it's more cost effective than buying new aircraft. Rebuild, as in, take apart and reassemble. This isn't like the half-a** restoration your Uncle Bob did on his Chevelle!

Remember that in most markets served by NW that the only thing stopping you from riding on an RJ (in Y, most likely) is the good old DC9. Look what CO did in markets where the 9 flew! Same with US!

I love the 9!

d56auction

I don't mind the 9's. Amenities on most domestic flights don't amount to much anyway, but is it me, or do 9's have a unique smell? An aroma somewhere between lockerroom and mildew and cheese cart.

I always feel they could do with a good "airing out."

bikenski

I was just reading the article and noticed an interesting quote: "He (Mickey Foret) says all of Northwest's DC-10s and 727s will be gone by the end of 2002 and 2003, respectively, because they aren't fuel efficient and are relatively costly to operate, as they require three people to fly."

ALL of the DC-10s gone by the end of 2002?? I knew the DC10-40s were going away soon, but I was under the impression that the -30s were going to be around for a while. Is the article mistaken or have they accelerated the retirement plans?

[This message has been edited by bikenski (edited 06-04-2002).]

azj

Here we go again with the brilliant media and the aviation industry. Funny, how nowehere in the article did it mention NW taking delivery of 62 BRAND NEW planes this year. The article also doesn't mention that the first 75 DC9s that arrive near their useful life will be replaced with the 319/320. People are entitled to their opinions, but NW has the highest load factor in the industy and will laugh all the way to the bank soon. Obviously people aren't afraid to fly NW. The proof is in the numbers. Funny too how people are correlating the great ontime performance of UA etc... witht he new planes. They just have so many less flights it's a smoother operation. Only the -40s will be gonef rom service by the end of the summer. IF they grounded all the DC10s what would serve Europe or Hawaii? Think about it.

New planes are only as good as the mechanics and the pilots. IF they aren't great, the newest plane will be less reliable than the oldest plane in the industry.


AZJ

[This message has been edited by azj (edited 06-04-2002).]

doc

---

Perhaps so, but in data released yesterday, NWA ranked 8th in on time arrivals at 80.6% for April, as noted in the Wall Street Journal, page D4 today!

FWIW, this has come up on FT many times before. Please see:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum35/HTML/000876.html

among others!

Yes, I know, it's a very comfortable aircraft to fly!

-Mark

the wide chair

[QUOTE]Originally posted by doc:
[B] ---

Perhaps so, but in data released yesterday, NWA ranked 8th in on time arrivals at 80.6% for April, as noted in the Wall Street Journal, page D4 today!

let's check the last decade and see how NW did with its ontime performance. they are consistently near the top. is 8th something to brag about ? absolutely not.
would 80.6 % been at or near the top a year or so ago ? I dare say yes.
let's give it 3-6 months and see if NW's ontime performance is still near the bottom.

Soonerman

Sorry about the smell. I'll try and remember not to take my boots off on my next flight.

Seriously, I drive a car that's older than the NW DC9s, so I certainly have no problem flying older aircraft that have qualified mechanics servicing them every day.

Besides, after you hit 40, older cars, older planes and oldies music all remind one of their younger days. Maybe NW could use the older fleet to target over 40 flyers. Paint the interiors tie dye, play 60's rock and dress the FAs up in the old Braniff style hotpants etc... then on time arrival stats would be a moot point.

SMessier

For the 12 months ending April 2002:

NW 79.2% (4)

From 09-1987 to 04-2002:

NW 79.7% (2) [Only WN did better]

[This message has been edited by SMessier (edited 06-05-2002).]

TransWorldOne

After reading your post I thought I had missed news of a NW crash. It was a collapse of the right main landing gear. I don't think an article like that would be sparked my such a relatively minor incident, but mass media never ceases to surprise me.

duxfan

Only problem I see is that the FA's most likely to be wearing the hotpants will be over 40 as well! No thanks....