Travelbug_89 wrote
First thing that came to mind: how weight restricted was that plane? Considering its a high density setup, I kept thinking how many seats were empty.
I told my cousin in MEL that he's flying on an A321Neo soon and he had mixed feelings. I'm still wondering tho, what if PR does convert a couple standard neos to LRs? Will that help them?
Are all Oz ops going to the A321Neo or is SYD staying A330?
B77Wflyer wrote
I have read that during the flight from KEF-LAX their where only 42 pax out of 218 seats which is the capacity of WOW Air A321neo usually the route is operated by an A330.
Its not about the seats, it has more to do with the payload. Thus, the reason why we have to weight our baggage.
Airbus assumes an average weight of 85kg. per passenger. At 200 pax for WOW that easily translates to 17,000kg. of payload from passenger load. With that payload the A321N can easily fly as far as 4000nm.
Payload of A321 is limited to 20,000kg. or thereabouts. And passengers always checked-in luggage. So Airbus made another assumption of 95kg. per passenger average. With passenger luggage in tow, it now has 19,000kg. payload. This time however its range is shorter to about 3800nm Equivalent Still Air Distance (ESAD).
Now, here is the tricky part. Payload is always a relative term, depending upon the airline's target market. That is the reason why Airbus marketing figures is always different from airlines, and from airline to airline. For example, CEB A321n have different payload calculation to PAL A321n even if they are the same plane.
What I'm saying is that the illustrative Airbus assumptions wont work on the OFW-centered/VFR market beyond 2000nm range.
And I'm not yet talking about the third auxilliary center tank which is needed to reach the 4000nm range. So there is reason why my calculations stopped at 19k instead of 20k, because the ACT and its fuel will eat A321n payload.
I've flown PAL A321 and they have a generous Y pitch. At 168 pax PR A321n should be roomier than its current 199 seater.
As to PAL operational requirement to SYD, we should see how they operate at HND. Sometimes they fly B77W occasionally and the usual A330 most of the time and on some lean days A321. There goes your answer.
And of course you don't fly A330 with 42 passengers. A321n should fit better because it can fly the same way the widebody does farther at 4600nm. And probably WOW thought its cheaper to fly them that way than booked them at a hotel.
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