Air Contractors & B737-300QC

[closefromtheleft]

I see on Jethros Fleet listing website that Air Contractors intend leasing 10 B737-300QCs in 2007. A quick search on the next has turned up no confirmation of this, not even on their site.

Anyone got any info on if this is reativley true or not, and if so where will the aircraft be based?

CFTL

[SKY's4ME]

Air Contractors have been reviewing this for over a year now and it seems it is preparing to return back to an all Jet fleet over the next few years. Many of there Fedex routes have reached full capacity and the 737 will allow rapid growth in Europe under the Fedex feeder network. However I do not think Fedex would be requiring all 10 737's?

[Best foot forward]

I heard that 7-9 of them where for a DHL contract from LEJ, which would mean ACL would be contracted to both Fedex and DHL.

[GBALU53]

Air Contractors

Some routes might be replacing some of the ATR aircraft?

To say they are getting up to ten Boeing 737 is another big step for the company.

The demand for that size of aircraft must be there.???

The support to make a big order that runs into 10s of millions to get the aircraft alone things must be looking up for european freight??-

[ICING AOA]

Air Contractors have been reviewing this for over a year now and it seems it is preparing to return back to an all Jet fleet over the next few years


So what would happen to the ATR crew then ? would ACL just fire them :ouch: ? would ACL promote them to the B737 :ok: ?

[EI-CGO]

Its a bit soon to sugest that any crew would be 'fired' thankfully even in Dublin things just dont happen that way (I hope)

This is a relatively gradual introduction of a new aircraft type as already the Shorts, Fokker and eventually in the future the A300 are removed from the AOC, while some of the routes have outgrown the 42, the 72 remains the aircraft that the integrators want (although its hellishly expensive to lease/buy). Although the aircraft are often at max payload, I am reliably informed that particularly FedEx really wont have the justification for larger aircraft on many routes for several years so the ATR72 in particular will be around for a good while to come. Remember its a huge jump in capacity and price, better to be bulked out that half empty.

The 737 is the natural choice for expansion, you only need to look at French PO and TNT who use this aircraft already to point to existing clients who use this aircraft, and FedEx for some time have evaluated the aircraft, particularly for european and slightly further afield operations.

Its a good move whatever you think of ACL the infrastructure is there to support this expansion, on these pages you often hear a bit of moaning, but the support that most crews get is above industry standard, most things are done in an efficient way so I am sure they will have no problem in integrating this aircraft type quickly, and thats a hell of a lot more than can be said of all these other carriers I keep hearing about with greener grass in the crewroom at CDG!

[Nineiron]

"Its a bit soon to sugest that any crew would be 'fired' thankfully even in Dublin things just dont happen that way (I hope)"
Just think back a few years and recall how the 727 and most bus crews were despatched. Then again, a few years previously how the then EMA operation was made redundant prior to the move to Dublin.

[michaelknight]

Does anyone know if this plan is going ahead? I'm not sure where they are going to get the aircraft, but if they are, where will the get the crews? Wet lease??

MK

[Black Knat]

I have heard that they are running an A300 course for (I think) 3 pilots. Are these internal positions or are they recruiting? Were these people type rated already? I would like to know if it is worth sending my CV.

[Mr Angry from Purley]

Black Knat

There are two ACL Pilots going back to EAT A300, from DHL Air, it could be them :\

[neil armstrong]

i think the people on the course have been on the 757 for a couple of years and are going back onto the A300 and are doing a refresher!

Neil

[hardcase]

the 3 guys on the A300 course were ATR captains with ACL, it was all internal recruitment

[SKY's4ME]

GREAT NEWS!!

More to come I am sure with the 737!

[Heffer]

There doesn't seem much in the way of B757F acmi contract leasing in the market place. I would have thought that with EAT 757s, TNT (T204s) and perceived UPS demand there would be more interest from independent EU cargo airlines unless the demand just doesn't exist from key players. Anyone know if ACL has considered the 757F as a commercially viable aircraft to join their portfolio?

The type surely has great potential with its significant performance/range attributes plus the added benefit or etops.