I have a weird question today.On United airlines Airbus a320’s they only have the normal airbus winglets.They arent getting the new sharklets like most airlines are starting to do now.I want to know if there is a reason for this.
What i mean — Credit to: Martial Dekkar
7 Likes
A lot of them are old like Delta’s and so it doesn’t make sense to add on any modernized winglets.
5 Likes
I’m probably wrong, but are the sharklets only on 320 NEOs?
2 Likes
but even on their newer ones but still, some airlines are adding them once aircrafts go in for their 4 year maintenance
1 Like
No, you can refit all A320-200 models with it like Lufthansa does for example.
6 Likes
Did they even have new ones? Even if they did, it would only be a few so it wouldn’t be profitable to just retrofit the young few of them.
3 Likes
but UA has no plans to retire these aircraft and are only getting more of them
If UA were to purchase more A320 series aircraft, it is likely that the new sharklets would be added, just like we saw DL add sharklets to their new A321 aircraft. However, both DL and UA will not be adding sharklets to their older A320 series aircraft.
4 Likes
There’s actually no need to add sharklets to their older A320’s since that way they won’t be making any profit, rather a loss because they are using money on something that they won’t gain anything from.
The amount that it costs to add sharklets to all old A320’s, which is 98 of them as seen in the picture above posted by @JT_Playz, should rather be used in other parts of the company instead where they’ll benefit from adding a bit more money a certain program or sponsor they have.
The new A320’s would mostly likely get the sharklets, as then in that case, they have nothing to lose. Just like how Lufthansa and SAS is doing with their new A320 and A320 neo’s :)
1 Like
Acutually, adding sharklets reduce fuel burn by a decent amount, which would add up quickly, and could save money. Like I said before, UA will probably not do it looking at the age of the aircraft, with a max 10 years that they could be operated in the future.
1 Like
“It could” but I highly doubt it would and with the fact that their fleet of A320’s are getting old and many of them won’t last the coming 10 years, so there’s no need nor a economical benefit of adding sharklets to them.
4 Likes
Similar to American not addidng the split scimitar winglets on their 737-800s
1 Like
I thought it was only like 2-3% more efficiency. 🤔
2 Likes
Yes, but 2-3 % on a typical A320 flight can save up to 210-220 gallons, which adds up to more than $1,000 usd on any given flight.
2 Likes
Unless things have changed, I know the older Airbus planes cannot be retrofitted with sharklets. Aircraft after a certain build number can get them due to structural changes but it’s still a much more complicated install compared to the 737 and 757. The full changes were made when the 32A started coming with sharklets installed by default.
4 Likes
Generally, a320-200s made 2012 and later can have or do have sharklets. Very few aircraft made before that have sharklets and if it does it’s probably a 2010-11. You won’t see a 1990 a320 with sharklets, and most United a320s are 18 years old currently. In comparison to the 737, it’s like why Southwest wont add scimitars to all 737-700
2 Likes
Interesting, I wonder why they haven’t retrofitted them, considering they serve a majority of the routes Delta, United, and Southwest serve with aircraft that have the spilts.
Also. I heard American is starting to retire some of there NGs
2 Likes
Well, I see these Planes all the Time At DEN, and I kinda am curious if United will retrofit some…
1 Like
United won’t retrofit any of their Airbus planes. They are going to get replaced by the 737 MAX series soon, so there isn’t a need to modernize them, if they would only cut costs for a few years.
4 Likes