I'm sure one of AC's most expensive 747 costs was the folks up-front, then the plane itself. AC could always fill them. But with 744's (all by definition less than 14 years old) sitting in the desert, the price is probably right. And as Mark mentioned there are numerous routes, cargo and pax that the 744 would work extremely well on AC's route system. Cathay flies two big boys most days YVR-HKG, why can't AC with all of it's possible UA/AC feeder traffic? And with over-the-pole routings now more readily available than they were only a few years ago, AC could easily fill 744s doing YYZ/YVR-New Delhi, Bombay etc. AC has problems, but very few of them were related to the inability to fill their large international routes. Canadian's prime pickings were their 744/DC10 dominated routes to Asia, so much so that Air Canada tried to buy only those routes... but after a nasty acquisition battle they ended up saddled with all of Canadian's debt, their planes, their liabilities which of course was the nail in their coffin. Matthew On Dec 10, 2003, at 11:38 PM, Mark Greenwood wrote: > There are several routes where they would have absolutely no problem = > filling > a 747. YVR-NRT springs to mind. They could also reduce some of the > frequencies between places like YYZ-LHR if they operated a larger = > aircraft. > Plus if they are getting the aircraft for a song their operating costs > = > would > be significantly reduced. > > Mark > > -----Original Message----- > From: The Airline List [mailto:AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of > Michael A. Burris > Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2003 6:19 PM > To: AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: Re: AC and 747s > > > AIRLINE: > > I don't believe it. I thought that they were trying to get rid of > their > larger a/c because they had a hard time filling them and their present > = > debt > situation means that those beautiful birds are basically draining them? > > I'd be very surprised if this were true, but this business is full of > surprises! > > Mike Burris > Cambridge, Mass > > > >> ok, I was just reading on a.net that AC is supposed to be getting 8=20 >> 747s from somewhere. Mike or Matthew (or anyone for that matter), >> is=20 >> this the truth and if so, where from? > > --- > Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.548 / Virus Database: 341 - Release Date: 05/12/2003 > =20 > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.548 / Virus Database: 341 - Release Date: 05/12/2003 > =20