A332 2013 Delivery Schedule and Routes

CLTRob

Member
May 14, 2010
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Does anyone know the dates that the new A332 will be delivered? I often fly from CLT to CDG and saw where both CDG and FCO have changed from A332/3 to the B762. Hope they put the A332 back on the CLT to CDG route. I read, and not sure where, that the B762 would replace some of the B752 transatlantic trips once the A332 are delivered.
 
The 2011 Annual report states that the 8 remaining A330-200's will be delivered in 2013 and 2014. I haven't seen anything more detailed to indicate how many in each year, or in which part of those years.

CDG and FCO may very well have been downgraded for seasonal purposes, or perhaps because the yields weren't as good as hoped from CLT.
 
The 2011 Annual report states that the 8 remaining A330-200's will be delivered in 2013 and 2014. I haven't seen anything more detailed to indicate how many in each year, or in which part of those years.

CDG and FCO may very well have been downgraded for seasonal purposes, or perhaps because the yields weren't as good as hoped from CLT.

5 in 2013, 3 in 2014. 2 come in May, the other 3 in the fall. All subject to change without notice.

Driver...
 
The last CLT-FCO flight is Oct 26th 2012 and doesn't change to a 767 until Oct 4th, 2012. The last CLT-CDG flight is also Oct 26th 2012 and and it is a 767 from now until then. Aircraft scheduling for mid-2013 is likely in its very preliminary stages. As of now, the return of CLT-FCO and CLT-CDG on March 30, 2013 through the last available scheduling date (July 4, 2013) are both 767s. The downgrades are possibly based on 2012 experiences on the routes, knowing that both of the CLT flights are essentially high connecting services relieving PHL. Although I haven't checked for awhile, the high season US PHL-CDG flights were on a year by year basis frequently oversold all summer. It's possible, that if PHL did not have DL on the CDG route, the US Airways summer traffic would be increased to a point that CLT-CDG could support a 330.

IMO, if US does not merge with AA, they must grow their international route system to stay competitive (alive). The only resource they have to do that for the next 5 years is the 332. Using 2 332s during this next TA off season on CLT-GIG is likely a test to see if they can increase the Yields and divert some TAM NYC connecting passengers to CLT, otherwise it may be a waste of a valuable premium resource. If CLT-GRU gets going, it has the potential to be a top year round performer since GRU has far less connecting and seasonal traffic than GIG. It's unfortunate that Parker didn't bite the bullet several years ago and acquire 3 used 340-300s to get a foothold in Asia with PHL-NRT, instead of wasting time on that absurd PEK route. If US really wanted to do PHL-NRT now, they could do it with a 240T 332 fitted with a larger number of Envoy Suites and portable crew rests in the cargo hold. It would probably not generate great yields because of Cargo limitations, but at least they'd get an Asian presence quickly. I'd be surprised if they haven't, or are, thinking along these lines - absent an AA merger. Other than CLT-GRU (if it happens in 2013), the 5 new 332s will bring the total compliment to 12 by end of 2013. Let's see (May+ 2013) - 2 for PHL-TLV, 1 for PHL-FRA (supplemented by a 1 - 333 and 1- LH 340), 1 for PHL-MAD, 1 for PHL-BCN, 1 for CLT-FRA (supplemented by 1 - 333). That's 6 total (looks like they are going to continue struggling with the PHL-ATH 767). CLT-GIG returns to a 767 on March 30, 2013. 12 - 6 + 1 Spare = 5 Available. Assuming only 2 of the new 5 332s are available by mid year and CLT-GRU is not yet started due to poor slot times, US could reasonably start 1 or 2 new near eastern destinations in 2013 (e.g., IST, CAI, etc..), or possibly add a 2nd TLV flight cycling with 3 aircraft.
 
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Any chance that they will give the Hawaii service another shot? At some point, I would think that they would try it out of PHL.
 
The last CLT-FCO flight is Oct 26th 2012 and doesn't change to a 767 until Oct 4th, 2012. The last CLT-CDG flight is also Oct 26th 2012 and and it is a 767 from now until then. Aircraft scheduling for mid-2013 is likely in its very preliminary stages. As of now, the return of CLT-FCO and CLT-CDG on March 30, 2013 through the last available scheduling date (July 4, 2013) are both 767s. The downgrades are possibly based on 2012 experiences on the routes, knowing that both of the CLT flights are essentially high connecting services relieving PHL. Although I haven't checked for awhile, the high season US PHL-CDG flights were on a year by year basis frequently oversold all summer. It's possible, that if PHL did not have DL on the CDG route, the US Airways summer traffic would be increased to a point that CLT-CDG could support a 330.

