Why am I nearly the only one being interested in 737-300 and 737-400? I know Boeing has their Next Generation fleet out with the suffixes -600/700/800/900, but the pax capacity is exactly the same and they are more expensive.
A 737-400 with 162 pax costs from 44 million and up. A 737-800 is a newer model with the exact same pax number, but it costs from 60 million and upwards. My question is: why should I spend the extra 16 million? Any ideas? Will route / company image be affected if I ship my pax around in brand new planes of a model that is last generation 737?
Another thing making me prefer the cheaper type is that the order backlog is only three planes, whereas the NG has an order backlog of 162 last time I checked. Any one care to explain why I seem to be the only one who hasn´t got it yet?
A 738 is 5% faster than a 734, uses ~15% less fuel, and has more range. So yeah, it's better. Whether it's better enough to justify the extra cost depends on your airline & gameworld. With fuel at $1000, you'll save about 180k/month with a 738. 14 million extra on the price tag costs you about an extra 180k/month in lease price. But if fuel is only $200, and you can get them much earlier, then yeah, the 734 might be a better choice for you.
The decision between 737 Classic and NG is very much linked to availability. If both are easy to get, then there is no way around the NG, unless you already operate a huge fleet of Classics.
But if the NG is booked out for years to come and not available on the used market, it is very likely to be smarter to go for the Classic, as it will enable you to grow faster. Say you start in a Modern Times game and have too slow an initial growth, so when you have the cash to book through a production line, the 737 NG line is clogged. Then the 737 Classic is a good option, as is the MD-90.
Thanks to both for much appreciated feedback. Mystery solved. :D