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NWA Cargo?

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FBN0223

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 26, 2007
Posts
563
With rumors of yet more downsizing of the B747F fleet in ANC, what will be the future of NWA Cargo?

1) Continue on it's current trend and soon vanish with the merger via Delta management pulls the plug.

2) Continue on it's current trend and soon vanish via the customers pull the plug due to poor service.

3) RA and crew resurrect NWA Cargo with new aircraft B747-400BCF or possibly the B767F?

At one time NWA had 14 freighters, accounting for 10% of NWA revenue.
 
I have no idea what they will do, but if the combined management has a half a brain they will do their best to improve the service and grow it with more efficient aircraft. Most foreign carriers make big bucks with cargo and now NWA is the only US passenger airline that still has some dedicated cargo aircraft. I think they would be idiots to just give it away. EVA has flights from Taipei to LAX and SFO in aircraft that are converted to carry half pax and half cargo containers. There are ways to efficiently carry air cargo if that has been part of their problem. I'd imagine that with the amount of flights they do from at least 7 or 8 US airports to NRT, they could figure out a way to carry more cargo by converting some newer 747s to a part pax/ part container configuration and use those instead of the A330s they are using on many of the routes now. That way they could cut a little capacity (driving up prices), while still operating as many flights and also adding cargo containers to further bring profit to the flights. Or maybe I'm just talking out my @ss and what works for others won't work for them.
 
The rumors I have heard seemed to state that the cargo ops will go away, and that they are currently keeping it for the NRT slots..... I would rather have a cargo division though, because sometimes CARGO can make big bucks.

Bye Bye---General Lee
 
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everyone knows there's no money in Cargo! :cool:

Hopefully they dont stop something that can bring in loads of money.
 
If you were trying to figure out what is going to happen from what can be seen on the ramp, then I would guess its going away. Things may change as the merger progresses but what I see on the ramp up here in ANC does not bode well for the cargo division. I live up here and with that as a vested interest, I want to see it last but my trust is starting to wane....
 
Clippyrip,

Who is flying Alaska cargo, if it isn't NWA? That has always been a big market. Is the traffic bypassing ANC?
 
I think that the powers that be are rethinking the whole cargo deal.
I would venture to bet that the 742's are going bye bye but that may be a good thing.
 
I heard they put Neal Shaw in charge of cargo. (The same guy that took United's fledgling cargo hub in ANC apart) It sounds like Delta for now has no interest in Maindeck cargo. I also heard that DHL and the cargo manager in ANC negotiated a huge new contract but upper management (Steenland) put the kabash on it. Also China air was recently told that NWA will not renew their contract for ground handling and Pegasus will be taking over. It looks like the begining of the end of what used to be prosperous segment of NWA. Its going to be sad to see this go away! What a HUGE waste!
 
NWA stated that there could be some ANC position displacements to MSP if the cargo ops take a cutback which may happen. Then MSP could be overstaffed in the cargo 747 positions. I beleive in MSP they do a lot of military charters which pay well!!!! and other odd ball type charters..
 
NWA is light years behind in the Pacific cargo market. JAL, ANA, and NCA have been either buying or converting to cargo planes left and right and are the dominant players. They don't even stop in ANC anymore. There is also FDX which is a large player. KE is major in cargo out of ICN. This is already a lost battle. NWA neglected its cargo division for far too long. Converting the B744s to cargo is an idea but Delta probably would want to keep them for pax service somewhere within their combined route structure (not necessarily in the pacific) There is probably a long wait for the conversion too. Speaking of NRT slots, they certainly have more than it can handle right now and if they don't use them, they lose them. FDX and UPS would eat them up. It's funny how NWA leases a couple of slots to one of the major competitors too, for passenger service.
 
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