Yes, two. Same thing I thought. Really? I suppose there is still the hope of the subleased 777's.
Additional widebody aircraft
- Thread starter damajagua
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Yes, two. Same thing I thought. Really? I suppose there is still the hope of the subleased 777's.
JFK Fleet Service
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Hey look, a subfleet... :blink:
jimntx
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Or, maybe it's to restore the senior line at DFW where they worked the 777 DFW-MIA, had a 24-hour layover, and worked the 777 MIA-DFW. Now, it's just a DFW-ORD turn with a 3 hour sit in ORD. That's just unacceptable!
Hopeful
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As I expected, AA is simply converting incremental 777 orders into 773ERs, which makes a whole lot of sense.
The 773ER is more capable, lower cost, and won't be made obsolete by any of the new technology aircraft - 787/350.
Two is not exactly the huge bonanza some were hoping for but the 773ER does give AA some choices for route planning they didn't have before.
Note that the aircraft won't join the fleet until the end of 2012 so the likelihood of new northern hemisphere routes with them is not likely until the summer of 2013.
These aircraft could provide helpful lift on MIA-GRU but could also be used to allow AA to start MIA-JNB; not sure if the 773ER could fly JNB-MIA nonstop but I am betting it could. Given that SAA is not a oneworld partner, if AA wants to get into S. Africa, they need to do it w/ their own aircraft.
DL is using just 1/3 of the available frequencies available to S. Africa - but I wouldn't be surprised if DL adds more S. Africa service. MIA would be a strong gateway for S. Africa.
The 773ER is more capable, lower cost, and won't be made obsolete by any of the new technology aircraft - 787/350.
Two is not exactly the huge bonanza some were hoping for but the 773ER does give AA some choices for route planning they didn't have before.
Note that the aircraft won't join the fleet until the end of 2012 so the likelihood of new northern hemisphere routes with them is not likely until the summer of 2013.
These aircraft could provide helpful lift on MIA-GRU but could also be used to allow AA to start MIA-JNB; not sure if the 773ER could fly JNB-MIA nonstop but I am betting it could. Given that SAA is not a oneworld partner, if AA wants to get into S. Africa, they need to do it w/ their own aircraft.
DL is using just 1/3 of the available frequencies available to S. Africa - but I wouldn't be surprised if DL adds more S. Africa service. MIA would be a strong gateway for S. Africa.
I understand that, but with fuel heading higher and higher (oil near $100/bbl again), adding a bigger plane just doesn't make much sense to me. Trip costs for a 777-300ER will be higher than a 777-200ER. Sure, the costs per ASM fall with so many more seats to sell, but with more seats comes lower fares. AA's philosophy has trended toward "it's easier to fill a smaller plane with profitable fares than to try to fill a much bigger airplane with profitable fares," and this is inconsistent with that philosophy.
If oil were trending downward and it looked like 1986 again when oil prices collapsed and stayed low for about 15 years, then this purchase would make perfect sense to me. But 1986 it ain't. Oil is more likely to be $150 before it's $50 again.
The A380 is even more efficient on a per-ASM basis, and has great range (so long as it's not Trent-equipped), so why not buy some of those? In my unedumacated mind, there's not a whole lot of difference between that and suddenly buying a few 777-300ERs.
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IN AA's configuration, the 773ER will likely seat somewhere between 340-370. Given that AA has a number of hubs offshore by virtue of its partners, it isn't at all conceivable to think that AA can fill that many seats per day. DFW-NRT already has more seats/day on 2 flits than the 773ER offers now.
Of course, lots of cities to LHR also could work capacitywise but you don't really need the capabilities of a 773ER to LHR.
The 773ER also has the potential to open up new routes that are beyond the range of the 772ER.
The 773ER is a good plane and I expect there will be many more ordered in time- it is just not going to be a large order until AA's costs are reduced or other carriers' costs go up to the point where AA is back in the ballpark with industry costs.
Of course, lots of cities to LHR also could work capacitywise but you don't really need the capabilities of a 773ER to LHR.
The 773ER also has the potential to open up new routes that are beyond the range of the 772ER.
The 773ER is a good plane and I expect there will be many more ordered in time- it is just not going to be a large order until AA's costs are reduced or other carriers' costs go up to the point where AA is back in the ballpark with industry costs.
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Now THAT's a pretty good rumour!!! Bogus! But Good! If Tilton had proposed ANY of that it would have been in a MERGER context and anybody KNOWS American and United managment would Both be under the Bus if they attempted any such thing. Tilton whould have been shown the DOOR and feet First! American and UAL were "rumored" to be discussing operating the UAL NRT Hub jointly But Only if American gave UAL half of the LHR slots. So you KNOW how that turned out..
Luckiy it was just Whispers. nothing concrete..
They aren't Tempurpedic Mattresses :blink:
They won't be delivered until late next year (2012), so I don't think that's it.
We will be the first North American Airline to ever order this version of the 777 it is certainly not out of the question that this is simply a trial run, no matter what city pair we ultimately use them on, the resale value of the airplanes are such that if we don't feel they meet are needs we can easily move them and last but not least is 2 planes make no since as a sub fleet and really not enough to fly any route long term. On the other hand no one has ever called ourpay a genius.
My WAG is that Boeing is essentially loaning AA some 777-300ERs as compensation for the multi-year delays in AA's 787-9 deliveries. I suspect the rent on these planes will be very cheap and it won't be the last good deal Boeing makes to AA over the next couple of years.
