Originally Posted by
procede
Likely to be ditched at the last moment, as it happened before with the original 777.
The original concept in 1990, before the 777 entered service, was based around it being used to replace DC-10s etc on what DC-10s actually did at the time, which was the likes of Chicago to LAX or San Francisco. The US domestic terminal stands at these points were already maxed out so it was proposed as a way to use the existing stand space.
Of course things moved on and widebodies are never considered, apart from the odd operating convenience, for such runs now, and 777s are exclusively long-haul aircraft using different terminals, those laid out for 747s. Among other things it wasn't much of a fold, just enough to get back to DC-10 dimensions. It wasn't like a carrier aircraft !
Folding wingtips seem an accident waiting to happen. Use of them allows aircraft to be packed in tighter ... Hmmm. Non-folding aircraft directed onto a folding-sized stand, unfold them too soon on departure, forget to fold on arrival, time wasted on the taxiway folding/unfolding, have them not deploy fully properly, etc, etc. We shan't even think about attempting to depart with them folded.