johan rebel

I read here (in Dutch) that KL has canceled orders for two A330s, added orders for two 777s and converted a 74M to 744 configuration.

First I hear about it. Can anybody confirm?

Off topic, but according to the same article KL is experiencing a shortage of FAs.

Johan

alanw

OMDFG. More 2-3-2 C cabins.

HB-IWC

The conversion of one of the B74Es to a B744 might very well be going on as we speak. The summer schedule for the B747 fleet is not packed at all, and can easily be operated by 20 frames, out of a total of 22 available. Yet, over the past 3 weeks technical problems on active airframes have led repeatedly to the delay of evening departures (KL837 to SIN, KL809 to KUL and CGK) until the next day because of the lack of available aircraft, although at least 2 aircraft were not being used at any of those times.

As such, I wouldn't be surprised at all if a B74E conversion is currently going on, and if the aircraft would be rolled out with the new C-class at the same time.

The reduction of the A332 orders comes as a surprise, even more so because the winter schedule does not contain anymore B763 flights from March onward, with most of the remaining flights replaced by A332s. Meanwhile PH-AOE is set to arrive next month with the next three frames AOF/H/I schedules to join in December, February and March respectively. Another B772 (PH-BQO) should arrive in January.

Possibly, the cancellation of A332 frames mentioned in the article relates to any airframes beyond the 8 currently in the fleet or planned to join.

All in all, most if not all of KLM's latest moves with regard to the longhaul fleet seems to indicate the urgent need for extra seats to be made available. First there was the conversion of existing B772 orders into B773s. Add to that the conversion of a B74E into a B744 and the cancellation of A332 orders in favor of more triple sevens and we are talking about a substantial increase in available seats.

The pursuit of additional seats does not come as a surprise at all. Several markets are in dire need of extra seat capacity. HKG, LAX and KUL -to name a few- are all mainly B74E stations which could easily fill a B744 a couple of days a week and I wouldn't be surprised at all to see some extra seats being funeled to these stations in the near future.

Gajan

I thought KLM ordered extra A330-200 when the ordered extra B777-200ER?

Maybe they are cancelling the options they had on them?

jetfan

OK, according to a fanatic friend of mine...
There is just one aircraft on the 747-400 fleet that can fly both as a combi (because it has a side cargo door) and as all-pax (because it has reinforced floor due to the high density of pax...) and that's PH-BFH (City of Hong Kong).
It's happened before that when maintenance is planned on the other all-pax aircraft (BFA/B/G/L/N) that they convert PH-BFH from combi to all-pax.
Quite strange because its livery is KLM Asia and the AMS-BKK-TPE route never has all-pax aircraft.

As to the A330 orders, those were options, the 8 ordered will be delivered apparently.
KL seems indeed to be going for 777-300 ER instead.

Gajan

I thought nowadays they use the KLM Asia aircraft(s) also for other routes except Taiwan?

jetfan

Correct, they rotate the fleet so much that they have 6 KLM Asia aircraft flying but still on some days it's a non-Asia (BFC/D/F/H/M/P for those who are interested).

Canada freak

I checked some AMSYVRAMS flights for next May/June earlier this week: it seems the MD11 will be back this route then. Not sure it this is a bad thing

alanw

That is a very good thing, especially if they leave the seats as they are.

Traveling Man

But with seat-back screens in coach added.

HB-IWC

No chance for that. MD11s won't get PTVs in Y. Existing monitors will be replaced by flat screens, and that's it for IFE changes in Y.

jetfan

That's not what I heard.
I believe M11 will get complete retro-fit, introduce new seats in J (see other thread) and reduce seats from 31 to 24 (current A-zone + I believe one or two rows in B-zone, remaining B-zone to become Y-clss).
Secondly AVOD in Y-clss.

Different story on 747 where this will be postponed because the equipment is too heavy for the number of seats KL has.
They are waiting for a wireless solution.
J-clss to get new seats incl AVOD.

But maybe my update is an outdated one?
Any other sources?

HB-IWC

I got a confirmation now that PH-BFH has indeed been changed to a full pax layout, but still with old C-class, and has been flying as such for the past month and a half. Meanwhile, PH-BFB, another full pax B744, has been undergoing a D-check and will be the first B744 to come online with the new C-class installed. Roll out date is around August 15, and we should see the first B744 with new C-class on all full pax routes, i.e. YYZ, JFK, CUR, SXM, PBM, JNB, KUL, CGK, NRT. The retrofit of all B74E/B744 is not expected to be completed until the end of 2008!

Also in August, a fifth A332, registered PH-AOE will be joining the active fleet, and KL681/682 will subsequently be operated with the A332 iso the MD11, as the first MD11 will go into the hangar for retrofit around the same time.

jetfan

I heard that they are allocating a separate hangar to the MD-11 retrofit and in fact that the effective MD-11 deployment is well under 9 frames for the entire season.
Could that be an indication of a major retro-fit including AVOD in Y-class?
Ripping out the 31 C-clss seats, replacing them 24 new ones and installing only LCD overhead monitors in Y for the 10 aircraft surely cannot take a full season?
Let's hope Y will be upgraded!

It will also be interesting indeed if PH-BFB is fitted with the Slippery Slope Seats or a new seat.
And if SSS, if they are then willing to fit other 747's with better seats when they have made up/changed their mind?
(Resulting in a situation with different seats within the same aircraft type).

johan rebel

One or more of the aircraft may be due for so-called D-checks, which are rather time consuming.

Johan