Courtyard light

Chapter 834 C101's Rise
However, this survey did not attract the attention of airlines because it was only 30%, and the remaining 70% were not potential customers.

Moreover, airlines also have cheap tickets, and the ticket prices on the same flight may vary greatly.

This is actually a bit like hitchhiking. In the end, if it seems that the flight is not full, the seats are sold at a very low price. Anyway, the flight must be made.

Moreover, airplanes allow overselling, which means that even if you buy a ticket first, you may not be able to get on the plane... If someone who buys a ticket later pays more than you, it is very likely that your seat will be occupied by someone else.

So on the same flight, the person sitting next to you may pay a much lower fare than you, and of course it is also possible that you pay a much lower fare than the person sitting next to you.

Of course, don’t think about refunding or changing the ticket for a low-priced ticket, because the handling fee for refunds and changes will be based on the price before the discount, and you may even have to pay extra money.

Some low-priced tickets do not even allow refunds or changes, which you will be informed of when you buy the ticket, which means that if you buy the ticket, you must sit on it, otherwise it will be invalid.

The airlines actually made a common mistake in this statistics, that is, they only counted the customers who are currently flying.

Low-cost airlines are more about developing customers who want to go to other places but cannot choose to travel with expensive air tickets.

Passenger aircraft are divided into several levels of layout, and the first level layout is a unified type of seats.

The second-level layout includes first class and economy class.

There is also a three-class layout, first class, business class, and economy class.

Actually, it is the seat width. The economy class cabin has space for three seats, while the first class cabin may only have one seat.

This C101 of Southwest Airlines is, to be more precise, an extended A320.

Liu Hai saw the appearance of this aircraft in an aviation magazine on the aircraft carrier. Its name is a320xrl. The magazine said that it would be put into service in 2024, and it is said that there are many potential customers.

That is to say, there are 320 more seats than the A48, reaching 206 seats.

Although the C101 is improved based on the A320, its appearance has changed, because lengthening an aircraft is not as simple as simply lengthening the back.

Changes will also be made to the wings, fuselage and other parts.

The C101 has added a central fuel tank, which can extend its range to more than 8700 kilometers. It can also be equipped with an extended-range fuel tank to increase its range.

The C101 adopts a single-channel layout, which is similar to the a320.

The seat price of C101 has not actually dropped to the lowest, because all the parts of C101 are domestically produced, so the cost price is much lower than that of similar foreign models.

This is also why Heshun Airlines plans to produce new DC10 cargo aircraft, because the price difference between a new cargo aircraft and the price of purchasing second-hand aircraft from abroad for modification is within an acceptable range.

After all, second-hand passenger planes from abroad have been flying for so many years that their service life is greatly reduced.

Even dealers have ordered DC10 cargo planes for logistics transportation.

DC10 passenger planes are banned from flying in Bald Eagle, but cargo planes are not banned.

The C101's wings also have sharklet winglets, which are the raised points on the tips of Airbus wings.

It's just such a small thing. Taking the A320 as an example, theoretically it can save 4% of the engine's fuel consumption, increase the range by 100 nautical miles at the same weight, or carry 450 kilograms more at the same distance and with the same fuel consumption.

European airlines have not yet developed this thing, because they have to install a dovetail wing first, but the lower end of the dovetail wing will bring some side effects, so after wind tunnel testing, the shark fin was developed.

Heshun Airlines still delivered the second C2 to Southwest Airlines because it was produced according to the order.

Not to mention that no one dares to issue a note or say hello, even if someone dares to issue a note or say hello, Heshun Airlines will not pay any attention to these people.

Passengers are willing to choose to take C101, not only because the ticket price is cheap, but also because the travel time is shorter.

In fact, in 2020, Western countries were dissatisfied with our airlines because of the flight range.

Because in 2020, when flying from Kyoto to Paris, our airline's flight time was several hours shorter than that of Western airlines.

Because our civil airliners fly directly through our northern neighbors to Europe.

However, due to the sanctions between the West and its northern neighbor, neither side allows the other's passenger planes to enter their airspace.

Therefore, Western airlines can only fly through the Mediterranean, then the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. Not only does it take longer than our own airlines, but it also consumes more fuel.

