A321 vs 757?

charliehotel

These two aircraft are quite similar, but how to they compare with regard to passenger comfort/ in-flight experience?

EchoIndia

To be honest, the first six words of your post answer the question. How different do you think they could be?

cocoshovel

757 is far sexier. Thats all im concerned about

kub

Has an A321 got the same range as a 757?

b757

cocoshovel wrote: »

757 is far sexier. Thats all im concerned about

Your 100% right there :P

globemaster1986

kub wrote: »

Has an A321 got the same range as a 757?

No. A321 range of 3,000nm. 757-200 range is 3,900nm (or 4,100nm with winglets).

Skuxx

cocoshovel wrote: »

757 is far sexier. Thats all im concerned about

Absolutly, 757 is a beautiful machine to look at!!

Carvair

Airbus are working on an A321 that will be ETOPS equipped and Aer Lingus are seriously considering it for some East Coast US cities

charliehotel

EchoIndia wrote: »

To be honest, the first six words of your post answer the question. How different do you think they could be?

To be honest, the final six words of my post answer your question


The 757 indeed has greater range, is more powerful and is longer, but the cabins are quite old in style.

How do the two aircraft compare solely in terms of passenger comfort and in-flight experience?

Nonoperational

Depends on how the carrier has them set out. Flew a thomascook 757 recently and it was very cramped. Nice plane though, nicer than the boring 738s and A320s I always seem to be on.

bkehoe

Carvair wrote: »

Airbus are working on an A321 that will be ETOPS equipped and Aer Lingus are seriously considering it for some East Coast US cities

The A321 and indeed the rest of the A320 family is already ETOPS certified and has been since the mid 1990s! I think even 180min is a possibility.

What Airbus will be launching in the coming years is the A320 neo series which will feature more fuel efficient engines and winglets which will result in a slight increase in range.

ohigg84

Well for starters.. The 757 is a much prettier aircraft. It has more powerful engines, within the 50,000lb + thrust range (P&W 2037, GE CF6, RB211) compared to 25,000 to 26,500lb thrust on A321 (CFM56-5B and IAE V2500).

757 has more range, albeit marginally than A321.
757 has more widebody feel (depending on what cross seating sections are in place)
757 has a slightly larger wingspan of 38,5m compared to A321 of 34,1m which means 757 can cruise higher, up to 41,000ft, compared to 37,000ft for A320 family..

It will be interesting to see if Aer Lingus orders the A321 NEO..
I'd like to see them order 737 MAX, but hardly likely now.

I'm a bit sad that the 757 production ceased in 2004. Such a brilliant aircraft, especially with the addition of blended winglets, it has become an even bigger workhorse on transatlantic ops..

Neworder79

charliehotel wrote: »

These two aircraft are quite similar, but how to they compare with regard to passenger comfort/ in-flight experience?

A320 family has a wider fuselage and therefore usually seat width, feeling roomier overall. Also somewhat better sound insulation so usually quieter. Cockpit larger also.

So in terms of cabin comfort 320 series would seem to win out over 737/757 family on paper. But the internal fit out and seat density is a major factor unique to each airline.

charliehotel

Neworder79 wrote: »

A320 family has a wider fuselage and therefore usually seat width, feeling roomier overall. Also somewhat better sound insulation so usually quieter. Cockpit larger also.

So in terms of cabin comfort 320 series would seem to win out over 737/757 family on paper. But the internal fit out and seat density is a major factor unique to each airline.

Thank you very much! The type of answer I was looking for. Cheers

Priority Right

ohigg84 wrote: »

757 can cruise higher, up to 41,000ft, compared to 37,000ft for A320 family..
.

39,000ft for A320 family.

ohigg84

Priority Right wrote: »

39,000ft for A320 family.

Funny, I always thought it was 37,000ft.. I definitely remeber reading about that.

Priority Right

ohigg84 wrote: »

Funny, I always thought it was 37,000ft.. I definitely remeber reading about that.

You might have read it but it was wrong. It's 39,000 with a recommended max of 39,800. Up to that altitude Airbus guarantees a minimum of 300ft per minute climb rate in the event of a tcas.

