Amtran727 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (12 years 3 months 3 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 1690 times:
I know that DL and AA bought 741's and eventually returned them (DL much more quickly) but then AA reinstatred some SP service in 1987 for a few years. Why dont they use the planes anymore or order new ones? I don't think their load factors are too low, (or are they?). Here's a wild idea a WN or TZ 747, now that would be awesome, but unfortunately, will Never happen. Any thoughts?
Conair From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2000, 196 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (12 years 3 months 3 weeks ago) and read 1652 times:
As far as I remember the three American A/L B747SP's were a stopgap measure for use on their newly acquired transatlantic routes back in 1991 until they got deliveries of the MD11's and additional B767 aircraft.
Art at ISP From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 164 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (12 years 3 months 2 weeks 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 1575 times:
Delta really never planned to operate the 747. They needed them to compete in the early seventies because of serious delays (RR bankruptcy) in the delivery of the L-1011. They leased 5 747's from Pan Am I believe, and those aircraft were delivered right from Boeing (hence the -132 designation). ( I could be wrong with the details, but I know that thje DL 747's wound up with PA).
American Airlines dumped the 747's the first time due to low load factors. As more DC-10's came on line the 747's were removed from service. Bob Crandall has always hated the 747, and with the exception of a brief time in 1984 with JFK-LAX and with the SP-s they were gone.
I believe Don Carty has inherited his ex boss's dislike for the 747 so I doubt you'll ever see a 744 in AA livery. Also the only way we're likely to see a 744 in DL colors would be for them to take over NW.
RayChuang From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 7695 posts, RR: 5 Reply 6, posted (12 years 3 months 2 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 1568 times:
If I remember it, AA did get a bunch of ex-Pan Am 747SP's in the latter half of the 1980's for their DFW to Europe and DFW-NRT routes for a number of years until the MD-11 became available.
Unfortunately, the MD-11's proved a bit short on range, and AA didn't buy as many as McD wanted. Small wonder why AA was one of the first airlines to get the 777-200ER when Boeing made it available--and AA could end up with over 50 772ER's for their international operations.
NorthStarDC4M From Canada, joined Apr 2000, 2804 posts, RR: 40 Reply 7, posted (12 years 3 months 2 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 1563 times:
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Delta did buy the 747s from Boeing, and BTW they were the 1st Boeings Delta ever ordered (becasue CE Woolman wouldnt buy a boeing to save his soul).
They were traded back to Beoing in a 727 deal and ended up with PanAm
the AA 747SPs came from TWA when AA bought the LHR routes.
Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
Redraider From United States of America, joined Oct 2000, 531 posts, RR: 2 Reply 8, posted (12 years 3 months 2 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 1543 times:
AA got the ex TWA SP's when they began DFW-Tokyo service in the late 80's.
They only got 2 as well.
My wife can't wrestle, but you should see her box.
Blink182 From Azerbaijan, joined Oct 1999, 5430 posts, RR: 19 Reply 9, posted (12 years 3 months 2 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 1544 times:
I believed that AA operated the SPs into the early 90s. I think that when they bought the SEA-NRT route, they flew the SP on it forawhile because there weren't enough MD-11s in the fleet yet.
Today, American and Delta don't need the 747. Both airlines are fine and doing well with 777s and untill they get enough asian routes, I doubt we will see a 747 in either airlines fleet. If either airline were to order the 747, I would say AA. If the AA/TWA merger goes through, AA will operate a lot of flights to Asia that TWA currently own the rights to, but don't operate. Even then, I think AA will be better off flying 777's to Asia. They operate them to Osaka,and Tokyo, and the 777 does very well on the route, AA is going to launch Taipei service, so lets see if the 777 does its job there.
If you look in the history books, the 747 has actually put many small airlines out of business, because they were too expensive to operate, and the loads weren't high enough. Ward Air, Nationair,Caledonian are just a few of those. PAN AM also got in trouble with the 747 too. The routes they operated needed an A310 or A300, but they put a 747 on the route and that airline is no longer around.
rgds,
blink182
Give me a break, I created this username when I was a kid...
Toxtethogrady From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 938 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (12 years 3 months 2 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 1539 times:
They both committed for the MD-11, thinking the 747-400 was a bad fit for their markets. Boy, did they kick themselves later. Now both are replacing the MD-11 with the 777...
Redraider From United States of America, joined Oct 2000, 531 posts, RR: 2 Reply 11, posted (12 years 3 months 2 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 1532 times:
The 744 is still a bad fit for their markets.
My wife can't wrestle, but you should see her box.
Toxtethogrady From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 938 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (12 years 3 months 2 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 1509 times:
...so they could ditch their MD-11's. Otherwise, they'd have a problem (whether to buy Airbus or not...)
Orlo3 From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 139 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (12 years 3 months 2 weeks 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 1472 times:
On a visit to a 767 cockpit after a delta flight into Tampa, the captain told me that Delta was rumored to be looking into the 747-400 for expansion into China.
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