Now Southwest Airlines' C101 flies directly from the southwest, through the eastern part of its home country, through Bangladesh, across the Indian Ocean, and then refuels in Camel.

Because refueling is cheap in Luotuo, and the C101 does not have as many seats as other wide-body aircraft and is always fully occupied, there is no need to transfer passengers on and off.

Other wide-body aircraft have to pick up and drop off passengers when they transfer on the way in order to maximize the interests of the route, which will waste more time.

The time spent just on refueling is relatively short, and guests can just go down and walk around and exercise for a while.

After refueling on the Camel, we flew directly to Europe. For the same route, the flight time would be nearly three hours earlier than that of a wide-body passenger plane.

Because the time it takes for passengers to board and unload luggage at the transfer station is much longer than refueling alone.

Of course, the only disadvantage may be that pilots’ salaries are lower, since most pilots are paid by the hour.

Southwest Airlines was equipped with a second C101, which flew domestic routes and also achieved full capacity.

When other airlines saw this, they were not happy. Why were their ticket prices so much lower than mine, and why were they flying directly between the two cities?

Other airlines unanimously requested higher authorities to mediate, that is, C101 should arrange seats in rows and share the fruits.

These companies also need this kind of cost-effective aircraft, because this kind of aircraft has a very high cost-effectiveness whether it is flying domestically or internationally.

Just based on the theoretical 4% fuel saving of this aircraft, how much fuel money can be saved in a year.

Let’s not talk about the fuel costs. Just carrying several hundred kilograms on each flight means that air parcel shipping is not cheap.

As for pilots' salaries, this is of course negotiable, for example, how much it costs to fly a route.

This matter was brought to Liu Hai's attention again.

"It depends on the opinion of Southwest Airlines. We only deliver the aircraft according to the customer's order." Liu Hai also knew that when this matter was brought to him, the higher authorities must have communicated with Southwest Airlines.

Sun Aiguo laughed and said, "The second C2 of Southwest Airlines flies domestic routes. I think it's okay to sit in this seat."

"It's much more comfortable than going back home. When I go back home, I take the train and it has sleeper berths. After arriving at the station, I still have to take a two-hour bus ride."

"At least there's air conditioning on the plane, and it's not as uncomfortable as the shaking on the bus. I can read a book, listen to music, adjust my seat and take a nap on the plane."

Liu Hai nodded: "This plane is indeed very suitable for our national conditions as those foreign aviation experts said, but as I said, there are more poor people in this world." "Southwest Airlines has already agreed, and other airlines will give Southwest Airlines a certain amount of compensation." Sure enough, Sun Aiguo's subsequent words confirmed Liu Hai's guess.

Sun Aiguo is now an ordinary man, with gray hair, glasses, a work suit, and a stainless steel teacup in his hand. He looks like an old retired worker.

"Our factory has no objection. I will call them later." Liu Hai nodded.

The reason for calling the factory is that each airline has different seat layout options and different fuselage paint jobs.

Some airlines are willing to add more first-class cabins, while some airlines are not willing to do so.

Aircraft manufacturers provide many seat layout diagrams.

Changing the order means changing the process technology on the production line.

Any changes made abroad will incur additional charges, but we are all family, and C101’s profits are still considerable.

So Liu Hai didn't mention the issue of extra money.

"After these airlines are equipped with C101, they are going to retire the previous DC10."

"The range of more than 8000 kilometers is enough to fly around the world."

"We're not going to the Bald Eagle anyway!"

Liu Hai nodded: "If the bald eagle doesn't want to give us the route, then we don't have to."

That's right, the bald eagle doesn't give us airline routes, and we don't give bald eagle routes either.

However, there are direct flights to Bald Eagle, both from Hong Kong Island and the island opposite, and they are also available in the small booklet.

C101 can also fly a small notebook!

"The Bald Eagle is going to give it to me but he won't go. DC10 has the reputation it has today, maybe someone is doing bad things behind the scenes." Liu Hai spoke again.

"This is obvious. How come the DC10 aircraft has been flying in our country for so long without any accidents? It must be something done by our competitors. Whoever benefits from it is the most suspicious anyway."

Sun Aiguo nodded, and then said something else: "McDonnell Douglas' new aircraft MD11 has begun production, but I heard that the aircraft did not perform well during testing, so many airlines canceled their orders."

