Boeing Strike Delays Air Canada Deliveries

[mighty mouse]

September 24, 2008
Air Canada's fleet renewal plan has been dealt another blow as a strike at Boeing delays delivery of new fuel-saving wide-body aircraft, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

Air Canada CEO Montie Brewer said the country's biggest carrier does not know when it will receive two Boeing 777s it had expected by the end of this year. It had also banked on one additional 777 in the first quarter of 2009.

"They'll come late," Brewer told an investor conference in Montreal. "(Boeing has) given some initial indication day to day, but obviously they don't really know until the strike ends and they can understand how the supply chains and the whole process can begin back up again."

Air Canada has so far taken delivery of 15 777s.

This year, it has had already pushed its timetable for receiving new-generation 787s back by two years to 2012.

Development of that aircraft had been fraught with costly delays before nearly 27,000 Boeing machinists walked off the job in early September, stopping production at the company's Seattle-area plants.

Both aircraft types are seen as key to Air Canada's long-haul flying strategy.

Brewer said the company will "manage through" the delay getting the remaining 777s. He did not elaborate.

Earlier this year, as oil prices headed toward a record above USD$147 a barrel, Brewer said Air Canada might retire wide-body Airbus A330-300s sooner than planned, and use replacement jets to reduce fuel costs before the 787s start entering the fleet.

(Reuters)

http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1222281149.html

[yycflyguy]

No worries. Boeing is going to compensate Air Canada with available leased 757's until the 787 come in 2012... the comany is waiting until after negotiations to announce it

[mighty mouse]

Wouldn't after negotiations be a little to late? AC is negotiating summer 2009,, new aircraft coming 2010? 787 in 2012.. You would think they would want 757 now to replace the 767-200s.