Air Pacific expanding fleet and services

[cabinboy]

News October 10, 2002



Air Pacific is set to acquire two Boeing 747-400 aircraft for use on high traffic routes including Sydney and Los Angeles.

The airline’s ceo, John Campbell, said the new aircraft would be introduced in March and June 2003.

He said the carrier's existing 747-200 - leased from 46 per cent shareholder Qantas - would be retired in June.

The additional 747s will be used to offer daily services to Sydney, replacing three weekly 767 services and one 747 service. The new aircraft will also allow Air Pacific to double its flights to Los Angeles to four a week.

A medium-haul aircraft is also expected to join the airline's fleet .

Source-travelwise.com

Medium Haul aircraft = A330 ?????:eek:


Cabinboy

[radartostby]

Hi guys,
Oh boy!!
We were discussing this eventuality within AP a couple of years ago, even before the most recent political coupe, I've been away for awhile, that was about mid 2000, right?

The Flight Engineers in AP have saved their bacon on so many occasions, I can't even begin to count the times!
And, the other problem, the expertise of the maintenance people there, it's not real hot, and there are not enough of them!

They have been kept 'honest' by the FEs, SO MANY TIMES, trying to, shall we say, economize, whilst trying to despatch several aircraft at once! (The details would scare you!)

AND NOW, trying to keep up with the jones, aquiring the -400, when the 2 X -238's they had did a good, reliable job, they will run into problems.
Good luck to them, they are going to have to lift their game to maintain/get a reliable service.

Cheers

[Taildragger67]

QF have 6 shiny new 744ERs on order - the first couple arriving before Christmas - then a gaggle of Buses (more A330s than required to simply replace the 762s, then the A380s so somewhere to shove the older 744s - by 2006, OJA will be 16 or 17 years old - would be welcomed). OJA must now 12 or 13 years old, so presumably out of lease. Looks like a reasonable way to get rid of a few of the older bangers?? Or, maybe chuck a couple of the Ugly Sisters at FJ???

So, it would not surprise if FJ's 742s were tinned in favour of the oldest QF 744s and maybe even a 763 or two (if Australian don't get them) as the 330s come in. Hell, maybe some of the 330s might go straight up to NAN??

[Going Boeing]

QF is currently very short of B744 capacity at present and is trying to acquire additional aircraft as quickly as possible so I doubt that the planned FJ B744's will come from QF. They will probably be leased by FJ direct from a leasing firm with QF contracted to do the major maintenance. Let's hope that they don't acquire any ex-BA B744's as QF's experience with VH-NLH has been very poor with many disruptions for passengers.

FJ has been looking at the A330 for a few years now and I wouldn't be surprised if they acquire 1 or 2. It's the right sized aircraft for some of their routes and QF will have all the training and maintenance infrastructure in place.

[Sal-e]

You may be right 'bout the A330's. Done by a little pressure from the EU, a generous aid provider for Fiji. Dunno if their weak flight operations division can cope with 2 mobs though.

[Taildragger67]

Looks like there are plenty of 744s kicking around these days - UA just doubled the number available by putting 8 airframes on the market; some probably still smell new:

http://www.planemart.com/listings.asp?type=Commercial&manufacturer=BOEING&model=747-400

All appear to be PW-powered so not sure if QF would be able to run the maint on them, but they'd probably be able to get a maint deal with SQ or UA???

[AN2002]

AN I think have a few 744s lying somewhere. They'd come damn cheap!

[1A_Please]

AN2002, the 2 oldest 744s currently listed for sale by SQ are the ex-AN 744s. SQ repossessed them last October and they've basically been sitting in the Changi sun ever since!!

Apparently the rumor within QF is that it is these 2 ships that FJ are currently looking at getting. If so, I'd expect SQ to get the heavy maintenance contract.

[AN2002]

I was told that there were 20 or so A320/A330/A318s lying on the tarmac at Changi. Is this true?