Sometimes for example the plane can only fly to 35/37,000 when heavy with a max of 38,300 and as you get lighter the plane lets you know what the max height is for that weight and you can later climb higher and the max is higher too.

ohigg84

Priority Right wrote: »

You might have read it but it was wrong. It's 39,000 with a recommended max of 39,800. Up to that altitude Airbus guarantees a minimum of 300ft per minute climb rate in the event of a tcas.

Sometimes for example the plane can only fly to 35/37,000 when heavy with a max of 38,300 and as you get lighter the plane lets you know what the max height is for that weight and you can later climb higher and the max is higher too.

Ah maybe I did, man I should have got my priorities right..:D

So max altittude for 737NG is 41,000ft, but can it climb higher to 45,000ft with light load? Same for 747, 777??

Priority Right

I'm only pedantic about Airbus. Only flown them. Never Boeing. Sorry if I sounded like an ass I didn't mean too!

cyrusdvirus

Not knowing much about the flaws/merits of either design I did recently hear an amusing (to me) defination of ETOPS.

Engines Turn Or People Swim

ohigg84

Priority Right wrote: »

I'm only pedantic about Airbus. Only flown them. Never Boeing. Sorry if I sounded like an ass I didn't mean too!

It's ok I understand.. Im a big Boeing fan, but I like Airbus too.. Did you hear Airbus are opening an assembly line in the States?

MuffinsDa

Carvair wrote: »

Airbus are working on an A321 that will be ETOPS equipped and Aer Lingus are seriously considering it for some East Coast US cities

Oh No!

Hate narrow bodies on long flights, what's wrong with continuing with A330s or A350 replacements? Their load factors seems to be always high enough to justify it!

Neworder79

MuffinsDa wrote: »

Oh No!

Hate narrow bodies on long flights, what's wrong with continuing with A330s or A350 replacements? Their load factors seems to be always high enough to justify it!

Obviously not when they have to close SNN-JFK for several months each winter (while UA/Delta operate 752 year round).

Tenger

ohigg84 wrote: »

........I'm a bit sad that the 757 production ceased in 2004. Such a brilliant aircraft, especially with the addition of blended winglets, it has become an even bigger workhorse on transatlantic ops..

The irony is that the current niche for the B757-200 did not exist in the same way in 2001-2004, thus orders dried up for the B757 line. I think there were less than 10 orders in the last 18-24 months of production.

The usage of B757's across the Atlantic is a relatively new phenomenon. US TransCon was their previous major usage. The new A320/B738's pushed the B757 out of that market as airlines went for frequency over capacity. The winglets extended the range/efficiency to allow the B757 to operate long 'thin' routes.

EG. IAD-DUB-IAD: United can operate a B752 on a route that EI found the A330 too large for.

roundymac

Neworder79 wrote: »

Obviously not when they have to close SNN-JFK for several months each winter (while UA/Delta operate 752 year round).

Delta only operate May-September.

ohigg84

Tenger wrote: »

The irony is that the current niche for the B757-200 did not exist in the same way in 2001-2004, thus orders dried up for the B757 line. I think there were less than 10 orders in the last 18-24 months of production.

The usage of B757's across the Atlantic is a relatively new phenomenon. US TransCon was their previous major usage. The new A320/B738's pushed the B757 out of that market as airlines went for frequency over capacity. The winglets extended the range/efficiency to allow the B757 to operate long 'thin' routes.

EG. IAD-DUB-IAD: United can operate a B752 on a route that EI found the A330 too large for.

Very true.. Typical transatlantic ops were dominated by A310's, A330/A340's, 767s, 777s.. and obviously the 747s.

Now you have B737-700/800 flying transcontinental routes lasting 5 hours and over..

Which brings us back to the very real possibility of EI acquiring the A321NEO or B737-9 MAX..

That leaves the some A330s to be deployed on new routes, perhaps to the Middle East- Abu Dhabi or Dubai, or to reinstate West coast routes to LAX/SFO, or even SJC.