Originally Posted by acl65pilot

Lets look at the freighters for a second. Lets also look at why the operation was shut down.

First the 742 was a maintenance pig, and as a result had to have some very skill mechanics working on it. After the NWA Mechanic strike these skilled workers were gone and the dispatch reliability went though the floor. This was what did in the last contract that NWA had for their dedicated freighter fleet.

Combine this with no fleet renewal and you have a recipe for a failed business model.

There is so much cargo just waiting for be forwarded by anyone with a jet, that upstarts like Southern Air have been able to make a go at it with almost no logistics in place.

The reality is Atlas/Polar is a great buyout target for any airline that wants to do cargo. If I were DAL I would be looking at operating a small fleet of dedicated freighters. I know you disagree with this. It is a fact that there are lucrative contracts in dedicated freight to be had.

I have talked to our cargo managers all over the world and they all state they could fill up a cargo jet multiple times a week. There is a market there, and if done correctly, it would add to the bottom line.

The only thing standing in our way is the order book that AF has for cargo jets......