There's a Southwest 737 for sale on Facebook -- really
I just checked the couch cushions and my daughter's piggy-bank. Sadly, no, I don't have $550,000 to spare.
But if I did, I would seriously consider buying a used Boeing 737-300 that's sitting out in the California desert.
What AvGeek wouldn't?
I mean, I've already purchased part of a retired Delta Air Lines DC-9.
Acquired by Southwest Airlines in 1996, this jet still has the famous beige-and-blue coach seats and Southwest "canyon blue" livery. What it doesn't have: two engines.
A pair of engines can set you back a few million dollars, but this plane could still be considered "a deal." Consider this: The list price for Boeing's smallest 737 (the 737-700) is $89.1 million, though airlines typically negotiate steep discounts.
TPG couldn't verify the legitimacy of the Facebook ad for this plane, but the jet with tail number N630WN has been at an aircraft storage facility in Victorville, California, since Aug. 15, 2017. So it seems like a real possibility that this bird is in need of a new home.
Sure, it's seen better days, but close your eyes for a minute and imagine all the possibilities — all the ways you could give this iconic plane a new dry lease on life:
- Keep the Southwest livery but only fly the plane to Northeastern cities.
- Rip out all the coach seats and replace them with couches and lie-flat beds, but still keep Southwest's open-seating policy.
- Turn it into a restaurant but only serve peanuts and Wild Turkey bourbon.
- Make it a hotel or vacation rental. Kids can sleep in the overhead bins.
- Turn it into a really long bus and drive it between Dallas and Houston.
- Open the world's first mid-air bowling alley.
- Cut it up and sell windows to AvGeeks and Instagram stars who are stuck at home but who want to pretend they're flying.
Of course, if you can afford this plane -- plus a pair of new engines, the cost of jet fuel, maintenance, and airport parking and landing fees — you could find yourself with a cool new ride.
Unfortunately, my wife probably wouldn't be too pleased with this impulse buy. So instead, I'm going to continue racking up frequent flyer miles for my next trip, skip this purchase and keep my marriage intact.
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