IMO, if US does not merge with AA, they must grow their international route system to stay competitive (alive). The only resource they have to do that for the next 5 years is the 332. Using 2 332s during this next TA off season on CLT-GIG is likely a test to see if they can increase the Yields and divert some TAM NYC connecting passengers to CLT, otherwise it may be a waste of a valuable premium resource. If CLT-GRU gets going, it has the potential to be a top year round performer since GRU has far less connecting and seasonal traffic than GIG. It's unfortunate that Parker didn't bite the bullet several years ago and acquire 3 used 340-300s to get a foothold in Asia with PHL-NRT, instead of wasting time on that absurd PEK route. If US really wanted to do PHL-NRT now, they could do it with a 240T 332 fitted with a larger number of Envoy Suites and portable crew rests in the cargo hold. It would probably not generate great yields because of Cargo limitations, but at least they'd get an Asian presence quickly. I'd be surprised if they haven't, or are, thinking along these lines - absent an AA merger. Other than CLT-GRU (if it happens in 2013), the 5 new 332s will bring the total compliment to 12 by end of 2013. Let's see (May+ 2013) - 2 for PHL-TLV, 1 for PHL-FRA (supplemented by a 1 - 333 and 1- LH 340), 1 for PHL-MAD, 1 for PHL-BCN, 1 for CLT-FRA (supplemented by 1 - 333). That's 6 total (looks like they are going to continue struggling with the PHL-ATH 767). CLT-GIG returns to a 767 on March 30, 2013. 12 - 6 + 1 Spare = 5 Available. Assuming only 2 of the new 5 332s are available by mid year and CLT-GRU is not yet started due to poor slot times, US could reasonably start 1 or 2 new near eastern destinations in 2013 (e.g., IST, CAI, etc..), or possibly add a 2nd TLV flight cycling with 3 aircraft.

LCC operates to more European cities than AA. We just don't have the frequency. Plenty of room for expansion without the expense of starting up a new station.

Your post also lends some understanding to where we came up with 2 332s to fly GIG without changing the pilot staffing model for CLT. One out of FCO(was a -300 sometimes) and one out of CDG.

Driver...
 
LCC operates to more European cities than AA. We just don't have the frequency. Plenty of room for expansion without the expense of starting up a new station.

Your post also lends some understanding to where we came up with 2 332s to fly GIG without changing the pilot staffing model for CLT. One out of FCO(was a -300 sometimes) and one out of CDG.

Driver...

I do remember a time, not so long ago, when we had an "early" and "late" London and Paris flight from PHL. Now, British has the "early" and "late" PHL-London flights. And I think the US flight is the only Paris flight from PHL. Air France gave theirs to Delta a few years back, but I'm not sure Delta even serves it anymore.
 
Yes, DL still operates the PHL-CDG flight on a seasonal basis with a 757.
 
I see will operate an A330-200 between CLT -MCO - from OCT - Nov . Looks like its the GIG plane that comes in the morning .
 
I do remember a time, not so long ago, when we had an "early" and "late" London and Paris flight from PHL. Now, British has the "early" and "late" PHL-London flights. And I think the US flight is the only Paris flight from PHL. Air France gave theirs to Delta a few years back, but I'm not sure Delta even serves it anymore.

Did US ever have 2 daily Paris flights from PHL? My keen-aviaiton memory must be going bad...

BA has always had 2 flights to LHR in the Summer going back to the late 90's, and possibly earlier. For several years the early one was a 747 and the late one was a 777. US tried it and realized that the BA/OneWorld customers are non waivering and not giving them the business they hoped to gain. Those holdouts are not switching to *A, let alone US Airways. Maybe they love paying the extra fees to fly through the UK. Oh well.

But US does have 2 FRA flights, in addition to the LH flight. Do you think it's a coincidence that, from Germany, there are 4 *A hub flights/day to PHL and 2 to CLT?

FRA-PHL (2xUS, 1xLH)
MUC-PHL (1xUS)
FRA-CLT (1xUS)
MUC-CLT (1xLH)

The moment US merges with AA and becomes a OW carrier, expect to see most of those evaporate. I don't think there are enough automotive execs traveling to the SE USA to warrant a daily MUC-CLT flight without all the other *A connecting traffic to other US destinations.