Reuters reported the other day that aircraft manufacturer Boeing is weighing options for replacing the best-selling 737. Seating on the 737 is anywhere from 110 to 220 seats and is the most popular commercial plane ever. More than 5000 have been produced in the last forty years.
Boeing is studying how to meet expectations for the short and medium haul markets. With the increased interest in regional jets, such as the 100 seater Embraer 190, and the slightly smaller 70-80 seat 170, both of which are much more popular among travellers than the smaller CRJ-100 and Embraer 135 and 145 40-50 seater aircraft for their less cramped interiors.
Boeing’s closest success in the preferred regional jet sized market of 70-110 seater aircraft was the 717. The 717 was originally designed by McDonnell-Douglas as the MD-95. The first customer for it was Valujet in 1995, who ordered 50 with options for 50 more. Valujet changed its name to Airtran after its infamous disaster in the Everglades. When Boeing took over McDonnell-Douglas in 96, it dropped the entire product line except for the MD-95, rebranded as the 717. 156 717s were made, and despite a high safety record, and the highest dispatch reliability of any mass produced aircraft, Boeing discontinued it. Its biggest problem for all its strengths was its lack of commonality with any other Boeing Aircraft, being designed by McDonnell-Douglas. It was not even comparable to other MD aircraft, like the MD80/88 and the DC9. Thus crews had to be specially trained to operate it as it was very different from other aircraft in the series.
Boeing is studying whether it should replace the 737 with another single-aisle aircraft of similar size as well as studying the 80, 90 and 100 seater markets currently dominated by Embraer and Bombardier to see if it makes sense to venture into those markets. Boeing’s efforts of late have been in increasing the fuel efficiencies in upgrades of its existing designs as well as its new 787 Dreamliner, set to enter service in two years. The 787s will seat between 210 and 330 passengers, and is thus not destined for many short and medium haul markets.
Currently, the 737 competes with rival planemaker Airbus’s 320 series of aircraft, both of which come in several seat size configuration. Discount airline Southwest as well as European discounter Ryanair both operate fleets consisting exclusively of various 737 models.