Carnival calls DL to support another cruise ship evacuation

[WorldTraveler]

In the wake of mechanical problems that have crippled another Carnival cruise ship just a month after a Carnival cruise ship lost power at sea, the cruise line called on Delta charter ops once again to airlift passengers back to the US after the Carnival Dream developed mechanical problems while docked at St. Maarten. Last month, DL operated about a charter dozen flights returning Carnival passengers to Texas.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/15/travel/carnival-problems/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

DL will operate more than a half dozen charter flights for Carnival today using 333 and 332s, 763s, 757s, and a 738.


http://flightaware.com/live/airport/TNCM

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

In the wake of mechanical problems that have crippled another Carnival cruise ship just a month after a Carnival cruise ship lost power at sea, the cruise line called on Delta charter ops once again to airlift passengers back to the US after the Carnival Dream developed mechanical problems while docked at St. Maarten. Last month, DL operated about a charter dozen flights returning Carnival passengers to Texas.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/15/travel/carnival-problems/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

DL will operate more than a half dozen charter flights for Carnival today using 333 and 332s, 763s, 757s, and a 738.


http://flightaware.com/live/airport/TNCM

I am surprised that Delta has the spare aircraft sitting around to run that many flights on short notice. Maybe they deferred some scheduled checks and re-routed?

 

[WorldTraveler]

This is the off-peak int'l season... at least 3 of the aircraft are int'l aircraft.

There were also some 763s and 757s.

With a fleet of 700 aircraft, it probably isn't hard to come up with 6 extra aircraft - looks like some of the aircraft might be making more than one flight.

And it is very possible that some of the scheduled maintenance for the day was deferred as you suggested.

There was a lot of money at stake - and Carnival undoubtedly has learned they can call DL and have them move 2000 passengers on a very short notice. Not every airline can do that; Carnival is in damage control and needs to do everything to keep a bad situation from turning worse.

 

[WorldTraveler]

another 6 flights and 1500 or so seats today after 10 flights and 2200 or so seats yesterday.

 

[WorldTraveler]

Looks like another cruise ship fire, this time Royal Caribbean, is requiring additional air support in order to get the passengers home.

DL and Miami Air each have flights scheduled to leave FPO for BWI in the next few hours... there will have to be alot more flights to get the 2000+ passengers back on US soil.

 

[robbedagain]

what aircraft types are being used? also are they being pre cleared in fpo

 

[Kev3188]

Flight aware shows DL using a 767 and Miami Air using a 737-800...

No clue on pre-clearance, but NAS has it, so I'm guessing FPO does as well?

 

[robbedagain]

THANKS KEV