Fleet restructuring at AC
 

http://micro.newswire.ca/releases/Ap...9.html/13213-0
Will the B747-400 Combis too be retired or sold off?

I guess AC is serious about the 90 seaters. I guess they plan to join the other STAR Alliance airlines for the joint order...

Is the 90 seat RJ just a longer version of the 50 seater? Please say it isnt.

Getting rid of the Combis and 744s will be a mistake. They need the space for pax and cargo. I want to see the 737 and A319s gone, they are too small and not worth it for that airline. Will the DC9s have J class? Maybe they can do the YYZ-YUL and YYZ-YOW Rapidair flights with them.

The 900 series is reported to have more headroom with a lowered floor. I remember reading a report somewhere that it was a more confortable aircraft that the first model.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?B26B24D04

"The CRJ700 cabin provides comfortable four-abreast seating for 66 to 70 passengers. Relative to the CRJ200 Series, the windows in the CRJ700 Series have been raised four inches (10.16 cm) to add more natural lighting. By lowering the floor by one inch (2.5 cm) the CRJ700 gives passengers more head and shoulder room than any other competitive aircraft on the market today"
From the website

[This message has been edited by airbus320 (edited 04-01-2003).]

I do agree that selling those 3 B744Combis will be a mistake...

I suspect that the A319s are here to stay. They will remain an integral part of the AC fleet with the a320s.

I have heard from people at LH, that LH is indeed looking at the B717-200 aircraft as a possible 90/100 seat aircraft as with the A318. But I have heard that the B717-200 will likely be selected.

I am not sure about the cRJ900. I have heard LH and the other STAR carriers have not been too impressed by it. But they love the smaller versions. Must be something to do with the "double stretch"...

The fleet rationlization sounds like a good move--and they probably needed CCAA protection to do it because of the pilots' collective agreement.

Dumping the 737's is a no brainer. The 737's are a hodgepodge of different types, which must be a nightmare for maintaining spares. Keeping the 319/320/321 makes abundant sense because of type commonality.

Similarly, the 146's are easy to let go--just the four engines vs. two engines makes the RJ's a better proposition.

The 747's are a harder argument, but ultimately, the 343/333 fleet is more flexible--the 346's will give range; the 333's unit cost savings on medium hauls.

There just aren't enough routes on which you can consistently fill a 747 to justify the capital costs of the leases, spares and separate crewing, etc.

The DC9s are all long gone, but they did have J class in them at the end.

I agree the rationalization of the fleet will improve costs and management, sad as I will be to see the 747s to go.

I would be surprised if the 717 did win out right now, at least in the 200 variant. LH will have a great deal of say in looking long and hard at the A318. Airbus is looking to stop that program - the 717 - in its tracks, and will pull out all the stops, just like they did in the Iberia deal. Boeing does have the cost advantage with the 717, but unless they are going ahead with the upgrade model, I think Airbus will use this opportunity to just slaughter them with a price floor guarantee, which most of the Star carriers right now cannot ignore.

No one is buying 747 airframes at the moment, but they could make sense as full cargo conversions, if the financing made sense and the outlook for volumes was there, but it just is not right now.

But..but...but.. I never got a chance to fly in 58K.

The political issue that no one has looked at is whether Ottawa would look more kindly on a larger contribution to the "restructuring" if it meant a fleet of new CRJs took to the air, thus spending some of that buying power within the Canadian economy. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I say count on it.

I would like to see MD11s in the AC fleet, they can replace the 747s if they have to get rid of them. But looking at ACs financial status they may not be able to get them.

[This message has been edited by fromYYZ_flyer (edited 04-01-2003).]

Do you understand the philosophy behind flying one type of aircraft? ie. All Airbus products use the same carts, parts and even far... oh wait that last one may not apply.

The MD-11 does not fit with AC's overall strategy and makes no sense. I used to work at McDonnell Douglas in the early 90's at YYZ where they made the wings for MD-11's and MD-80's. I have a soft spot of them as well, but the MD-11 is a terrible fit for AC, not to mention the various electrical problems they have had.

I doubt this would be broadcast as public knowledge but a very valid point indeed.

If anyone wants to replace 747's, I can get you some 777 at 40% off. MD-xx are toast.

747's have never made money at AC. They make money for 3 months of the year and lose for 9. It was always only a status thing for alot of the people to have them around.