Ryanair offers scathing verdict on 737 Max

Outspoken Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has offered a scathing verdict on Boeing's 737 Max, describing the re-engined narrowbody as a "dog's dinner of a design" that had been drawn "on the back of a fag packet as a response to the [Airbus] Neo".

Although talks "are ongoing" with the airframer about future orders of either the Max or current generation 737-800s, he complained "Boeing can't tell you what the Max looks like or what the fuel saving is".
An additional stumbling block is the carrier's concept for a standing-only area on its flights, raising capacity to 230 passengers from 189 on an all-seated aircraft. This would require the removal of the rear lavatories and final six rows of seats in the 737. "We won't place any new order until they [Boeing] come up with a fix for this issue," said O'Leary.

In the meantime Ryanair has approached an undisclosed aviation regulator with a view to trialling standing-area flights, but has received "no positive response". Ryanair is still considering ordering the Comac C919, added O'Leary, and has a design team working with the Chinese airframer toward a 200-seat variant of the baseline 174-seat aircraft in the 2018-19 timeframe. Airbus was not currently in the running, he said.

Meanwhile, he criticized the UK government's lack of a clear policy towards the aviation sector and said it was damaging the UK's competitiveness. Since Airline Passenger Duty was introduced in 2007, UK passenger numbers have fallen by 20%, said O'Leary.

He called for the government to "stop pandering to the idiot environmentalists and even less sensible Nimbys" and add extra runways at London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted as these airports are already served by existing public transport and road infrastructure. Seeking to construct a new airport in "the estuary of Boris [Johnson's] imagination" with no road or rail links for delivery in 30 years time was, he said "complete and utter bloody lunacy even by Boris's standards".

 Flight Global

Atlanta, at Last! Southwest Airlines Launches Service from Georgia

First Flights Usher in Era of Lower Last-minute Fares, No Change Fees, and Bags Fly Free™ Value for Atlanta Travelers.

The People of Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) today delivered an early Valentine's gift to travelers who have long-awaited the Atlanta arrival of the carrier's legendary low fares and positively outrageous Customer Service.  Continuing the 40-year mission to serve in its communities, Southwest also announced the launch of LUV Grants for Good, making available $150,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations from across the State of Georgia. 

"Our service from Atlanta brings greatly reduced fares with new flexibility and value for both leisure and business Customers," said Gary Kelly, Southwest's Chairman, President, and CEO, at a news conference Monday afternoon in the airport's main terminal. Employees of Southwest Airlines celebrated the milestone in a LUV-themed ceremony featuring congratulations from Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Aviation General Manager Louis Miller, and a cadre of excited Southwest Customers and airport employees.

"Southwest Airlines will significantly expand the tradition of excellent customer service and low fares that we have come to expect from AirTran Airways over the past 15 years," said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. "Hartsfield-Jackson Airport prides itself on serving more than 90 million passengers every year, and Southwest's presence will further assure our airport remains as the busiest passenger airport on the planet."
Following on months of community service performed around Greater Atlanta even prior to the August 2011 announcement of Southwest service, Kelly also announced the launch of an online essay and video contest to award $150,000 in LUV Grants for Good across the State.  The contest is open to 501(c)(3) nonprofits which meet guidelines and rules, available at southwest.com/luvgrants.

The public will have an opportunity to vote and select the winning six organizations from a pool of finalists that produce videos on how they would use money to show love to the communities they serve.  Those finalists will have been selected from essays submitted online and judged by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits and Southwest Airlines. In accepting the gift on behalf of all Georgians, Governor Deal said, "Southwest Airlines has established itself as a first-rate corporate citizen in our State by creating LUV Grants for Good to celebrate their arrival in our community. This program will benefit the people of Georgia, who welcome Southwest, their good works, and the wonderful opportunities they bring to our great State."

Today's initial schedule of 15 flights to five nonstop destinations, with additional same-plane and connecting service to 48 destinations across the country, is just the beginning of a beautiful partnership between the world's busiest airport and the largest airline in the nation, as measured by the U.S. Department of Transportation in terms of originating passengers boarded.  Daily nonstop service between Atlanta and Austin, Baltimore/Washington, Chicago Midway, Denver, and Houston (Hobby), will grow next month with the addition of nonstop service to and from both Las Vegas and Phoenix starting March 10.

 Southwest also will add nonstop service beginning June 10 between Atlanta and Los Angeles and will offer additional nonstop service connecting Atlanta to Louisville, Norfolk/Virginia Beach, and Seattle starting August 12.  All flights are available for sale now at southwest.com.

Read more at  Southwest Media 

Boeing, Lion Air Finalize Historic Order for up to 380 737s - Feb 14, 2012

SINGAPORE, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Jakarta-based Lion Air today finalized a firm order for 201 737 MAXs and 29 Next-Generation 737-900ERs (extended range). The agreement, first announced last November in Indonesia, also includes purchase rights for an additional 150 airplanes.

 "The 737 MAX is the best choice for Lion Air and the best airplane to serve our passengers," said Rusdi Kirana, Lion Air Founder and President Director. "We're excited to be the first airline in Asia to fly the 737 MAX and to be the global launch customer of the 737 MAX 9." With orders for 230 airplanes valued at $22.4 billion at list prices, this deal is the largest commercial airplane order ever in Boeing's history by both dollar value and total number of airplanes.

 Lion Air will also acquire purchase rights for an additional 150 airplanes. "Lion Air has been a leader in Indonesia from the very beginning," said Dinesh Keskar, vice president of Asia-Pacific and India Sales for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Today more people are flying in Asia at lower fares because of the 737 and this historic 737 MAX order will help connect more people in the future.

" The 737 MAX is a new engine variant of the world's best selling airplane and builds on the strengths of today's Next-Generation 737. The 737 MAX incorporates the latest-technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. Airlines operating the 737 MAX will see a 10-12 percent fuel burn improvement over today's most fuel efficient single-aisle airplanes and a 7 percent operating cost per seat advantage over tomorrow's competition.

To date, the 737 MAX has orders and commitments for more than 1,000 airplanes from 15 customers and the Next-Generation 737 family has won orders for more than 6,600 airplanes. Lion Air, Indonesia's largest private airline, currently operates or has on order a total of 178 Next-Generation 737s.

- Airline orders 201 737 MAXs and 29 Next-Generation 737-900ERs worth $22.4 billion 
- Largest ever commercial airplane order for Boeing 
- Lion Air is launch customer for 737 MAX 9

Boeing