Boeing 757 in Canada
I have always thought it interesting that neither of Canada's major airlines (Air Canada - Canadian) of the 1980's and 90's operated the Boeing 757.
A narrow-body due to its single aisle and same fuselage width as all other Boeing narrow-bodies (707/727/737) but as large as some wide-bodies, it was developed to fit somewhere between the B-737 and B-767 but never reached the production level of either of those fleets. A total of 1,050 where built with primary customers being Delta (205), American (177) and United (160) and production ceased in 2004.
My own exposure to this aircraft is during a short period when we had a maintenance contract with Delta in Vancouver. I did have one flight on board a B-757; in China from Beijing to Kunming in 2008.
The aircraft did appeal to the niche market of new 'low-cost' airlines such as Air 2000 in the U.K. which began operations in April 1987 with 2 B757-200's.
Air 2000 would later create a Canadian subsidiary, Canada 3000, and alternate some of their fleet (leased from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC). Canada 3000 ceased operations suddenly on November 8, 2001, stranding thousands of passengers.
Planespotters.net lists 14 B-757's that were in the Canada 3000 fleet. Currently there are 9 of them still listed as active (after cargo conversion), 7 with Fedex and 1 with UPS.
The other one is the first B-757 delivered to Air 2000 (line # 127 - registration G-OOOA - photo in issue header) and is still active, the only one of the nine registered in Canada. The 37 year-old aircraft is now registered as as C-GIAJ with Cargojet Airways, acquired in 2014.
The Transport Canada database shows 26 B-757's, all converted freighters, currently registered in Canada - 17 with Cargojet Airways and 9 with Morningstar Air Express.
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