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ding ding ding.... and could also be that AA sent some M80s to the desert before and are now being brought back for another summer before triggering another overhaul.Could be as simple as a few of the leased MD80s being sent to storage so they wouldn't trigger an overhaul before returning to the owner. AA's done that a couple times IIRC.
For a while, there were 2-3 per week going to the desert - now we're seeing 2-3 per week come back with the blue white blue paint scheme.A lot depends on whether AA is using long-term or short-term storage. If long term, they're most likely not coming back - as 700UW said, the likely cost would likely be prohibitive. But short-term or flyable storage, while costing more in storage costs, makes it a lot cheaper to bring them back.
Jim
Allegiant?For a while, there were 2-3 per week going to the desert - now we're seeing 2-3 per week come back with the blue white blue paint scheme.
Nope - it appears to be a return to service check and paint.Allegiant?
Actually Allegiant has leased out three of the six 757s and have not begun integrating them into the fleet.
N901NV: parked at NZC/VQQ
N902NV: parked at PAE
N903NV: parked at LTN as G-BYAH, will become G-LSAM shortly, for summer lease to Jet2
N904NV: parked at QLA as G-LSAL, for summer lease to Jet2
In their earnings conference call, Allegiant said they expect to do proving flights in May/June and assuming no problems have one of the 757s enter mainland service in late summer. They are not saying which routes (or charters) will see the aircraft used initially.
In the meantime, they supposedly have leased out three (not just two). One can be recalled at Allegiant's option anytime after Summer 2011 while the others run thru Summer 2012.
Interestingly, Allegiant expects to earn $15 to $18 million from the 3 leases thru Summer 2012. That is about the same dollar amount as they previously stated would be the in-service cost for one of the 757s. Basically thru the leases they will recover their costs of one of the 6 aircraft being bought
I didn't realize Allegiant was using 75s - nice info, but we were speaking of the MD 80s (DC9-80) that were maintained at the TULE base.