“I don’t know what their company is thinking. They have to compete with Sanfa!” Liu Hai shook his head when he heard this.

"Some people are just so stubborn. I guess their design department likes Sanfa." Sun Aiguo also shook his head.

"How is your ex-wife's preparation at the European airline?" Sun Aiguo asked again.

"Everything is ready. Now we are just waiting for the plane." There are more than 101 orders for the C200 aircraft. Xiaoyun's airline has placed some additional orders, bringing the total to 40 aircraft.

Seeing how well Southwest Airlines performed, domestic airlines also placed additional orders.

In addition, some foreign airlines are in contact. Generally speaking, foreign airlines are still very interested.

First of all, the price of the aircraft is lower than that of similar types. What foreign airlines are worried about now are the problems that will occur after the operation of this type of aircraft.

Apart from the bald eagle, no one abroad is so blind as to say they want to boycott C101!

Because the exported C101 aircraft all use engines produced by Rolls-Royce.

Boycotting C101, isn’t this tantamount to boycotting Rolls-Royce? Isn’t boycotting Rolls-Royce looking down on us, Niu Niu?
Don’t you know that I, Niu Niu, am now the beacon of the world?
Do you want the beacon of the world to teach you a lesson about what freedom is?
"C101 was a huge hit." Sun Aiguo nodded. The excellent performance of Southwest Airlines made other airlines breathe a sigh of relief.

Because the previous performance of c101 is that the price is lower, as to whether the market will buy it or not, it is hard to say, because c101 goes against the direction of market development.

Domestic airlines also import foreign aircraft, namely European passenger planes.

Bald Eagle banned DC10 passenger planes from flying and refused to grant them routes, so we also stopped buying their Boeing planes.

In fact, Boeing did not take our market seriously in the early days because they did not think how many people in our country could afford to fly.

It’s just that we are developing too fast, and now even if Boeing wants to enter, there is no way.

Because of the booming development of civil airliners at this time and space, civil aviation technology companies were established many years earlier than in history. Southwest Airlines was established in 80, and at that time it used propeller aircraft.

Other airlines such as China Eastern Airlines, Southeast Airlines, etc. were also established at that time.

China Eastern Airlines received its third C101, which also flies international routes, from Shanghai to Rome.

The round trip was also full, and the passenger plane's route was not a straight line.

The route of passenger planes is actually very tortuous. On the one hand, it avoids conflict areas, and on the other hand, it avoids flying over the sea for a long time as much as possible.

Because safety comes first, if there is a problem with the plane, it can make an emergency landing as soon as possible if it goes to a place with land or a city.

Just like flying from our country to New York in 2020, you can fly directly to Shandong first, then cross South Korea, then arrive in Taiwan, go north across the Bering Strait through Alaska and then through Canada, and then to New York.

On the one hand, it is because of the air flow, and on the other hand, there are many cities and airports along the way that can maximize the safety of the route.

Of course, when selling tickets, airlines do not directly lower the face value of the ticket, but rather give a discount.

So the surface ticket prices for these routes to Europe remain the same, it’s just that the discounted prices are lower than before.

As for why this is done, of course it is to avoid other people having opinions when ticket prices fluctuate.

As for discounts, it is easy to explain. The discounts are different and the discount amounts are different, but the ticket prices remain the same.

After flying one flight, China Eastern Airlines did some calculations and found that the profit was higher than that of non-wide-body aircraft, but of course the total revenue was much lower.

But the expenses are also much lower. The fees for wide-body passenger aircraft and this type of aircraft at the airport are completely different.

The charges at the airport are completely different depending on the tonnage of the aircraft. There are also the costs of hotel accommodation for crew members, refueling costs, and so on.

Don't underestimate these expenses; they can add up to a considerable amount in a year.

It is impossible for wide-body aircraft to be fully occupied every time. The ticket prices for wide-body aircraft fluctuate greatly because they are often not fully occupied.

Although the C101 has fewer seats than wide-body aircraft, the ticket prices for the same seats are basically the same. There are no seats with outrageous prices that lower other prices.

China Eastern Airlines placed an additional order for 20 aircraft and stated that the C101 will be used on all international routes.

(End of this chapter)