Interesting. Right now Astar is looking at picking up additional 727 airframes per DHL's request. We have 29 in the system right now. I actually don't believe the "40" aircraft number, but DHL has stated their displeasure of the DC9, and even Hete has indicated between 5 & 35 of them going away.
However, none of us really know what's going on over in Germany, which makes all of this pure speculation. Guess we'll see soon enough.
BTW Cartman, I pointed out the 60 day clause because unlike the majority of you I have flown for DHL for the past 20+ years and have seen how they do contracts. They will always give themself an out. Like I said before, read the ENTIRE document.
I read the entire document, furthermore I understood the 60 day clause represented an "out". The bone I had to pick was your apparent delight & quickness in pointing out the "renewal" of the Hub Services Agreement really meant very little. DHL is like any other major company in this regard. There are always cancellation clauses, for cause, or with some sort of notification.
BTW, I don't necessarily think DHL is going to try and turn back the clock by reducing the US air side to 40 aircraft. It is a RUMOR. I suspect it stems from a passing remark made perhaps in jest.
I also place no particular confidence in anything Joe has to say regarding aircraft reductions. We are in contract negotiations and anything he can at least resonably say which he feels will adversely affect our moral and enhance his bargaining position will be said.
I know from talking to friends in maint. that ABX is "C" checking DC-9's which had been parked on the ramp at CVG. This would not be happening if they did not plan to continue to fly them. It could be that other -9's, currently flying, are coming up on "C" checks and will be parked. In any event, if a lot of -9's were going to get parked I doubt any would be getting "C" checks.
The same is true for the 767. The rumor implies that 7 - 9 of the 767's currently being operated for DHL might be parked or at least taken out of DHL service. 767's are also scheduled for "C" checks. Again, if they were going to be parked they would not be getting checks. OTOH, if they were going for door mods soon (yet another rumor) they probably wouldn't be going in for "C" checks either.
DHL may be displeased with the -9s. I don't like paying taxes, but the alternative is unpalatable. If DHL is having Astar look at 727's I can only hope somebody looked at the captalization costs (to say nothing of the production lead time) of new more fuel efficient aircraft and decided they could buy a lot of jet fuel with the difference until some "newer" more fuel efficient used aircraft came on the market. They may be banking on the 787's debut freeing up a lot of 767 airframes. The fact remains that DHL's main competition in the US domestic market is shedding 727's as quickly as possible because of the fuel costs. DHL is in a tough spot on this one. There really isn't a decent fuel efficient readily available replacement for the 727 (or the -9) currently available. This is not good news for any of us.
uke:
