Officials also say they think at least two 727's from the old fleet can be salvaged.

"Ten years from now, a larger and older fleet will have an average age of 18 to 20 years."

"Same thing that happens to all old fleets," answered the marcybs' chief.

It is common to keep old fleets since they have little wear.

But the fact remains that Valujet has, on average, the oldest fleet in the air.

"We will move from having one of the oldest fleets in the region, to the newest," he said.

A poor public image, fueled in part by the oldest fleet of the major domestic carriers, is also difficult to change.

They have gotten rid of their old fleet and are getting new ones.

They replaced much of the very old fleet.

The greater part of the old fleet was sold by the Soviet government to Germany for scrap.