Allegiant MD-80 retirement

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https://www.mro-network.com/mainten...t-air-s-md-80-plans-depend-finding-a320s

So everyone's favorite airline Allegiant has retired their remaining Mad Dogs. I have always had relatively new A319/320 planes when I've flown Allegiant, but I enjoy flying Delta's MD88 and B717 planes...unless I'm in one of the back rows, where it gets LOUD.

Wonder when the last US operator will retire the last MD. It'll be the end of an era, for sure.
 
The Allegiant fleet of MD's are flying junk. 3 flights on allegiant from local airport and two needed repair on ground with mechanic 1hr away at Logan. Another time smoke in cabin(I did not see it) and quick return.
 
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We typically fly Delta and have been on quite a few MD-88's and B717's. Love the sound of those engine.
 
Originally Posted by madRiver
The Allegiant fleet of MD's are flying junk. 3 flights on allegiant from local airport and two needed repair on ground with mechanic 1hr away at Logan. Another time smoke in cabin(I did not see it) and quick return.


This. The MD-80's are arguably the most reliable planes out there.

Allegiant is WELL-known for having the most lax standards on maintenance and often flies using the minimum legal amount of required "stuff/parts" on their planes. They have the most return-to-airports after takeoffs in American aviation. I would never, EVER fly them, at any price.
 
Well...

Allegiant and Lion Air follow a similar model: low fare enabled by low pay, minimum maintenance, pushing employees.

Allegiant is better than Lion Air.

But not much better.
 
The MD-80 (DC-9 and family) is a great airplane, from what I'm told. Never had a chance to fly it.

Old airplanes aren't the problem with airlines like Allegiant.

Poor maintenance is.

New (likely leased) airplanes will go a long way to improving Allegiant's operational performance. Delta flies older airplanes, yet has great operational performance. Why? Great maintenance. Excellent technicians that are well paid, part of the team, and have good parts support. Put that combination together, you can fly old airplanes safely, and reliably.
 
I love Delta's MD's, they actually seem to care about the old girls and do a decent job of keeping them nice. They fly them on the MSP-GEG route often, last time I went out I specifically chose flights with MD's over a 737 because I like the ride so much.

I love the take off on those birds, they're known as the "hot rod" plane to a lot of pilots.
 
Originally Posted by Chris Meutsch
This. The MD-80's are arguably the most reliable planes out there.


So True - it will be a sad day when the last DC-9 grandchild is retired.


Originally Posted by Astro14
Delta flies older airplanes, yet has great operational performance. Why? Great maintenance. Excellent technicians that are well paid, part of the team, and have good parts support. Put that combination together, you can fly old airplanes safely, and reliably.


100% truth, right there.
 
Delta will be retiring its last MD-80s this year.
The MD-90 will probably be around for a while yet with the 717 (really the MD-95) flying even longer, since Delta has invested in an engine shop for these birds.
On our last Delta trip a couple of years ago, we flew one leg on an MD-80 that had a build plate from 1984.
Plane was nice in and out. What a hoot it was to have flown in an aircraft built at Long Beach when I was still in my twenties.
As Astro wrote, Delta has the maintenance skills to keep 'em flying and this old Douglas design was built for a structural life in hours and cycles unknown to Boeing and Airbus.
 
Delta's plans for the MD88/MD90 retirement seem to change every week
laugh.gif
Probably just been riding the wave of cheaper fuel for a couple years. I think the delay in A220/C-Series deliveries also moved back retirement about a year.

The fleet will be down to one pilot base by March, so they're getting there. Not many of them are going to miss it anyway - the 717, 320 and 220 are much better cockpits for pilots to spend their day in. It's still a better cockpit than the 737 though!
 
We just flew through ATL today and it didn't look as though the MD-80 would be gone anytime soon.
 
Originally Posted by fdcg27

The MD-90 will probably be around for a while yet with the 717 (really the MD-95) flying even longer, since Delta has invested in an engine shop for these birds.

What I've read is that Delta gave Southwest a deal it couldn't refuse with the 717s it got from their Airtran buyout and WN wasn't interested in operating two types of planes. Delta was on a buying spree for those planes. Ironically enough, Airtran was the former Valujet(and it seems like Allegiant is the new Valujet).

I also knew EVA Air flew a few MD-90s as well, what happened to those?
 
Originally Posted by nthach
Originally Posted by fdcg27

The MD-90 will probably be around for a while yet with the 717 (really the MD-95) flying even longer, since Delta has invested in an engine shop for these birds.

What I've read is that Delta gave Southwest a deal it couldn't refuse with the 717s it got from their Airtran buyout and WN wasn't interested in operating two types of planes. Delta was on a buying spree for those planes. Ironically enough, Airtran was the former Valujet(and it seems like Allegiant is the new Valujet).

I also knew EVA Air flew a few MD-90s as well, what happened to those?


AT had something like 80 of the 717 type in its fleet and Southwest had no use for them.
There are other operators that prize the 717, but only Delta would take all of these AirTran birds as a job lot. The 717 was built in limited numbers so is not nearly as valuable as an 737-700 or an A319 that everyone already operates.
AirTran also had a number of 737-700s that Southwest could use but Southwest bought AirTran mainly to eliminate a competitor.
AirTran was a great little airline and we flew them a lot from DAY, usually connecting through ATL, where they had a bustling hub operation. We flew the airline as far as SJU with never an issue and with really decent fares.
WRT the MD-90, Delta probably has every serviceable example of this fairly rare type in its fleet as well as a number of others for spares.
 
I always liked the DC-9 and MD-80, except when I worked on the ramp for Delta circa 1989. Tough on your back in those cargo holds!

And those old NWA DC-9s! They were already pretty ancient when I used to ride them on connections through Detroit, etc
around that same time. Cool airplanes though.
 
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