4 ms·

I don't know about you, but I never want to fly on a 737 MAX no matter what they rename it. Every time I have booked a ticket online the website tells me what k

I don't know about you, but I never want to fly on a 737 MAX no matter what they rename it. Every time I have booked a ticket online the website tells me what kind of aircraft I would be flying on.

flyinglizard 6y ago
That’s exactly what the rebranding is for.
dom96 6y ago
As nice as this info is, is there any actual guarantee that it is valid? I wouldn't be surprised if airlines switch planes around all the time, so by the time you check in you may be flying a MAX plane (and possibly not even be aware).
- mstade 6y ago
  This is anecdotal, but I've never once out of hundreds of flights experienced what you're describing. Sure, replacement flights when things got cancelled may have been on a different aircraft, but then it's a different flight altogether so not particularly surprising. I'd be curious to know if under normal circumstances they ever fly a plane other than the one listed, I have no idea. Edit: to clarify a bit, I know this because I'm a nerd and sometimes pick flights specifically because of the type of plane used. I quite enjoyed the A380. :o)
  - txcwpalpha 6y ago
    It doesn't happen on something like an A380 (especially since there isn't exactly any other plane type to switch to from an A380 without huge issues), but it's pretty common on smaller jets, especially in the A320 family or 737 family where they are nearly-identically-sized jets that can be swapped out easily. If you're scheduled to fly on a 737-800 but there's a problem with the jet, they might swap it out for a 737-400 (which is pretty much just an older generation of the -800, similar to how the -800 is an older generation of the MAX 8) and it would go completely unnoticed by almost every passenger. That happens less often nowadays that most (all?) of the -400s are retired, but I would expect it to start happening again once the MAXs return to service and they are being deployed side-by-side with the NGs.
    - kiwijamo 6y ago
      Yep. I've booked several flights originally scheduled to be operated by a 737-300 or a 737-400 and had it swapped out for the other on the day (as the airline operated a mixed fleet with both types regularly swapped around to better match demand and/or respond to maintenance issues). Also had a 757 swapped out for a 320 a few weeks prior to the flight. Or a 777-300 swapped out for a 777-200 several days before the flight. Even a 787 was swapped out for a 330. I suspect some of the changes are demand driven e.g. swapping to a smaller or bigger aircraft. I have observed this cross multiple airlines: Qantas, Air NZ, British Airways, China Southernm etc. Quite common especially for mixed fleet airlines.
- ashtonkem 6y ago
  There is no guarantee, in order to not fly on the max8 you’ll either need to use someone who flies airbus (not a bad idea based on my a320neo flight), or be willing to cancel your flight day of.
- dhosek 6y ago
  I imagine it's possible, but if the replacement craft does not have identical seating configuration, there can be headaches around that, especially with airlines moving to doing things like charging premium prices for certain coach seats etc. I've never had the plane model changed in my flying experience.
  - GekkePrutser 6y ago
    I have had several times. I was even switched to another airline once, they had an issue with their own plane and grabbed a charter :) I believe bigger airline alliances actually have a pool for such mishaps, spare planes with just the alliance branding on them, I've seen them at airports though not sure how the ownership worked.
    - kiwijamo 6y ago
      These aircraft are always owned by a specific airline and not the alliance itself. Just look closer, you'll see the airline's branding somewhere on the aircraft. The alliance branding is just meant to promote the alliance. These aircraft are part of their respective airline's fleet and operated as normal flights by the airline that owns it (just like other normally branded aircrafts).

I don't know about you, but I never want to fly on a 737 MAX no matter what they rename it. Every time I have booked a ticket online the website tells me what kind of aircraft I would be flying on.

flyinglizard 6y ago

That’s exactly what the rebranding is for.

dom96 6y ago

As nice as this info is, is there any actual guarantee that it is valid? I wouldn't be surprised if airlines switch planes around all the time, so by the time you check in you may be flying a MAX plane (and possibly not even be aware).

mstade 6y ago
This is anecdotal, but I've never once out of hundreds of flights experienced what you're describing. Sure, replacement flights when things got cancelled may have been on a different aircraft, but then it's a different flight altogether so not particularly surprising. I'd be curious to know if under normal circumstances they ever fly a plane other than the one listed, I have no idea. Edit: to clarify a bit, I know this because I'm a nerd and sometimes pick flights specifically because of the type of plane used. I quite enjoyed the A380. :o)
- txcwpalpha 6y ago
  It doesn't happen on something like an A380 (especially since there isn't exactly any other plane type to switch to from an A380 without huge issues), but it's pretty common on smaller jets, especially in the A320 family or 737 family where they are nearly-identically-sized jets that can be swapped out easily. If you're scheduled to fly on a 737-800 but there's a problem with the jet, they might swap it out for a 737-400 (which is pretty much just an older generation of the -800, similar to how the -800 is an older generation of the MAX 8) and it would go completely unnoticed by almost every passenger. That happens less often nowadays that most (all?) of the -400s are retired, but I would expect it to start happening again once the MAXs return to service and they are being deployed side-by-side with the NGs.
  - kiwijamo 6y ago
    Yep. I've booked several flights originally scheduled to be operated by a 737-300 or a 737-400 and had it swapped out for the other on the day (as the airline operated a mixed fleet with both types regularly swapped around to better match demand and/or respond to maintenance issues). Also had a 757 swapped out for a 320 a few weeks prior to the flight. Or a 777-300 swapped out for a 777-200 several days before the flight. Even a 787 was swapped out for a 330. I suspect some of the changes are demand driven e.g. swapping to a smaller or bigger aircraft. I have observed this cross multiple airlines: Qantas, Air NZ, British Airways, China Southernm etc. Quite common especially for mixed fleet airlines.
ashtonkem 6y ago
There is no guarantee, in order to not fly on the max8 you’ll either need to use someone who flies airbus (not a bad idea based on my a320neo flight), or be willing to cancel your flight day of.
dhosek 6y ago
I imagine it's possible, but if the replacement craft does not have identical seating configuration, there can be headaches around that, especially with airlines moving to doing things like charging premium prices for certain coach seats etc. I've never had the plane model changed in my flying experience.
- GekkePrutser 6y ago
  I have had several times. I was even switched to another airline once, they had an issue with their own plane and grabbed a charter :) I believe bigger airline alliances actually have a pool for such mishaps, spare planes with just the alliance branding on them, I've seen them at airports though not sure how the ownership worked.
  - kiwijamo 6y ago
    These aircraft are always owned by a specific airline and not the alliance itself. Just look closer, you'll see the airline's branding somewhere on the aircraft. The alliance branding is just meant to promote the alliance. These aircraft are part of their respective airline's fleet and operated as normal flights by the airline that owns it (just like other normally branded aircrafts).