NWA Selling 747s?

[GoABX]

Anyone heard a rumor about Northwest selling their 747-200s?

 

[Flic1]

I haven't heard anything about selling them, but they are temporarily parking 16 742's.

 

[BaronFR8Dog]

I'll buy one!

 

[jumppilot03]

I saw that airnet is selling a Leer 55

 

[Hose A. Jiminez]

... and ive got a clue for sale.

 

[Boomhauer]

Well I’ve got an old window a/c unit you can have for $25.00…

 

[metrodriver]

Boomhauer, did you buy it at the Megalomart in Arlen?

 

[Bill Mostellar]

Anyone heard a rumor about Northwest selling their 747-200s?

I heard the same from an NWA crew in BWI last week as we were talking furloughs. He said management is beating them up with the SARS scare (isn't it over yet).

I wish you success!

 

[GoABX]

Don't know whether those on this thread are poking fun or just injecting a little humor, but if it was not good natured, then those individuals should ask themselves: WHO and WHY would someone buy a block of 30 747s and perhaps two blocks of 25 to 50 767s. What kind of hiring numbers would that mean?

Rather than some low-timer & furloughed guys joking about what garage sale items to buy and sell, perhaps they should ponder how they will put themselves at the head of the line of those who are (will be) hiring.

Even at the peak of hiring 1998-2001 when 9,000-12,000 new hires were taken at the majors, there were 50,000-55,000 qualified applicants vying for those jobs. Today we have even more experienced pilots shooting for 1,000-2,000 and not all of those are with majors. So if I were on the street I would focus on gathering every scrap of intel or networking with anyone that would listen, so I would have a little advantage over the other 75,000 guys trying for the same job.

But hey, I'm not in your shoes and you're not in mine. You do it your way.

 

[metrodriver]

Uhhhh, nobody said anything about someone buying airplanes, now that would be some great news if it were for expansion. NWA was parking a bunch of 747-200's, and if that means more furloughs then that will be a few more guys added to the 10.000s already walking the street. If NWA buys 16 747-400s to replace the -200 then they still have a whole bunch of fe's that need a new position or go walking. The 767 probably will replace the DC10, which also makes the fe's redundant. So is this good news? No. And they still have many furloughed pilots that want to be recalled. Till then I will keep looking at them, trying to find a job and as soon as they open their mailbox my resume will be the first one there.
(and I will poke some fun if someone does it too, and if you didn't get the joke just watch King of the Hill if you're in Texas. If you fly for ABX you'll probably be flying at that time of the night)

 

[fokkerjet]

The 767 probably will replace the DC10, which also makes the fe's redundant.

Where did the B767 come into play with Northwest? They start taking delivery of the A330-323X's sometime later this year to replace their DC10-30's on international routes, the B757-351's, I thought, were replacing the DC10-40's on domestic routes, or something like that?

 

[GoABX]

No one implied NWA was buying 767s or 747s. The possible buyer of the NWA 747s (if this is confirmed) is also in the market for a block of 767s.

I doubt the sale would change Northwest's plans. They are going to do what they were going to do anyway. In other words, they aren't going to furlough extra guys they planned on keeping just so they could sell some old hardware. Half of it appears to parked already anyway.

My guess is if everything (all the rumor) comes together, the hiring would not come for another 9-18 months.

 

[Capt TedStriker]

GO ABX...

A question for you GO ABX...

You said you heard of a rumor of NWA selling some 74's... but is that all of the rumor that you heard??? If someone is selling that must mean that someone is BUYING?? You alluded in one of your last posts that the Buyer would also be buying 76's.

Just trying to put some pieces of the Big Puzzle together...

One other thing.... Are you for or Against DHL buying you guys??? How will the seniority merger go??? Have you heard any rumors on that (I'll bet they are ugly!)??

 

[metrodriver]

Well, so who is buying NWA 747's and a bunch of 767's? I guess I missed this bit of news somehow.
But if you start a thread about NWA selling 747-200's and then post a message of why would someone buy 747's (no model #) and some 50 767's to me that implies NWA. I just forgot for a moment that NWA has airbusses on order, but there are a lot of airlines that replaced DC10's and L1011's with 767's, same as replacing 747-200's with -400's, including some of NWA partner airlines.
So now I'm curious, who is going to get those 747's and 767's?

 

[GoABX]

C_TS

There are multiple rumors floating around. Putting them all together (if they are all true). The buyer of the 74's and /or a future subsiduary is interested for a block of 25-75 767-200/300s. They want a block, not onesy-twosies.

Re: Merger

I think both sides (pilots) are cautiously optimistic. On paper it is a match made in heaven. The devil is in the details. First, both DHL's and ABX's ACMI contracts with DHL International state they will be the exclusive air provider....how does that work? Second, the ABX contract says they can cancel flights after one year. The problem is they can slowly shut down our airline as they subcontract to sleezy 3rd rate operators OR they could play DHL and ABX against each other. (Consessions for more flying). The fear is they will pull an Emery on us. Our hope is Deutsche Post is serious about growing marketshare and won't be trying to screw pilots. If all goes well the merged airline might double in size in 5 years.

Combining seniority lists will just plain be ugly; it always is. Both unions are trying to be mildly friendly, but in the end they will have to guard their own memberships best interests. The problem is DHL's seniority list is relatively more junior than Airborne's, but they are likely to be the acquirer....see the problem. Airborne has 800 pilots flying 115 planes; DHL has 500 pilots flying 35 planes. ABX pilots feel DHL is overstaffed and DHL pilots feel they are not overstaffed...again this will be problematic when and if the lists are combined. Hopefully, there will be rapid growth and people won't be as concerned over few numbers (yah, right)

Seniority merger will not happen for a while anyway. First, Dasburg [current DHL Airways CEO, former NWA CEO - see the link!] buys DHL Airways (the airline) from DHL/DP and renames it ASTAR...should happen today. Then ABX must be spun off from Airborne (this Fall?) IF Dasburg choses to buy ABX and IF he decides to merge the airlines, there would be an affiliation election (ALPA vs Teamsters). Then there would be a seniority integration (rules depend on whether Teamsters or ALPA win). Then there is an amalgamation of the two pilot contracts. Then the new union could possibly go right back into contract talks. All the while DHL has to get a ruling from DOT that they are alllowed to continue operating in the US. {UPS/FDX claim DHL is in violation of foreign ownership laws. Ruling due at the end of October.}

 

[acarpe3448]

I think the secret buyer of the 747s and 767s is Comair. You see they are planning on the RJDC lawsuit to put an end to all forms of scope everywhere. Then Captain Ford will about setting a new bar for 747 Left seat pay at the regionals. I would not put it past him.