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Yet another aviation thread.
| September 19th, 2017 at 3:27:23 PM permalink | |
| Aussie Member since: May 10, 2016 Threads: 2 Posts: 458 | Qantas could easily fly twice a day SYD-LAX and did so up until recently. They only stopped when they signed the agreement with AA to revenue share (knocked back by the DOT?? but re-filed). They used to fly 1x A380 + 1x 747 daily. They also fly daily BNE-LAX on a 747 + daily MEL-LAX on an A380 + 3x?? Weekly MEL-LAX on a seasonal basis using a 747. BNE & MEL are only a short flight from SYD anyway so it is more than feasible to connect through those ports or vice versa. I fly on points so I'm forced to be flexible on date and departure port. While I'm in BNE I will be happy to fly out of anywhere if it means I can get a seat in the cabin I want. Last year I flew MEL-LAX on QF93 however next year I am booked out of SYD on QF11. |
| September 19th, 2017 at 4:18:10 PM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
I remember when Concorde set the records in the early 1990s they had to exceed 40,000 km. They needed 7 segments Concorde F-BTSD holds the fastest around the world East to West record in 33 hrs 1 min during the Concorde Spirit Tour. Total flying time was 25 hrs 15 mins including 18 hrs 18 mins at supersonic speed. Route taken was LIS-SDQ-ACA-HNL-GUM-BKK-BAH-LIS = 40,402 km (12-13 Oct 1992) East to West 23,285 mi West to East record in 31 hrs 27 mins set during another Concorde Spirit Tour. Flying time was 24 hrs 42 mins including 18 hrs 46 mins at supersonic speed Route taken was JFK-TLS-DXB-BKK-GUM-HNL-ACA-JFK = 40,630 km (15-16 Aug 1995) West to East 22,865 mi
GUM - HNL 3,802 miles=3300 nautical miles would be risky for a 737-8MAX which has a range of 3500 nm in still air. But it should be doable in an A321neo (long range version) with a range of 4000 nautical miles. I don't think the deliveries so far have been the Long Range variant. I wonder how long it would take to do the same route in a narrow body without spending 18-19 hours at supersonic speed. I would think 35-40 hours. |
| September 28th, 2017 at 6:50:51 AM permalink | |
| Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 | Ryanair, the airline that has done most to hurt commercial air travel, royally screwed up its roster and now has to cancel a ton of flights. News reports indicate 18,000 fligths and about half a million passengers: http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ryanair-flight-cancellations-extend-march-customers-michael-oleary-destinations-holidays-travel-a7969846.html Reports are the "affected" passengers can take a refund or an alternative flight. I wonder what the refund fee will be. On the plus side, this keeps Alitalia safe from being acquired by the Irish airline. I wonder how the CEO will keep his job. But that's largely dependent on boardroom politics. Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
| September 28th, 2017 at 10:05:48 AM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
I read the article, but I am not sure that I understand it. Wiki says they have 397 Boeing 737-800 with 65 on order. Are they going to slow the delivery rate? Did they book flights based on planes that they don't have yet? Speaking of Ryanair, who is heavily invest in VivaAerobús, I see that VIVA has retired the last of their old 737s, so their fleet consists of about 22 A320s with an average age of 5 years old. Are they more pleasant to fly now that they have new equipment? |
| September 28th, 2017 at 10:59:28 AM permalink | |
| Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 |
My understanding is they have many pilots on leave/vacation at these times. I fail to understand how this could have happened.
