Fedex latest: 737 out again, 757 Back in!

[Mr Zog]

Nothing new. I have been hearing international postal contract rumors for 2 years now.

 

[ILStoMinimums]

Airbus A320's? Your jocking right? Are there any A320F's out flying with other carriers? I don't think I've ever come across one.

 

[Murdawg5]

Just a quick addition to the international mail thing...

I just did an Narita-China-Osaka flight, and while doing my walkaround on the turn, the boxkickers were unloading US Mail addressed to China... So, we're definately hauling the international mail... As per how much we're hauling and the future amounts...
Who knows...
Later,
Murdawg5

 

[TonyC]

Thursday February 3, 2005



FedEx Express To Acquire Airbus A320

FedEx Express plans to acquire 15 A320‘s which it says it will convert to freighters. They plan to take delivery of the aircraft beginning in 2006 provided conversions go as planned. The A320 offers superior service capabilities that FedEx Express’ present short haul fleet cannot match.

“This FedEx order is major in the future of the A320 program. FedEx is our first U.S. all cargo operator for the A320 freighter version," said Noel Forgeard, Airbus Chief Executive Officer.

I talked to an ALPA insider yesterday. We're in the process of negotiating Right of First Refusal to service the Lavs and cross the seatbelts on the jumpseats. ALPA believes this will serve to improve pilot morale, and at the same time contribute directly to the corporate bottom line. The Company has allowed that such a voluntary concession could very well be that "make or break" that might make it possible for our financially-troubled company to turn the freighter into a profitable proposition.



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[Big Beer Belly]

I already thought we had the entire postal contract stateside...and also had the European one now. So, I don't know what this could be. But I haven't seen anything on the boards here yet.

Anyone know anything of this?

Kav

If you guys have the entire postal contract, would you please get your stuff off our (UPS) jets. <g> Every time I look we're hauling postal to HNL ... on several occasions extra 747's are chartered full of nothing but postal ... something about FedEx can't handle it. <vbg>

 

[Big Beer Belly]

There are many factors out there that could affect our hiring adversly in the next 5 years:

1. When (not if) we trade in the "Boeing", I predict that we will see a complete freeze on our hiring. All of those 727 S/O slots (400 plus) will evaporate. Thats a lot of pilots to absorb.
2. If the over 60 rule changes we will have minimal retirements, only medicals, for 5 years.
3. If we allow every retired FedEx pilot who's over 60 but not yet 65 to come back and fly again at their seniority number.
4. If the new contract has work rule changes that allow for greater productivity.

I don't want to bring anyone down...I just think we are getting carried away. There are factors out there that can adversly affect our hiring in a significant manner.

I say this because we are in tenuous times with contract negotiations and I don't want to see anyone make purchases based on progression predictions that I belive to be unrealistically high.

I don't mean to step on any fellow cargo toes here, but here's a few items that have really stagnated our hiring/seat progression at UPS:

1. 3-2 man aircraft retirements/purchases. Out w/ the 747, DC-8 and 727 ... all replaced with 2-pilot acft.

2. ALL new acft are widebodies. Instead of 727's with a single leg in/out of the sort it's now 2 legs in/out with 1 jet and only 2 pilots.

3. By far the most devastating damage to our schedules/hiring/progression and block hours overall has been the company's trucking of former air packages (far more cost efficient we're told). Their multi-year overhaul by IT geeks has resulted in an approximately 20% (conservatively estimated by the IPA) reduction in flying (as measured by block hours). Nearly all Friday night air sorts are shutdown (SDF and ONT exceptions) and they have figured out a way to rail/truck the volume coast to coast and everywhere in between over the weekend. Additionally, Mon-Thurs volume is trucked/rail to the absolute maximum extent possible and still make service commitments/guarantees. As an example UPS runs these all white cabbed sleeper trucks between LA and Dallas (and many other city pairs) in less than 22 hrs. Our ONT-DFW flights now move only next day volume. All 2/3-day volume is trucked (former air volume).

This has thankfully not resulted in furloughs, rather just stagnation, as the overall air volume has experienced healthy increases every year thereby cushioning the negative effect of the shift to ground. According to management, they have completed their squeezing of the efficiencies out of the air system so all our growth in the airline from now on is "pure" (if you will).

My guess is that you (at FedEx) will unfortunately (from a pilot perspective) experience the same challenges to hiring/upgrades that we've gone through as your company continues to build its ground operation and seek the most cost efficient means to deliver the boxes.

Best of luck to all my friends in purple. Kick Fred's butt on your next contract would ya! <g>