OK thanks. Too bad we are not all taught the same terminology. I have never heard a pilot or anyone use the term "hot spare." We have always referred to them as "extras."
Japan Flights
- Thread starter fltguymk
- Start date
OK thanks. Too bad we are not all taught the same terminology. I have never heard a pilot or anyone use the term "hot spare." We have always referred to them as "extras."
Perhaps, if done on a daily operation. On a reduced freq. schedule, maybe not. So many of us flight attendants are worried for the crews working over there. No one really wants to man the NRT/HND flights right now. We are exposed to enough radiation already when flying over the poles. No one wants to get stuck over there in case the disaster escalates. Arriving and turing around in a hour is a lot diff. than continuing the 24+ hour layover...
eolesen
Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2003
- Messages
- 15,959
- Reaction score
- 9,375
I may be frustrating, but it's increasingly obvious you don't know much about airlines outside of nonrevving, EPT's and delivering a meal service, much less all the stuff that goes into getting an airport operation up and running for an airline. Opening airports for AA was one of the better jobs I had. Scheduling & planning cabin service for international airports was one of the worst.
Crew safety is definitely a first priority, but there's a lot more to be considered that you seem to be totally ignorant of. Like the entire ground operation.
European airlines have a much easier option with SEL being along the way. That greatly reduces the impact of flying the tag somewhat, and those airlines also probably have personnel & ground handling already set up.
The options along the way between the US and NRT are much more limited, and will require setting up ground handling. Not a big deal, but still takes time to arrange.
Then there's customers. Remember them?
Flying time to/from the US to any of the points except CTS will be a wash but then you have to factor in the time for backtracking/sidetracking over to NRT.
At some point you still have to clean, cater and security check the airplane.
With the added flying time of a tag, plus time for two crew changes, and you've now added anywhere from an optimistic three but probably closer to six hours to the arrival time back in the US. That is probably not a big deal for the non-connecting customers, but it could screw up a lot of connections.
All in all, lots of considerations at play. It's not just as simple as deciding that you're going to start flying a new routing tomorrow and hope it will all work out.
eolesen
Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2003
- Messages
- 15,959
- Reaction score
- 9,375
Just looked at a quick summary of schedule changes for other carriers:
AF operating normal skeds to NGO/KIX, and via SEL to NRT
LH is operating all Japan flights via SEL, including flights to NGO and KIX
BA operating NRT flights via HKG.
QF operating normally to KIX; via HKG for NRT flights
Etihad is diverting NRT service to NGO
Emirates, Finnair and Virgin Atlantic appear to be operating normal schedules to NRT.
AF operating normal skeds to NGO/KIX, and via SEL to NRT
LH is operating all Japan flights via SEL, including flights to NGO and KIX
BA operating NRT flights via HKG.
QF operating normally to KIX; via HKG for NRT flights
Etihad is diverting NRT service to NGO
Emirates, Finnair and Virgin Atlantic appear to be operating normal schedules to NRT.
If our flight attendants keep calling in sick for the NRT and HND flights like they have been in the last few days the APFA is going to have to sign a letter of agreement to hire flight attendants off the street to man all flights to Japan. 
WorldTraveler
Corn Field
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2003
- Messages
- 21,709
- Reaction score
- 10,662
The simple solution is that if US airlines cannot safely operate a nonstop flight to the US, they won't operate because there are no viable options as E notes. It is highly complex....
If things fall apart, airlines will quickly pull their assets (people and planes) out of Japan until all is passed... but keep in mind that Japan knows full well that if Japan allows this situation to get to the place that Tokyo is contaminated, the entire country is in serious, serious trouble. The US is going to do everything it can to help Japan from getting to that point - and there are indications that Japanese officials are privately calling in US experts for advise.
Demand will fall off pretty quickly so there will be a whole lot more routes pulled back at least temporarily.
DL's HND pulldowns are until June 1 which is less than the 90 day period the DOT requires for a route to be considered dormant or for another carrier to attempt to take the route. If DL doesn't restart its HND routes by summer, the chances are pretty high that the entire Japanese market is in collapse and there is little value in anyone starting them.
The potential for a global economic collapse are very real and will start w/ Japan if this situation is not contained very quickly. And economic collapse will only compound the difficulty in getting Japan back on its feet.
If things fall apart, airlines will quickly pull their assets (people and planes) out of Japan until all is passed... but keep in mind that Japan knows full well that if Japan allows this situation to get to the place that Tokyo is contaminated, the entire country is in serious, serious trouble. The US is going to do everything it can to help Japan from getting to that point - and there are indications that Japanese officials are privately calling in US experts for advise.
Demand will fall off pretty quickly so there will be a whole lot more routes pulled back at least temporarily.
DL's HND pulldowns are until June 1 which is less than the 90 day period the DOT requires for a route to be considered dormant or for another carrier to attempt to take the route. If DL doesn't restart its HND routes by summer, the chances are pretty high that the entire Japanese market is in collapse and there is little value in anyone starting them.
The potential for a global economic collapse are very real and will start w/ Japan if this situation is not contained very quickly. And economic collapse will only compound the difficulty in getting Japan back on its feet.
FrugalFlyerv2.0
Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2003
- Messages
- 2,931
- Reaction score
- 3,341
Ofcourse this economic collapse might put a dent in DL's global domination, since DL is more-or-less emperor of the Pacific, is about to become queen of UK with its 3 new routes to LHR, and already owns the USA and rules the rest of the world.
WorldTraveler
Corn Field
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2003
- Messages
- 21,709
- Reaction score
- 10,662
or DL could sit around and wait for JAL to collapse - taking AA's Pacific aspirations down with it - since JAL is far from out of the woods yet.Ofcourse this economic collapse might put a dent in DL's global domination, since DL is more-or-less emperor of the Pacific, is about to become queen of UK with its 3 new routes to LHR, and already owns the USA and rules the rest of the world.
You do realize that NW built JAL post WWII don't you? That might be part of the reason why NW and now DL has the position it does in Japan.
Actually, DL COMPETES quite effectively for its passengers.... they don't rule anything.
how about instead of wishing ill will on anyone we hope that Japan can get back on its feet so that NO ONE is hurt any more than they already have been? It may be difficult for you to comprehend but there is a whole of suffering going on... wishing ill will on anyone else thru someone else's suffering is pretty tasteless, to say the least.
20 years in the cockpit at AA. Never heard the term "extras" except in extra sections.
I've heard the term "hot spare" more than I care to remember.
P.S. APA would most likely agree to an emergency contract change.
nyc6035
Advanced
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2002
- Messages
- 123
- Reaction score
- 1
I think the most interesting challenge that is going to be faced by a US carrier is UALs situation. They use NRT as a connecting hub. How and where do you pick that up and transfer it to in order to keep the connecting traffic flowing. Notwithstanding the distances what airport has half a dozen gates sitting around ready for use - notwithstanding ground servicing needs.
strikeforce
Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2011
- Messages
- 1,224
- Reaction score
- 253
the reason no one at AA heard of "hot spare" in using E's terminology "No MEL's".....find me a 777 that's MEL free! Nata! mechanic @ ord for 20 years. Matter of fact...find me any widebody that's MEL free? Nata! keep it simple, AA will not fly a spare to NRT....no spare 777 in system....either flying or OTS.
