Heard it from the Training Department -- It MUST be True

[nycbusdriver]

ZRH and ATH are to be flown with A330s next summer, freeing up two 767s to take over transatlantic routes now flown my 757s. And those 757s hopefully will be deployed on routes for which Boeing designed them.

Evidently two of next years A330 deliveries have been moved up in order to be here in time for the summer season. Not sure when they were originally scheduled, but I think all were for the 3rd and 4th quarter.

 

[UPNAWAY]

Training is usually the last to know what is going on operationally, but it sounds plausible.

 

[twoturnin]

LOL ----training DEPT rumors. Those dudes are leaving company also. Very senior C/A Bus dude quit to go with FAA. I swallowed the hook last year on the Hawaiian/ Air Alaska/ US Airways get together. I think the maintence have been the best source for new A/C. As in the first 767 at Piedmont that needed a very different KVA power source. Strange though that the training center is having new hires go through when we are FAT with pilots reserves.

 

[nycbusdriver]

LOL ----training DEPT rumors. Those dudes are leaving company also. Very senior C/A Bus dude quit to go with FAA. I swallowed the hook last year on the Hawaiian/ Air Alaska/ US Airways get together. I think the maintence have been the best source for new A/C. As in the first 767 at Piedmont that needed a very different KVA power source. Strange though that the training center is having new hires go through when we are FAT with pilots reserves.

Maybe, for a change, management is trying to get ahead of the power curve on pilot hiring. Retirements kick in again soon, as well as the impending change in the required rest rules. Given that, and the dearth of qualified pilots who can meet new standards for acting as F/O in Part 121 operations, the majors are going to be hurting BIG TIME in a year or two for pilots.

There will be gazillions of turboprops and "regional" jets collecting dust.

 

[Freighterguynow]

ZRH and ATH are to be flown with A330s next summer, freeing up two 767s to take over transatlantic routes now flown my 757s. And those 757s hopefully will be deployed on routes for which Boeing designed them.

Evidently two of next years A330 deliveries have been moved up in order to be here in time for the summer season. Not sure when they were originally scheduled, but I think all were for the 3rd and 4th quarter.

Yes, something's up. The ac were all at the end of 2013 and were 5 in total I think. Didn't make much sense to me getting them after the seasonal European service was over for the year.

Now with the Sept bid they INCREASED the staffing which I don't recall ever seeing before. Since were keeping the 767 until 2017 looks like a lot of upward movement on the East.

 

[zethya]

ZRH is plausible, even without proof. ATH a little more ? since it's primarily a low yield (tourist) route. Then again, the 767 has struggled with ATH range issues since the beginning - and a 330-200 would compete well with the DL 330-300 out of JFK. The US 330-300 would likely have similar range issues on the route and also have too much excess capacity.

I have not been able to confirm that a 330-200 will be used on CLT-GIG this winter. OAG and US schedules still show the 767 - although it seems the logical course to use available TA 332s on the route. I'd thought that if the GIG 767 was being replaced, that fact would be indicted in the global reservation systems by now so as to both attract high season connecting partner traffic (TAM) and most of all, premium traffic away from TAM at JFK.

IMO, the best decision US ever made was to install the Envoy suites into both the 332s and the 333s - and the worse was to delete the PHL Envoy Lounge - the perfect compliment. I mean why didn't they just cater it as the premium lounge during principal TA hours (e.g., 7PM-10PM) and a normal lounge during typical business travel hours (all the rest). IMO, the advertising of the existence of the Envoy Lounge alone, gave US that little bit of prestige is so desperately needs to compete with the big international carriers. Obviously, if there is an AA merge or US moves alone to OW, the Envoy Lounge may be irrelevant due the the existence of the BA Galleries in A-West.

 

[nycbusdriver]

Now with the Sept bid they INCREASED the staffing which I don't recall ever seeing before.

Yeah, they increased staffing, reduced lines.

Since were keeping the 767 until 2017 looks like a lot of upward movement on the East.

Yeah, only moved back 8 numbers (in theory)!

Actually, they're coming out of the woodwork to bid the 330 for a few reasons, I think.

They looked at the AA pay rates.
And, a few are within 6 months of retirement and won't get trained, but will get paid.