飛機是航空公司重要的資產，少了飛機就無法營運，因此機隊的規劃很重要。
機隊規劃需考量公司航線網路需求、後勤維護能量、市場的需求與接受度、飛航組員培訓與銜接性、未來營運操作成本、載客載貨的酬載能力、飛機性能與公司布局等，規劃過程有諸多取捨。
舉例，有些航空公司主要是瞄準東南亞的二、三線城市，但不是所有地方都能容納大型機型，再加上成本考量， 旅客對於這些目的地的需求還不確定，小機型可以在調度上更有彈性。因此可能會採用巴西航太E190-E2這類單走道、2-2配置座位，也就是說沒有中間座位，乘客不是靠窗就是靠走道，消費者也比較喜歡這種配置。
航空公司通常會根據未來10~15年對於市場情況的預測，進行機隊規劃。在做機隊規劃時，除了航點、航程、載客量等考量因素外，還要考量到一架飛機的使用年限，以及當飛機老舊要準備汰換時，該如何處理。延伸閱讀：《知識》退役的飛機，何去何從？
航空公司通常設定一架飛機的使用年限是15~20年不等，對於老舊飛機的處理方式不外乎是：
(1)出售給其它航空公司。
(2)將有價值的飛機零件拆下來出售。
然而，飛機會有折舊問題，若將使用年限設的太長，飛機容易過於老舊而找不到買家導致不好脫手，即使找到買家，飛機賣出去的價格也可能低於會計帳上的價值；若將使用年限設的太短，每月航空公司的折舊成本會提高，增加營運負擔。
以上皆會影響到航空公司選擇「買飛機」還是「租飛機」的態度。整理航空公司「買飛機」或「租飛機」之優缺點如下：
航空公司選擇「買飛機」
優點：
(1)可根據需求選擇任何合適的飛機機型，客製化程度較大。
(2)可獲得較多飛機製造商的原廠服務與技術支援。
缺點：
(1)儘管可透過銀行融資，但還是需要準備龐大資金。
(2)有老舊飛機處理等問題。
(3)熱門機型交機時間較久，機隊調度彈性較低。
航空公司選擇「租飛機」
優點：
(1)不需要龐大資金需求，只要能負擔租賃期間的費用即可。
(2)不用擔心老舊飛機處理等問題。
(3)可以較快取得飛機，對於航線規劃彈性較大。
缺點：
(1)某些情況下，長時間租飛機的總成本比買飛機還要高。
(2)飛機租賃公司提供的飛機機型選擇較少，客製化需求低。
當然，航空公司會根據自行的營運狀況，混和搭配買飛機及租飛機的策略使用。✈
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Fleet Planning for Airlines
Aircrafts are essential assets for airlines. Without them, airlines cannot operate. Therefore, fleet planning is very important.There are many trade-offs involved in the planning process. When planning a fleet, airlines need to consider the following factors:
Buying aircraft
Advantages:
- The airline's route network needs
- The airline's maintenance capabilities
- Market demand and acceptance
- Flight crew training and transition
- Future operating costs
- Payload capacity for passengers and cargo
- Aircraft performance and company layout
Airlines typically plan their fleets based on their forecast of market conditions for the next 10 to 15 years. When planning a fleet, airlines need to consider not only the number of routes, flight distances, and passenger numbers, but also the lifespan of an aircraft and how to handle it when it is old and needs to be replaced.
Airlines typically set the lifespan of an aircraft at 15 to 20 years. The following are the common ways to dispose of old aircraft:
- Sell it to other airlines.
- Dismantle the aircraft and sell the valuable parts.
The above factors will affect an airline's decision to buy or lease aircraft. The following is a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of buying or leasing aircraft for airlines:
Buying aircraft
Advantages:
- Can choose any aircraft type that suits the needs, with a higher degree of customization.
- Can get more OEM service and technical support from the aircraft manufacturer.
Disadvantages:
- Requires a large amount of expense, even with bank financing.
- Need to deal with the disposal of old aircraft.
- Delivery time for popular aircraft models is longer, and fleet scheduling is less flexible.
Leasing aircraft
Advantages:
- Does not require a large amount of expense, only need to be able to afford the rental expense during the lease period.
- No need to worry about the disposal of old aircraft.
- Aircraft can be obtained more quickly, which provides greater flexibility for route planning.
Disadvantages:
- In some cases, the total cost of leasing an aircraft for a long period of time can be higher than buying it.
- The aircraft leasing company offers fewer aircraft model choices, and the demand for customization is lower.
Of course, airlines will use a mixed strategy of buying and leasing aircraft based on their own operating conditions.
