Englandair From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2000, 2228 posts, RR: 3 Posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 7 hours ago) and read 1349 times:
After reading some of the postings on here and comments on photos, I've concluded that the MD-11 is being retired from the fleets of alot of major scheduled airlines.
If I'm right (and haven't just got the wrong end of the stick), why?
I've also noticed that afew have been converted into freighters.
If they are being retired by some of the major airlines, where are they going?
Will the charter & smaller scheduled airlines get them?
Critter592 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 7 hours ago) and read 1308 times:
Well, As you already know, The MD-11 was not a very good idea. All it has is an updated Flight Deck and a Few Technological advances. but it came out at the time that 2 engined widebodies were being Sold and It did not sell much. Besides, The Screwed up Reputation of the DC-10 made it kind of hard for MD to sell this Aircraft.
Aussie_ From Australia, joined Dec 2000, 1765 posts, RR: 5 Reply 5, posted (12 years 6 months 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 1225 times:
Does anyone know whether Finnair has selected a replacement for their MD-11s??? The obvious choice would be A340s considering their recent Airbus purchases.
Acvitale From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 921 posts, RR: 13 Reply 6, posted (12 years 6 months 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 1224 times:
While the MD11 may not be as popular with the major airlines of the world due to higher per passenger cost it is seeing accellerated conversion to freighters as it is very much in demand as the premier frieghter of the world's cargo airlines. The MD11 has superior cargo lift cost per pound over the DC10 and the 747 as well as the L1011 and A300/A310 and A330/A340.
The high demand in cargo is causing the airlines to retire them as they command a premium price with cargo operators. In some cases they are being leased for MORE money now to cargo operators then they were when they were newer with airline customers. It is an unusual situation.
VH-BZF From Australia, joined Oct 1999, 783 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (12 years 6 months 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 1194 times:
The MD11 suffered greatly with performance short falls early on & this ultimately killed it off. Not only this but also it is a one off, not a part of a family of airliners. It has an excellent reputation as a freighter (The king of freighters actualy), & FedEx & others can't get their hands on them quick enough! They are also relatively expensive as freighters as they have only had a short life as pax aircraft as compared with other current freight aircraft that have been converted (B747-100/200's, DC10's, L1011's, DC8's & 9's, B727's etc etc etc).
I wrote a post about this sometime ago - called 'the race to replace the MD11' - check it out, for more info if you want, this should answer all your questions!
Cheers - BZF
Ansett Australia - (was) One of the worlds great airlines!
Notarzt From Germany, joined Dec 2000, 642 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (12 years 6 months 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 1150 times:
Original customers of the MD-11 pax version with replacement for their fleets:
American (all MD-11 to FedEx)
China Eastern (converion to freighters)
Koran Air (conversion to freighters)
EVA Air (conversion to freighters?)
Swissair (all to FedEx)
LTU (all to Swissair and, subsequently, to FedEx)
JAL (all to UPS)
VASP (all to UPS)
Delta (decision expected soon, may be all to UPS)
Varig (decision expected soon)*
KLM (decision expected soon)*
Thai Airways (decision expected soon)*
Finnair (decision expected soon)*
* decisions might have been made already, but definite contracts are still pending.
Remaining original customers of the pax MD-11:
Alitalia
China Airlines
CityBird
World Airways
Looks much better for the Combi, Convertible and Freighter versions.
Flybulldog From United States of America, joined Aug 2000, 365 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (12 years 6 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 1152 times:
The Wall Street Journal wrote a front-page write-up several month's ago about some of the turmoil surrounding the MD11. Sorry that I can't remeber the article's name or date.
Hagi From Finland, joined Jun 1999, 176 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (12 years 6 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 1140 times:
For the Nth time...
Says Finnair itself (i.e., not us, not Santa, nor anybody else with no influence whatsoever to the airline's decisions), via mouths (keyboards, really) of the boys and girls of their Corporate Communications dept: the company is NOT in the process of replacing the fleet of three-engined, widebodied, long-haul McDonnell Douglas MD-11 passenger jet aircraft, of which they own and operate four (4) examples, with a fleet of another type of aircraft of similar characteristics. I've heard (read, really) this information addressed to myself personally, as well as to a wider audience.
Yeah, but of course they will, on the long run. Who knows, maybe if either one of the manufacturers offers a good deal and the queue of buyers for the 3-holers (major cargo carriers spring into mind) turns out long enough, they'll make a decision tomorrow.
What I'm saying is, nothing has been decided and, besides plentiful rumours, Finnair is quite happy with their few precious heavy machines as they are.
What I'm also saying is, it's worth using the "Search" feature on this forum before initiating a thread on a given subject. Who knows, you might find something...
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