CLT-FCO Non-stop?

[zethya]

I restate what I said when RIO was announced. I suspect US is preparing CLT for a merger with, or spin off to someone - like maybe AA. Of course it may also be for the purpose of US retaining CLT and downsizing PHL for a merger with UA. The latter speculation is based on the fact that in order for CLT-Europe to work, it requires significant connecting traffic - that is the US domestic network. IMO, it just seems financially illogical in this economic climate for US to maintain 2 international hubs less than 400 nm apart. Of course, IAD-CLT is even closer, but UA supposidly wants/needs a Southwest hub to better compete with ATL. I note that there are no announcements (or substantial rumors) regarding any additional services from PHL. I'm even more suspicious of this move since it was announced with a 333 and not as seasonal, which makes it difficult (for me) to accept that it is a "relief" for the PHL-FCO flight. FCO from PHL and NYC, with substancial Rome O&D, typically struggle during winter with this route. Now if they announced PHL-NRT with the higher MTOW 332s (potential 2010 deliveries), I might change my opinion.

 

[FlightChic]

Good news for the CLT base. Hopefully more to come. I keep hearing MAD. With the A330-200's coming online its opening up more opportunities for US to modestly expand internationaly . Also heard CLT-DUB

I've been hearing the FCO and DUB rumor for a while. I'm glad FCO really did come true! Maybe DUB will be next. I would love to have CLT-MAD! That would be great, not that I would be able to hold it but still...It is great that we are expanding our international presence. I'm still waiting for Buenos Aires...

 

[FlightChic]

I am glad for the reserves struggling to make ends meet on their guarantee. However, with the increase in international flying, I wish the company would implement the 12 hour shifts for reserves. Being quick-called at midnight after watching the computer all day is neither safe or humane. Horror stories abound in PHL-an entire crew quick-called-none of whom have ever flown the 330-and the company complains the service is inconsistent?! :huh:

Oh, do NOT even get me started on those late night transatlantic quick calls!

 

[FlightChic]

I'll take PHL customs and immigration over the cranks in CLT any time.

I've gone through CLT and PHL customs and immigration and never had a problem with either one. Everyone talks about how bad it is in CLT but I haven't experienced those so-called "nebulous" horror stories of dealing with Barney Fife or whatever it is that people are saying about CLT. It's all the same to me.

 

[aptboeses]

Nor is the company upset when a reserve ends up working all night fatigued after sitting around all day waiting for daily. Unless you have sat reserve under the LTO system and worked a long international flight, it is hard to understand. :angry:

I certainly understand. I am a VERY junior f/a in PHL so I get to experience the 2am quick calls to recrew a t/a trip. I do not enjoy them (I don't think anyone does) but they are a necessity when you run a 24/7/365 operation. The new f/a contract is supposed to address this issue.

 

[FlyOnWall]

I am glad for the reserves struggling to make ends meet on their guarantee. However, with the increase in international flying, I wish the company would implement the 12 hour shifts for reserves. Being quick-called at midnight after watching the computer all day is neither safe or humane. Horror stories abound in PHL-an entire crew quick-called-none of whom have ever flown the 330-and the company complains the service is inconsistent?! :huh:

No one has "not flown the 330". If you are a reserve in Philly all you do all summer is international so they are more than familiar with the three fleet types that go to Europe. It is not a multi-deck cruise ship btw, it's an airplane that US has had for a decade along with it's most junior F/A! PHL Reserve F/As fly every aircraft in the fleet and every position from extras to CSD to galley and whatever else no one wants. Very flew blockholders are as familiar with such a variety of positions and types but love to act like "reserve" means inexperience or being new.

The re-crews in the middle of the night are a constant and you are lucky if it's as early as midnight. You are right about the shifts- they need to happen now and not in the next contract. At least another base will see what the PHL crews uniquely experience as a 24 hour a day on-call system.

 

[FlyOnWall]

I don't think the company is upset because the service is inconsistent on recrewed flights. It's the normally scheduled and operated flights where the service is inconsistent that the company complains about.

Surprisingly enough service flow with an all RSV crew on a recrew is pretty spot on.

In general reserve F/As perform the service as prescribed and are friendly to the passengers. THEY generally don't cut corners in service, berate customers and hide behind curtains.

 

[FlightChic]

In general reserve F/As perform the service as prescribed and are friendly to the passengers. THEY generally don't cut corners in service, berate customers and hide behind curtains.

 

[aptboeses]

I restate what I said when RIO was announced. I suspect US is preparing CLT for a merger with, or spin off to someone - like maybe AA. Of course it may also be for the purpose of US retaining CLT and downsizing PHL for a merger with UA. The latter speculation is based on the fact that in order for CLT-Europe to work, it requires significant connecting traffic - that is the US domestic network. IMO, it just seems financially illogical in this economic climate for US to maintain 2 international hubs less than 400 nm apart. Of course, IAD-CLT is even closer, but UA supposidly wants/needs a Southwest hub to better compete with ATL. I note that there are no announcements (or substantial rumors) regarding any additional services from PHL. I'm even more suspicious of this move since it was announced with a 333 and not as seasonal, which makes it difficult (for me) to accept that it is a "relief" for the PHL-FCO flight. FCO from PHL and NYC, with substancial Rome O&D, typically struggle during winter with this route. Now if they announced PHL-NRT with the higher MTOW 332s (potential 2010 deliveries), I might change my opinion.

