Originally Posted by
tcco94
Using 7ER going junior as evidence of 330 going to NH is rather weak. 7ER rarely does intl, has lots of redeyes, and most benefit greatly from the VEOP and got displaced to hold better airplanes or left seat in same base. 330 right now needs a lot more airplanes and seat locks for it to become junior like you're saying. The orders are there but it's still a few years away and that still assumes a vast majority of guys on property now and hired this year and next skip widebody B for upgrades. That's just not the case.
Point being let's see the damn airplane get a little more junior first before we throw out its going to NH. The seniority right now to hold 330 is still pretty damn long and upgrade will probably remain more junior for the time being being on the next few bids I reckon.
But 7ER isn't what it was in 2015, let's be real here. It's a domestic airplane, shrinking, with lots of Latin America, Hawaii (for now), SA, some Europe, transcons, redeyes and crappy charter flying that senior guys who got displaced have no desire for anymore.
The forum isn’t throwing out the idea - the fleet manager is. They expect to have new hires to 330 in 2022. I don’t have access to his data and frankly don’t think it’ll happen, but people in the know seem to want to plan for the contingency. I think we get 6-9 new 330-900s in 2022. Add that additional manning to covid/marketing unknowns, retirements, new 350s, other fleets maxed out on training and a large number of seat locks company-wide and there is a bit of a storm brewing. Open time for the 330 over Christmas is looking pretty overwhelming, and that’s before folks who will go NQ have had their trips pulled from their schedules.