Originally Posted by
wjcandee
According to the rumor, does the program that is being "scrapped" include the 6 737-400s that have been flying for DHL for a couple of years?
While anything is of course possible, I am unclear as to why and/or how Amazon would permit Southern to "outsource" the 737-800 flying. The aircraft are leased by Amazon from GECAS, and are being placed with Southern only for the purpose of operating them. In other words, AAWW only gets the CMI component. Amazon has no need for a middleman in the form of Southern if the actual flying is to be performed by some other carrier; Amazon could just terminate the CMI contracts for convenience and shift the flying to another carrier. (The only wrinkle might be the regulatory reasons for the capital investment by Amazon in AAWW; otherwise this idea makes no sense. Of course, Southern could outsource the 737-400s and use its pilots to fly the 737-800 program -- but they would then still need more pilots down the road.)
From what I’ve been told. The DHL 737s have been around forever. It’s the new amazon contract. There 2 airplanes sitting in VQQ right now - ready to go. But Atlas can’t staff it. The 3 birds flying right now are suffering from delays according to the flight track software “ crew delays, crew scheduling, and delay yet to be determined”
It’s clear to Amazon we have labor issues, a crash, and massive delays- we are unable to fly the 3 we have on time - let alone 20.