Connie buys 400s
 

JAL to fuel Kalitta’s growth
07-Dec-2007 : US carrier Kalitta Air, will buy 10 of Japan Airlines’s Boeing 747-400BCFs, a deal that suits both carriers’ fleet renewal targets.

JAL will deliver the first B747-400BCF in May 2009, according to Kalitta, which is also negotiating for a second BCF to be added in July 2009. The sale of the remaining eight aircraft has yet to be confirmed. Kalitta will be the envy of many international airlines in signing on the dotted line for the BCFs, demanded worldwide.

Connie Kalitta, the airline’s chief executive officer, said: “This is an exciting time for us. This purchase marks a milestone for Kalitta Air, which is completing another year of record revenues and is solidly positioned for future growth.”

Kalitta wants to complete the much sought after acquisition of all 10 converted aircraft by 2011, adding to its existing fleet of 19 B747-200 freighters.

http://www.aircargonews.net/article.asp?art_id=2874

Congrats, you'll love the airplane :ok:

The only thing is....he's going to have to use real money and a lot of it to complete this deal. With it comes something else too....respectability.

He's got plenty of money. All his airplanes are paid for and everytime they fly, it puts tons of money in his pockets.

Yeah, his pocket :rolleyes:

The first 400's will come in mid '08. 2 are coming from Malaysia-ground school starts the end of Jan.

Paint job does not matter...
 

L-38...
xxx
In the airfreight business, you can make money with "white whales".
Just need one airplane with "chocolate-blue" colors/designs on pictures for advertizing.
Plain metal, lowers BOWs, and provides higher payload capability.
Just paint the lower fuselage in "basic grey" for corrosion protection.
Do you know the cost of design and paint of airplanes...?
Besides, Connie needs that money for his toys (race cars).
Leave the discussion "new colors" for "airline enthusiasts" and similar idiots.
Your call sign is often "another airline" anyway.
xxx
And as far as pilot salaries increase, forget it.
The management will say "we need to compete with UPS and FedEx"...
Yet, he charges the same rate to move freight per ton/mile or kilometer.
So, work for lower salary, or be unemployed.
Some say "there is a pilot shortage"...
The only pilot shortage is those willing to invest $120,000 in training.
Kalitta (among others) competes with McDonald's for low salaries.
xxx
:)
Happy contrails

I knew that BelArg. I suppose that I was just simply attempting to "gild a lily" (or rather a pitiful - 400).

Trash trucks have better paint schemes.

Ahhh...the Flying Chinese Restaurant.

Connie's paint scheme is very well suited for his asian clients. Red and gold are considered very lucky in these parts.

When you see it you immediately know who it is. Can you say that about some of these other paint jobs? Besides, Connie likes it and that's all that matters.

Connie must have something up his sleeve. If I were a 747 operator, I think I would watch him very carefully. Since getting the airline back his growth has been nothing but phenominal. Say what you will but Connie is a very astute business man. I have many friends there and I wish them well.

Connie has something up his sleeve all the time. The one eyed bandit isn't stupid..that's for sure. When he sold us out to ****ty Hawk, that was just another wild card in his deck. Besides...I'm sure Connie would love to get rid of all his FE's and if he could... all his Pilot's.:rolleyes:

I been told by others that Connie is not a crew lover. As for getting rid of the FE's; with the price of fuel and the new aging aircraft requirements, the FE seat is quickly becoming "Jurrasic". And with the 777 freighters direct from Boeing...well I think you can figure it out.
Bottom line though is Connie is aiming for something, what could be an interesting new thread. I hope everyone at Kalttia, in the meantime, has a long career. Happy New Year!

Actually, old Conrad loves his crews. He just hates the their union.

I subscribe to the old adage "A company gets the union it deserves". Something must have caused the pilots to unionize.

Yes exactly why we went union... Connie treated us like crap. He wouldn't think twice of firing a whole crew for not busting duty or flight time's or refusing to fly a broke airplane.:ugh:

I have heard so many different stories about Connie, he is great, he is the devil incarnent. Whatever it is, you are union now and I hope your lot improved.

Kalitta Air Eyes Domestic Venture

Kalitta Air is considering the launch of a new domestic air freight charter airline to replace Kitty Hawk Airlines, which ceased scheduled service in early November after failing to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

On Jan. 9, officials of Kalitta Air briefed over 55 members of the Air Forwarders Association on a conference call on the proposed Aug. 15, 2008 launch of a nine aircraft charter airline based at Kitty Hawk's former facility at Ft. Wayne, Ind.

The fleet will consist of 727-200s, A300s and the possibility of a 70 Series DC8. The airline will operate four nights per week and include road feeder service to major cities. The airline will provide only overnight, first-come service.

Connie Kalitta, founder and CEO of Kalitta Air, will own and operate Kalitta Air Freight, but participating forwarders will be required to provide seed money upfront that will be returned if the venture does not get off the ground. If, however, the airline is launched but fails after a short time, the seed money will not be returned.

Each forwarder will also be required to pay a fixed monthly fee based on the16 cities served initially. No more specific information on the fee arrangement was provided.

The cost to Mr. Kalitta "will be in the range of $15 million for acquisition of assets (aircraft) and the associated start up costs," said the proposal.

The forwarders will be asked to form a working committee to work with the principles on the new airline. "In addition, we are asking them to participate in a rebate system that will be based on profit," said Bob Hunter, a Kalitta Air principal, who is spearheading the new venture, and will become president if the charter airline is launched. "If this business is profitable, the participants will participate in some of the profit," Hunter said.

Hunter stressed that the new venture, "will be a completely separate entity that has nothing to do with any of the other Kalitta companies," he said.

Robert W. Moorman

Fort Wayne Hub
 

Connie is going to be running the old hub in FWA through his nephew Doug's company "Kalitta Charters II". I have a contact over there (they currently have 4 727's") and no union.

Thier DO is a brash sort who apparently has told people they'r going to hire people in order to fire a few. Nice fellow.

Kalitta Charter's II currently has no union. The way they treat people however it probably won't be long. I'm sure if we got our teamsters involved on that side of the company it wouldbe a good way to keep everything from going on thier certificate.


Billy