I think CLT and PHL serve two very different parts of the country. PHL is geared more to O&D traffic with a bit of connecting traffic while CLT is mostly connecting traffic. It could be that US is trying to move the lower yielding connecting traffic to CLT (where it is cheaper to operate) and reserve the PHL-FCO flight for higher yielding O&D customers. I do remember reading somewhere that PHL-FCO is going to be operated by A332 but I could be wrong. Things change around here pretty quickly when it comes to equipment.

US also stated that they were not opening any new t/a cities for 2010. CLT-FCO is simply connecting two cities that already have US service. It also bears noting that just because it's starting with a A333 doesn't mean that it will remain that way. They could always utilize A332 or 767 if demand is weak for a period of time.

 

[FlightChic]

No one has "not flown the 330". If you are a reserve in Philly all you do all summer is international so they are more than familiar with the three fleet types that go to Europe. It is not a multi-deck cruise ship btw, it's an airplane that US has had for a decade along with it's most junior F/A! PHL Reserve F/As fly every aircraft in the fleet and every position from extras to CSD to galley and whatever else no one wants. Very flew blockholders are as familiar with such a variety of positions and types but love to act like "reserve" means inexperience or being new.

The re-crews in the middle of the night are a constant and you are lucky if it's as early as midnight. You are right about the shifts- they need to happen now and not in the next contract. At least another base will see what the PHL crews uniquely experience as a 24 hour a day on-call system.

When I was based in PHL the last summer I was there it seemed like scheduling wouldn't leave me alone. They were always calling me in the middle of the night for those TA recrews. It doesn't happen quite as often in CLT but it does happen occasionally and since we only have two flights unless you came from PHL or were assigned a TA trip before you will not be familiar with the airplane or service flow. I was so happy to get away from all of that but I guess that won't be for long. It does seem that the junior people end up working every position and every airplane because they get assigned trips and take the left over positions others don't want or are afraid to take because they fly the same one over and over again. The first time I was forced to fly E on the A330 some of the other flight attendants who fly the same trips over and over again admitted that they have never flown E and wouldn't know what to do either. Of course at recurrent last year there were some of the international A330 gals in my class who couldn't do monitor and challenge to save their lives because supposedly they don't do that on the A330. WTF? That's what they said anyway.

I agree we need shifts NOW!!! It simply is not safe to require anybody to fly over the pond in the middle of the night after having been on duty all day. We aren't machines! We are human! Why the company thinks that is OK is beyond me. I guess since they aren't the ones doing it they think it is perfectly acceptable then they act surprised or irritated when you claim to be fatigued. :down: :down: :down:

 

[nycbusdriver]

Now if they announced PHL-NRT with the higher MTOW 332s (potential 2010 deliveries), I might change my opinion.

Unless that higher MTOW is a result of more Jet A in the tanks, it's meaningless for PHL-NRT. Carrying an extra 20,000 pounds of cargo does not increase range by even an inch.

 

[Travelpro72]

I certainly understand. I am a VERY junior f/a in PHL so I get to experience the 2am quick calls to recrew a t/a trip. I do not enjoy them (I don't think anyone does) but they are a necessity when you run a 24/7/365 operation. The new f/a contract is supposed to address this issue.

New contract addressing the issue? Uh huh the issue is already addressed with me. If I sit around all day hitting enter watching my number drop as trips open don't count on me going to Europe standing on my feet all night. NOPE! ! ! I'll call out fatigued so fast their heads will spin. Call me in on it. Set the date and time.

 

[cltflyer1]

does the US 333 even have the legs to do Clt-fco?

 

[Twicebaked]

What?? They are not wrong .CLT just became a 767 base with the addition of gig but before that it was only a A330 base .

Etops...

Everyone on this board has to arrogantly prove to anyone that made a statement that they are in the know.....

Would it be so hard to say.... That is not correct (so and so) it started.... blah blah blah....

But NOOOO........ WRONG!!!!!! Is the only mature response some seem to be able to give!!!!

 

[Twicebaked]

The company and the FAA have this strange notion that crew members are machines that can be turned ON and OFF at their will.

In the OFF mode, the crew member is in perfect rest utilizing no energy and resulting in no wear-and-tear. When needed, the crew member is switched to the ON mode and proceeds to do their job without incurring any fatigue at all in the process.

Let me ask you this in a scenario............

I come on duty at midnight (for ALL purposes except for paying me perdium). If I try to pick up a trip on day number 7 I am told NO!!!!! You have been on duty for 6 days!!! OK!!!

Now...... Betty Sue with her 40 plus years signs in for her International trip at 5:00 pm. I have been ON DUTY NOW FOR 17 hours and she just checked in........

Now her flight is delayed due to a mechanical and/or returns to the gate..... WOW!!!! All of a sudden she is now illegal because she has been on duty too long!!!! Following me?

They call me out!!! WHY??????? I HAVE BEEN ON DUTY 17 HOURS BEFORE SHE EVER CHECKED IN!!!!!!!!!
Why am I still legal when I have been on duty since midnight (17 hours earlier) and she only came on at 5????

Could someone please explain this logic??? And don't try the "but you aren't actually working".... If that were true, why can't I pick up a trip on day 7 when I NEVER worked the 6 prior that I was on duty!!!