British Airways has speeded up the phase-out of its McDonnell Douglas DC-10s, with all the aircraft scheduled for retirement by March 1999. The fleet had been expected to stay in service through to October 1999.
The first of the eight aircraft will be removed from service in October, after BA reviewed its flying programme and decided to rationalise its widebody fleet next year. The DC-10-30s will be replaced by Boeing 767s and 777s.
The DC-10s are being remarketed by remarketing specialist Curtis, known already to have placed four aircraft with US carrier Gemini Air Cargo. The four remaining DC-10s are expected to stay in airline configuration until conversion slots are available, and may be leased to UK charter airlines in the near term.
Source: Flight International
