When it comes to Boeing’s narrowbody aircraft today, one mainly thinks of the popular 737
family. However, Boeing’s historical single-aisle portfolio has featured
other aircraft families, including the iconic 707, 727, and 757. While popular,
this aircraft was in production for far shorter than the 737 family. So, what explains its fall?
Arriving 20 years after the 727, the Boeing 757-200 entered service on January 1st, 1983,
with Eastern Air Lines. The aircraft became a popular middle-market workhorse worldwide,
operating routes where demand was high, but not enough to fill the larger 767.
A greater range, combined with ETOPS developments, allowed the 757 to become one of the first jets
to be used on “long and skinny” routes.In March 1999, the stretched 757-300 entered service.This
variant’s extra 7 meters above the -200, allowed it to carry around 43 more passengers.
However, the -300 was limited to a rather niche market, as airlines wanting a larger
aircraft could simply order the twin-aisle 767 without compromising on range. Just 55 -300s were
delivered.While Boeing was producing more than 100 757s every year in the early 1990s, sales of the
jet were in decline a decade later.The early 2000s represented volatility in the airline industry. It
suffered a significant downturn in the events of September 2001, with airlines reluctant to
take the financial risk of operating the 757. After all, if they could not fill the aircraft,
they were better off deploying even smaller planes such as the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737.
Amid declining customer interest, and despite a renewed sales campaign, the final nail in the
coffin for the 757 came in 2003. At this time, Continental Airlines swapped its 757-300 orders
for the smaller 737-800. This caused Boeing to announce the end of 757 production.Boeing
completed the final 757 in Renton, Washington in October 2004. Delivery to its customer,
Shanghai Airlines, took place in November 2005. All in all, Boeing produced more than 1,000 757s
between 1981 and 2004.Of all deliveries, the vast majority (913 aircraft) were the standard -200
version. Boeing also produced 80 -200 freighters. Boeing also made a single -200M ‘Combi’ aircraft
for Royal Nepal Airlines.Slowly but surely, the number of active 757s has fallen over the years,
rendering the type increasingly rare. Some of the type’s largest operators have already retired the
type. British Airways did this around 2010, while American Airlines announced its plans to phase out
its remaining 757s in March 2020. However, the sudden onset of the coronavirus crisis
resulted in these aircraft all being placed into storage by the end of that month.
Delta Air Lines still has 127 757s with around 100 currently active.
However, these aircraft are among Delta’s oldest, with an average age of 23.7 years old.It’s
a shame that Boeing hasn’t re-engined and updated the 757- especially considering
the industry’s shift towards point-to-point travel and an increase in long and thin routes.
This trend is perhaps best exemplified in the popularity of Airbus’s upcoming A321XLR-
something that may be even more useful as the industry recovers from the global crisis.
Have you had a chance to fly on the Boeing 757? And do you think Boeing should modernize
it to become an A321XLR competitor? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.