Astar buys Kitty Hawk

[Bitter]

Any truth to this rumor gaining momentum on the yahoo board?

 

[HeavyjetDC8]

Don't know - but it wouldn't be surprising. Lift has to come from somewhere and a last-ditch grab for independent smaller carriers is probably in play.

 

[Box-Hauler]

I think there would be a problem with the bankruptcy judge allowing this. The creditors would want the highest bidder, which would put Kitty Hawk into play for the highest bidder. Could Joe possibly buy all the excess lift? ABX does have the 76 on its ticket? Wonder if ANA would like a few narrow body jets for some of there short haul routes.

 

[texarkana]

good luck guys, I hope ya'll keep on flying somehow!!

 

[bvt1151]

Not happening

 

[356emain]

ABXAIR says:
Our customer, DHL, has contracted with Kitty Hawk Airlines to fly five Boeing 737 aircraft in the DHL network beginning Monday, Nov. 19. DHL has asked us to support this effort with loading, unloading, deicing, and ground handling procedures similar to what we currently provide to ASTAR. We will, of course, provide these DHL flights the same excellent service we always provide DHL.

DHL anticipates heavy volume as we enter the holiday season, and tells us they need these additional aircraft to provide resiliency to the DHL network. The Kitty Hawk aircraft will REPLACE five ASTAR B727 aircraft currently operating within the DHL air network. REDUCING B727 flying will free B727 crew resources to improve the reliability of the remaining operations.

 

[AV8OR]

"DHL anticipates heavy volume as we enter the holiday season...." You gotta be kiddin me.

 

[erichartmann]

"DHL anticipates heavy volume as we enter the holiday season...." You gotta be kiddin me.

Everybody has a dream...

 

[b707guy]

Just curious - is there any interchangeability between ABX DC-9s and the Astar fleet? Do ABX's door-loaded containers fit or it a never the two shall meet kind of thing?

How many positions can KH's 737s carry to "replace" the same number of 727s? And when will Astar's new hires hit the ramp? Related???

 

[erichartmann]

Just curious - is there any interchangeability between ABX DC-9s and the Astar fleet? Do ABX's door-loaded containers fit or it a never the two shall meet kind of thing?

How many positions can KH's 737s carry to "replace" the same number of 727s? And when will Astar's new hires hit the ramp? Related???

I believe the 737s have 8 positions vs the 727s 12. I believe the 737s have a fairly restrictive sheer load which will limit how heavy the aft most container(s) can be.

All of ABX's DC-9's use ABX's "C" container. This is legacy from the Airborne days. ABX has a few (9 at my last count) -9's which have cargo doors. The doors, I think, are all deactivated at this time and much of the hardware removed. ABX has 2 shipsets of the needed parts to reactivate the doors. I have no idea how long that would take. ABX had loaded some of DC-8's with "C" contained by locking them down to "cookie sheets". I believe this actually required some type of approval from the FAA so I don't know if the same thing could be done with the 727.

I'll let one of the Astar posters speak to their new hires.