AA rushes to fix wiring issues in AB6 fleet

[FWAAA]

787 isn't made for flying short haul. It's made for 767-300 type missions and longer.

Agreed. The 787-3 won't be ordered by any airlines other than ANA and JAL; if it's anything like the high-density short-haul 747 variants, it will carry an awful lot of extra structural weight (like undercarriage) compared to the -8s, -9s and -10s.

The other question is does AA really need widebodies to/from the Caribbean? Some markets carry a lot of bags, but cargo alone isn't enough of a justification to fly a dedicated widebody fleet. At some point, fuel surcharges on air freight are going to drive cargo away from aircraft and back onto ships. IIRC, surface transport MIA-SJU takes about 60 hours vs. 8 hours dock to dock. How much of what's flown today could survive another two days in transit?...

Very good points. My posts advocating the A-model 777s to replace the AB6s were predicated on $2/gal gas instead of today's $3.50/gal to $4.00/gal jet fuel. That legendary air freight profitability might not be there if fuel stays where it is or goes higher. AA ordered the AB6s when fuel was really cheap and because they were available on short notice for a great price.

I certainly don't see A330s replacing the AB6s, but I've been wrong before.

Had AA pulled the trigger on NW (instead of letting DL get Asia), then NW's A330s would have had a home in the AA Caribbean markets.