We have been tracking the US airline fleet by aircraft types and age for some time, using FlightRadar24 data. This is what avgeeks do. The information shows interesting trends, especially fleet aging by model. We show the main airlines in the model.
Aging aircraft are an issue as fuel costs spike again, and you can throw in the current “green” focus to add to the pressure. Backlogs are tight, making new deliveries slow, and with traffic recovering worldwide with seemingly inelastic pricing, airlines will keep older aircraft in service. Even so, fleet age profiles and size guide how an airline’s fuel requirements might work out. Currently, fuel costs are around 45% of operating costs, making fuel burn the highest input cost to seat production.
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Co-Founder AirInsight. My previous life includes stints at Shell South Africa, CIC Research, and PA Consulting. Got bitten by the aviation bug and ended up an Avgeek. Then the data bug got me, making me a curious Avgeek seeking data-driven logic. Also, I appreciate conversations with smart people from whom I learn so much. Summary: I am very fortunate to work with and converse with great people.
