340's and China
- Thread starter mopar man
- Start date
The rumor I heard (from a well placed source in the administrative portion of the training department) is that the 340s will likely not happen, but China will. Evidently if you fly one of the 330s on order with seat and cargo restrictions it will make it. I don't know if that's true, and I don't need to bother to research it because we have a few here that will immediately weigh in on just how wrong that could be.
BoeingBoy?
He doesn't work at LCC anymore.
Which makes his opinion just as valid or more valid than anyone that does work there.
As far as China goes, ain't gonna happen. Hell, these cretins can't run the routes they have now without losing customers. China is a pipe dream for the beer drinkers in Tempe. I imagine most of them don't know how to find it on a globe.
Which makes his opinion just as valid or more valid than anyone that does work there.
As far as China goes, ain't gonna happen. Hell, these cretins can't run the routes they have now without losing customers. China is a pipe dream for the beer drinkers in Tempe. I imagine most of them don't know how to find it on a globe.
roadtrip
Veteran
I heard that it isn't a 340, they meant to say two 170's.
Forgot to equip them with drop tanks
The A330-200s on order can make it, but just barely. Airbus says the max range with max passengers is 6,750nm, just a little farther than PHL-PVG.
Probably makes sense to not buy a few A340s if it can avoid it. The airplane isn't fuel efficient and the increased expenses of maintaining a small fleet (3-4 airframes or so) would probably eat up any profits US was hoping to make on USA-China flying.
Probably makes sense to not buy a few A340s if it can avoid it. The airplane isn't fuel efficient and the increased expenses of maintaining a small fleet (3-4 airframes or so) would probably eat up any profits US was hoping to make on USA-China flying.
SegmentKing
Veteran
BoeingBoy
Veteran
- Nov 9, 2003
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Since someone asked, I'll chime in.....
Don't know about the 340's, but with only about 15 months till service has to start they better be finding some airplanes. I haven't seen a detailed delivery schedule for the 332's - just beginning in 2009 - so don't know if enough will be delivered before service must start to do it with them, although I suspect that Airbus would cooperate on the delivery schedule as needed.
I haven't seen anything that says the 2009 awards aren't still tentative, though that's based strictly on filings available in DOT's document management system. So maybe they're waiting till the award is final before committing to equipment.
Jim
Don't know about the 340's, but with only about 15 months till service has to start they better be finding some airplanes. I haven't seen a detailed delivery schedule for the 332's - just beginning in 2009 - so don't know if enough will be delivered before service must start to do it with them, although I suspect that Airbus would cooperate on the delivery schedule as needed.
I haven't seen anything that says the 2009 awards aren't still tentative, though that's based strictly on filings available in DOT's document management system. So maybe they're waiting till the award is final before committing to equipment.
Jim
I still think LCC will need the A340 (better range and no etops restrictions)to realistically run the route year-round. At least until the A350's arrive in 2014. I thought the range for the A330-200 with max passengers and reserves is 6400nm. If this is true, there will be severe limitations on the flight load, and trying to carry cargo would be out of the question. Doogie just needs to bite the bullet and go out and find a few A340's on the open market. Trying to run the A330 on that route for appx. 4 years until the A350 arrives is maddening.
BuffaloJoe
Veteran
Who in their right mind will subject themselves flying US for 13 Hours? With the generous 30" seat pitch, I can't imagine anyone who would fly. US will try to prove that they can fit more people on an A340 than a A380. They should just give up the China route and focus on fixing what they have now.
USstew23
Veteran
Yeah I kind of thought the same thing only because they filed to fly it with the A340. In one of those crewnews sessions someone asked DP about the 332 going to China and he tapped on it a little bit and had this look like a light bulb went on in his head, so who knows. I certainly hope if the 332 ever does see that route that it is very temporary and because the 340's were brought on too late. How embarrassing if they choose to fly the most high profile flight we have ever done and they do it half a$$.
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