Originally Posted by
chookcooker
Yes. Just like those... and likely they will find the same as VA did when they tried to sell and lease back their aircraft with the small door and no lessor would touch them... a used aircraft that doesn't have the additional flexibility. It was a stupid decision, considering they lose money hand over fist on the Pacific, it is incredibly stupid not to have had this option which could streamline an additional revenue stream by carrying transfer freight on pallet base units, but no surprise for a carrier that buys a regional airline then sells half it's fleet and contracts out the flying to another operator - and no, I don't consider just because SQ, TG, JL and a Chinese carrier ordered them that that makes it smart. SQ has made plenty of dumb decisions in the past, like buying everything that flies to do the same job... Thai Airways who apparently TWICE damaged MD-11s doing engine runs which jumped the chocks and Japan Airlines who were allegedly broke and had to be bailed out by QF, AA and others.
It's akin to AN ordering the 767 without the wide cargo door at the front and then not being able to easily transfer pallets to its 747s from the 5 original aircraft or ordering (paying more) for the A320 without ULD capability to save money on GSE, then spending millions more on injury compensation. These are things that experienced airlines generally don't do.