Arthurrs

Fantastic news, especially for overseas flights. ^ ^ I just hope they don't fly the planes this close to each other!!!

Altaflyer

With all the trouble they have had with the Aibus long haul product this seems like a great choice. I really like the 777, spacious, quiet and has power. Looking forward to seeing these in AC colours in the years to come. Airbus narrowbodies are good planes and should be kept by AC.

tcook052

Isn't this thread a complete 180 degree turnaround from where we were this time last year?

Good news for a Mon. morning, AC! ^

jimmac

For those of you who speculate on new routes, you may be interested in the Boeing promo stuff on the 777's. The 777-200ER is described as having a passenger capacity of 301 in a typical 3 class seating configuration. While AC is two class I suspect its Executive First averages the same as an equal number of First and Business combined on a 3 class airline. The range of the aircraft is 8,240 nautical miles in a basic model to a maximum of 9,420. That's a long way when you consider YYZ-HKG is 8,000 statute miles, not nautical miles.

On the 777-300ER the capacity is 365 in a typical 3 class configuration. That's a big plane for AC. The range is 6,240 nautical miles basic, 7,880 nautical miles maximum.

I hope the people attending the YVR do will get info on the dates of the 767 refurbishment that is presumably part of this deal. More info on possible A319 Extended Range planes for small capacity intercontinental routes would also be interesting.

Elited

I wonder what this means for AC's centre of expertise for Airbus maintenance? Don't they have big contracts for other airlines to maintain their AB fleets?

shuuy

How will AC configure Y in on the 777? 2-5-2? 3-4-3?

tcook052

Gee Ollie, how many seats across in Y, nine or ten?

Feet dry

This is great news. I haven't been able to remove the smile off my face all morning!

Looking forward to J class on the 777s. ^

Well done AC.

Feet Dry.

the happy booker

Stoopider, and stoooopider...
Mr Milton, get your house in order and your priorities straight. You're barely out of bankruptcy and not turning the profits anticipated. In fact, the last report was considered to be so disappointing that, had Jetsgo's tanking not provided a little sensational diversion, people would still be turning their noses up at it. You've got an internal situation at AC that's so volatile that the next little thing might provoke another round of open rebellion on the part of the unions, and the employees still hate your guts. Which was largely your own fault, what with your attitude of "well, if you don't like it, leave" in response to their complaints and issues on those occassions when they spoke to you face to face (as reported to me by one who had had the dubious pleasure twice). The internal 'irregularities' are not being address, and should be before anything else (to quoute Phil Collins, "Well, I was there, and I saw what you did, I saw it with my own two eyes..." Not you personally, but you know who I mean), and you are announcing new spending? Now that's stupid! Hope the unions rebel and give you one up the ----, for it.
Sincerely,
Magda
P.S. my twin thinks the same.
P.P.S I only do favours for the worthy.

Scott218

What are some of the problems AC is facing with the AB widebodys?

On a different note, has AC decided on what AVOD / Live TV product to use across AC? The A330 and A340s have different systems I think.

Doc Fraud

Wonderful news!

So it looks like Asia and South America will be Boeing territory, Europe goes to Airbus and North America goes to AB/EMB and Canadair, with the odd 767 thrown in for certain longer sectors.

AC will have a modern fleet, matched to the demands of the various routes they are flying or anticipate to be flying. Kudo's to those at AC who have the vision and guts to execute on a strategy that will take 4-5 years to mature.

I predict that with the cashflow from these new airplanes that AC will be in acquistion mode soon.

DF

jimmac

Are those contracts not for maintenance of the 320 family of Airbuses? AC has almost 120 of them and this order isn't going to change that.

YOWkid

I really wouldn't think this would be a concern -- ACTS is a separate operation from the airline after all and its competencies are different.

Shareholder

I believe most of AC's outside Airbus contracts have been for the narrow body A319/320/321 series and this will remain the backbone of AC's NAmerican fleet so nothing in jeopardy here. This work is done out of the Winnipeg base.

As for the wide bodies, the A330s and A340s will remain in service for a while yet, so the heavy maintenance bases at YVR and YUL will have more than enough capacity to handle internal needs as well as new outside contracts. One of these two bases will likely be converted to handle most of the Boeing widebody fleet [YVR likely as CP was heavier into Boeing aircraft than AC at YUL? Seems logical for them to handle 767s and new 787s with YUL taking on the bigger 777s], while the other will handle Airbus until it is phased out along with one of the new Boeing variants. There will still be enough Airbus widebodies flying that a spun-off ACE Maintenance can make money servicing them for other airlines as well as whatever redidual need AC has. I think YUL has the larger engine facility, which with fleet expansion could offset any body work handled at YVR.]

superdawg

Most of ACT contracts are for narrow body busses which don't appear to be leaving AC's fleet anytime soon so this shouldn't pose a problem....yet. It all depends on what AC plans to do with it's narrow bodies in the future.