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American Morning

Ask CNN: How Does an Airline Decide to Retire an Aircraft?

Aired August 15, 2001 - 10:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NARRATOR: A CNN viewer wants to know how does an airline decide to retire an aircraft? What has to happen for them to take this action and who checks to make sure the airline is properly retiring their aircraft?

CAROL HALLETT, PRESIDENT & CEO, AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION: Brad, airlines make their decisions based upon economics, demand, competition and, of course, their number one priority, what is the safest fleet to fly. Other factors may include the cost of maintaining an older airplane compared to a newer one, the need to improve fuel efficiency and the desire to standardize the airline's fleet. There is no defined concept of proper retirement.

In fact, with the required federal oversight and U.S. government regulations on maintenance, an airline jet can be safely operated to the original design life of the airplane, which can well exceed 30 years. A 30-year-old plane can be as safe as a 3-year-old plane. The question is, is it a gas guzzler and how much does it cost to maintain that plane versus a new fuel efficient state-of-the-art aircraft. Maintenance practices all applied with strict federal oversight assure that airplanes are as safe as the world knows how to make them no matter what their age.

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