Pakistan Int''l. Airlines to Buy/Lease UAL B777s?

[Cosmo]

I don''t know how accurate this might be, but Reuters put out an article earlier today that discussed Pakistan Int''l. Airlines acquiring eight B777s over the next few years. The intriguing comment came in the 9th paragraph of the article where PIA said that instead of purchasing or leasing new aircraft from Boeing, it might acquire "nearly new" B777s from United.
I know United has wanted to sell some or all of its B747-400 fleet, but "nearly new" B777s? This is hard to believe. Even if United downsizes as part of a bankruptcy proceeding, IMHO it seems unlikely that recently delivered B777s would be discarded.
Here is the Reuters article. Has anyone heard about anything like this, or is it totally off the wall?

 

[casual rat]

It would seem that 'downsizing' may be part of 'The Plan'...It does seem odd that in all other parts of the World (outside the US), Airplanes are being purchased. I think it's an attack on labor meself, but there's really nothing I can do about it at this point. I do think the powers that be are screwing with a delicate economic environment that might prove to blow up in their faces in the future....just a thought.[:]

 

[UAL777flyer]

Well, it's probably a no-brainer that if UA ends up declaring Chapter 11, the company that emerges will be much smaller than it is today. That being said, I think it would be a mistake to get rid of 777's. That is the fleet that UA needs for international operations going forward. It's the B744's that need to go away. However, maybe UA figures that when they get their labor costs lowered to a more competitive level (which will happen one way or another), the B744's can be flown profitably and therefore a few 777's can be sold off to raise needed capital. I'm only guessing. But nothing surprises me anymore.

 

[AAmech]

Not to mention its probably a heck of lot easier to sell a 777! There's very little market today for 744's. Just ask Boeing!