Comparing Aircraft, concerning their costs

[Tenerife]

TEST : A319 or B737

We'll start with the lease price...

For both models I take the cheapest lease price.

The cheapest Airbus A319 costs 625 750 USD/month
The cheapest Boeing 737-700 costs 604 470 USD/month

In this test, we will calculate everything year-based...

A319: 625 750 USD x12 months = 7 509 000 USD
B737: 604 470 USD x12 months = 7 253 640 USD

7 509 000 USD – 7 253 640 USD = 255 360 USD less for the 737.

CONCLUSION 1: The Boeing 737-700 is 255 360 USD cheaper per year than the Airbus A319 concerning the lease.


Next step: passengers...
Average ticket price in 2000 (in game) = 180 USD

The A319 takes 145 passengers
While the B737 takes 150 passengers; 5 passengers more.

180 USD x5 passengers = 900 USD per flight more benefit for the 737.

Let's take that the aircraft flies 3 times a day from Brussels to Malta (1000 NM)

This means 6 flights/day: 900 USD x6 flights = 5 400 USD / day more benefit for the 737.

In a year we have 365 days: 5400 USD x365 days = 1 971 000 USD more benefit for the 737.

CONCLUSION 2: The Boeing 737-700 makes 1 971 000 USD more benefit in one year than the Airbus A319, concerning passengers.


Another important cost is the fuel:
Average fuel price taken in 2000: 490 USD / 1000 kg : 0,49 USD / kg

Flying 3 return flights Brussels – Malta, the planes fly 18 hours / day.

The A319 burns 2 280 kg / hr.   2 280 kg x18 hours = 41 040 kg / day

The B737 burns 2 440 kg / hr.   2 440 kg x18 hours = 43 920 kg / day

In a year there are still 365 days (:p) :

A319: 41 040 x365 days = 14 979 600 kg / year;   14 979 600 x0,49 = 7 340 004 USD / year
B737: 43 920 x365 days = 16 030 800 kg / year;   16 030 800 x0,49 = 7 855 092 USD / year

7 855 092 USD – 7 340 004 USD = 515 088 USD / year less for the A319

CONCLUSION 3: The Airbus A319 is 515 088 USD per year cheaper than the Boeing 737-700, concerning the fuel.


The last thing to compare are the checks:

                          A319         B737
A - check   4 878 USD      5 324 USD
B - check    12 683 USD      13 843 USD
C - check   292 694 USD      319 462 USD
* I'm not counting D - check as the test is year-based.

A - check is done every week: 52x / year
B - check every month: 12x / year
C - check once a year: 1x / year

A319:    4 878 USD x52 weeks = 253 656 USD / year
   12 683 USD x12 months = 152 196 USD / year
   292 694 USD x1 year = 292 694 / year
   Total: 698 546 USD / year
B737:   5 324 USD x52 weeks = 276 848 USD / year
   13 843 USD x12 months = 166 116 USD / year
   319 462 USD x1 year = 319 462 USD / year
   Total: 762 426 USD / year

762 426 USD – 698 546 USD = 63 880 USD / year less for the A319

CONCLUSION 4: The Airbus A319 is 63 880 USD per year cheaper than the Boeing 737-700 concerning the checks.

BIG CONCLUSION: 1 971 000 USD + 255 360 USD – 515 088 USD – 63 880 USD = 1 647 392 USD

THE BOEING 737-700 IS 1 647 392 USD CHEAPER PER YEAR THAN THE AIRBUS A319!!


Compared models:
Airbus A319   International Aero Engines V2500-A5 (Standard)
Boeing 737-700   CFM International CFM56-7B (Standard)
*Both brand new

[Tenerife]

If you want me to compare other aircraft, just let me know!
Or you can just make your own comparision here...

[Lamantijn84]

You forgot the monthly fixed maintenance costs? And the crew training costs?
I don't think they will change the outcome very much, but still...

[Tenerife]

Crew training costs remain the same for both models I think, even as
the salaries for the cabin crew. Cos both models need 3 of them...

And about monthly fixed maintenance costs, I wouldnt know how to
calculate them... Anyone knows?

but as you said, it will not change much to the outcome...
The 737 will still be better!

[Tenerife]

Little question; does anybody knows how many cabin crew members you need
for a plane, that for example needs 3 members?

Like the A319 or A737-700.

[Jona L.]

That should be a question for sami!!

[Sami]

that depends on the number of routes etc.

[Jona L.]

I don't know whether that fits to aircraft comparison, but as I am about to order a new Concorde soon, I'd like to know whether it is fitting with later coming up BAe, because it is a Aérospitale/BAE Concorde.
It won't be compatible with the freates, right?? (fregate is from Aérospitale (nord)!)

Also I think Concorde is only useful(meaning profitable) near upper range border, right??

Thanks

Jona L.

[Kazari]

Great analysis. Thank you.

I often do a very similar comparison to this when comparing used planes. If I'm looking at the same model I use it to compare the cost of using it for one year with a spreadsheet in Excel.

I think it would be neat if Sami offered a little calculator of this type of thing. I'm not sure how it would work, but it would be useful to have something like this calculated for you.

[pharmy]

Just one thing, you based you calc on max number of high density seats. If you use the standard seats you get 126 for both a/c. I often fly my 737-700s more the 3000 miles, so I would never use hd seats.

[Tenerife]

yes, I choosed for max seats.
If you use standard seats, as you said, both take 126 passengers...
So you dont have to count the second step. In this case you'll see that
the A319 is 323 608 USD cheaper than the B737.
This is a nice example to show how much difference 1 seat can make:
Having 1 more seat, you get 394 200 USD more benefit per year (for the
average ticket price: 180 USD)

Another thing: you say you often fly the B737 on routes with more than 3000 NM
In that case you need; for the 737, +9,1 tn MTOW or +9,8 tn MTOW; or similar for
the A319. Then you have more fuel burn, and you pay more lease... so that would be
an other calculation.

[catspaw27]

As a noob, when I began I used a different formula but gained similar insight.  My formula was basically the cost per seat for each plane when using HD seating.  Even though I never used HD seating I wanted to find what the lease, fuel and maintenance costs were per seat.

One large error I made early on was too many different manufacturers of planes.  I started as a regional commuter with some long-haul runs (I am based at LAX).  I think I had 5 different small planes including ATR, Saab, Dash, Embraer...basically anything I could get for cheap. 

Now I only run two manufacturers, Boeing and Bombardier.  And I keep the number of types of engines down as well, only using CFM, P&W and GE engines.  My Admin, fixed and training costs have dropped due to paying attention to fleet commonality.

Cheers

[luke3]

Great analysis and indeed seat numbers do change things enormously.
I was comparing the A330-300 vs B767-400 for possible future longhaul operations. If all standard seats were to be used, the A330 was better because it could carry more passengers and have less commonality costs with my fleet of A320 family. However, since the longhaul market is becoming competitive, i have chosen the premium economy seats option, and that gives an advantage to the Boeing, which for the same range has a lower fuel burn, lower lease costs and lower maintainence.