Originally Posted by FyrePilot

That would be ironic- but not likely. Alaska has zero 787s on order. IF and thats IF the merger goes through they will have 10.....in a few years, maybe up to 18. I don't see how AS stays in the alliance with AA with the merger- 3 of 6 carriers flying mainland to HI would be in same alliance.

UA has like 50-100 in addtion to what they already have. DL has 40 more A350s coming and will probably need more 330s or 350s when the 767-400s are slated to be replaced in 2030. AA is deffering their deliveries of 787s- so maybe alaska is better than going to AA.

AS does not have the market cap to justify the long haul international order yet. SEA and SFO are already slammed with widebodies from foreign carriers along with DL and UA. Even picking up HAL there wouldn't be too much demand with few Japanese travelling to HI or mainland USA. The Chinese aren't coming on US planes either- and US does not really participate in leisure market in China. Korea is pretty much owned by DL. Maybe SE Asia but you have tons of state sponsored carriers there already. Or Maybe go over the pole to Europe- but AMS and LHR slots are hard to get.

Thats all before you get to the gates issue in SEA- pretty sure they would have to slide into the S Sattelite terminal for international arrivals- which was designed incorrectly and holds like 60% of the capacity it was supposed to.

So how does Alaska grow- only way is to buy other carriers. Which involves combined seniority lists, which will slow down movement to WB, especially with most having young pilot groups.

Fact is the first part of the hiring wave that has been happening for the past 2-3 years will be on the L seat in the WB for 20+ years. Everyone else, no matter where they are at now does not really stand too much of a chance making it to L seat working a few days a month on great international trips until they are almost 65

Originally Posted by Neosporin

Im not sure of when you said "IF and thats IF the merger goes through they will have 10..." If you mean us, As+Ha, it's 12, 12 787s are ordered. We may have some options, I heard 10.
Anyway, having both the new AS and AA remaining in One World isn't too unusual, US Airways and United were both in Star Alliance.

Originally Posted by FyrePilot

I can never remember if original order was for 8 or 10 plus the options up to somewhere around 20.

Originally Posted by Neosporin

Im not sure of when you said "IF and thats IF the merger goes through they will have 10..." If you mean us, As+Ha, it's 12, 12 787s are ordered. We may have some options, I heard 10.
Anyway, having both the new AS and AA remaining in One World isn't too unusual, US Airways and United were both in Star Alliance.

Originally Posted by Capo2ndFret

10 with options to 20. 2 options exercised for 12 orders with options to 20

Originally Posted by Cholla6918

Rumor from “someone in the know…” is that Alaska plans on having between 40-60 787’s in the next 6-8 years.

Originally Posted by FyrePilot

Thats a nice rumor- maybe they are buying them on the used market or someplace else.

There are about 750 on order already with an average of 50 being produced annually.

Alaska cannot even get the order of the 50 max 10s certified…..much less delivered

Originally Posted by Cholla6918

Think long term buddy…the hawaiian already has 44 WB aircraft either on order or on property…

Originally Posted by vaxedtothemax

Minus howver many 330's get retired over the next several years. HA was never gonna be a 36-44 widebody airline. 330's are going to be leaving, or atleast were slated to leave before the merger announcement.

We've lost long haul routes. Probably more than we've gained. Beijing, Tapei, Sandai, Chitose, Brisbane, Aukland cut back, Japan is killing us. And then there are narrowbodies doing the work widebodies used to do to the West Coast. Even with the 787's, HA was going to be a slightly smaller widebody airline eventually.

For the most part the 787's are just going to cover whatever the 330 does now. Europe or SE Asia is a pipe dream. Best case, a Canadian city or two. Toronto or Vancouver is about the only places up there that would be feasable.