Well, for those who love the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 family, there’s soon to be one less operator of the type in the world, with American Airlines setting the final planed passenger operations of the type.
Mark your calenders for 4th September 2019 – as the date the final 26 McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft will exit service.
American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-80 approaching Chicago O’Hare – Image, Economy Class and Beyond
This will complete a a 37-year service with the American Airlines.
The planned last flights
American Airlines has published a list of the final flights of the MD-80, with the fleet centring on Dallas Fort-Worth towards the end of operations. The last flight will be (appropriately) Flight 80 between Chicago O’Hare and Dallas Fort Worth.
Note, all schedules are subject to change… and good luck getting a seat on fight AA80.
American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-80 at Dallas Fort-Worth – Image, Economy Class and Beyond
Once the finally passenger flights are complete, the aircraft will be have their final farewell ferry flights to Roswell, New Mexico (ROW).
Exit MD-80
With the MD-80 leaving the American Airlines fleet, this will leave Delta Air Lines the largest operator of the MD-80 family (operating the MD-88), with a number of smaller carriers maintaining small fleets of the aircraft. Delta are also the only operator of the follow-on aircraft – the MD-90, and four operators of the MD-95/Boeing 717.
For a lot of people the MD-80 was a wonderful way of flying. With improvements in fuel efficiency, better engines and noise acoustics (especially if you ever sat in the back of an MD-80), the modern Airbus and Boeing faimilies are filling in that spot.
But from the 4th September 2019, the long silver T-Tailed plane will vanish from the sky.
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Makes me a little sad – I always liked the DC-9/MD-80, especially the 5-abreast seating (I hate middle seats with a passion.)
But I have to admit they’re ridiculously loud in the back, and really showing their age. So I’m looking forward to eventually flying an A220, and if I have to choose will always take an E-jet over a 737.
Wonder how much longer Delta will keep its MD-80s and MD-90s? (The MD-95s will be around for a while, I suspect, DL got them dirt cheap, although I eventually expect them to order more A220s to replace them.)
(And yeah, I’ve always called it an MD-95. Took a lot for me to type A220 instead of “C-Series”, and “Space Jet” is a really bad name, although I have to admit “MRJ” isn’t exactly the height of marketing brilliance either. I keep wanting to say “Spice Jet”.)