I flew Viva a few years ago. I vowed never, ever, to fly with them again, unless there was no other choice. Based on this experience, I also know not to fly Ryanair, Spirit or Frontier. It wasn't just the crummy seats, but also the rather lousy service. Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
| September 28th, 2017 at 1:45:19 PM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
So it has nothing to do with the old airplanes. You just don't like the ULCC approach. I think Magnicharters is the last airline left in Mexico with old airplanes. Despite the company have "charters" in their name, they seem to specialize in regularly scheduled flights aiming at tourism primarily to Cancun. http://www.magnicharters.com/ Mexican fleet is very young today, much younger than most of the world Magnicharters :27.8 years Aeromexico Connect :8.7 years Aeromexico :8.0 years Interjet :6.6 years VivaAeroBus :5.2 years Volaris :4.7 years 1 Delta Airlines 17 years 2 Air Canada 14.2 years 3 United Airlines 14.1 years 4 British Airways 13.2 years 5 Air France 12.6 years 6 Lufthansa 11.5 years - Southwest Airlines 11.5 years 8 KLM 10.7 years 9 American Airlines 10.3 years 10 Qantas 9.7 years 11 Thai Airways 9.6 years 12 All Nippon Airways 9.4 years 13 Jet Blue Airways 9.3 years 14 Korean Air 9.2 years 15 Japan Airlines 8.7 years 16 LATAM Brazil 8.1 years - Singapore Airlines 8.1 years 18 Cathay Pacific 7.7 years 19 EasyJet (UK) 7.2 years 20 China Southern Airlines 6.9 years 21 Ryanair 6.5 years 22 Air China 6.3 years 23 Etihad 6.1 years - Qatar Airways 6.1 years 25 Saudi Arabian Airlines 5.9 years 26 Emirates 5.4 years 27 China Eastern Airlines 5.3 years 28 Hainan Airlines 4.9 years 29 Aeroflot 4.2 years |
| September 28th, 2017 at 2:38:14 PM permalink | |
| Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 |
I miss old planes. Back then there was more variety. In 2007 I had a chance to fly AeroCalifornia (since deceased) to Guadalajara in a DC-9 variant. I love the look of the wing unencumbered by engines.
That's part of it. I don't care for the lack of leg room, the seat that doesn't recline, and the awful headrests they had. Then, too, the service was pretty bad: 1) I couldn't check in online, no explanation given. 2) When I checked in at the counter, I asked for a window seat. The agent didn't even bother to tell me there were no assigned seats. 3) On the return trip the flight was delayed over 90 minutes. We were told this was due to bad weather over MEX, which had to clear before we could take off. But 1) I saw our plane land about 30 minutes before we finally boarded, and 2) a flight to Houston was also delayed, and I doubt it was over weather at MEX. And this was before they started getting pushy with the buy on board items.
I've never flown them. they don't fly places I'm interested in.
In some ways, though, it's very old. or rather "old fashioned." I've flown mostly Interjet these past five years or so, and my last flight was in 2015. But to this day I think only Aeromexico has WiFi of any kind or widespread seat-back screens and electrical outlets. I don't mind the lack of screens, because I just pop and audiobook or podcast and I'm good. but I would love WiFi, especially on short flights, for a change of pace. BTW, AA will not equip their new 737 MAX fleet with screens. Instead they'll have an on board section of media that passengers can stream to their devices (I assume for a fee), as well as outlets at every seat. That works if you carry a big tablet or a laptop with you. A phone is too small to watch a movie or TV show on. Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
| September 28th, 2017 at 4:49:13 PM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 | This Podcast was recommended to me by my brother. Are you interested in SKA? Not the music, but the radio telescopes. https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/naked-scientists/ska-and-radio-astronomy
Well since a plane lasts for 25 years, and fixed screens are ultra expensive, ultra heavy televisions, which are obsolete in five to ten years, that decision was not difficult to forsee. |
| September 29th, 2017 at 7:15:37 AM permalink | |
| Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 |
That's the first I hear of it, science or music.
When my old 25" CRT TV died a few years ago, the big problem was carrying it out of the apartment; I wound up borrowing a cart. The 32" LCD that replaced it, I could carry with one hand. So I'd hardly call 10-12" seat back screens ultra-heavy. More problematic is the extensive wiring and system boxes they require. The latter even take away under-seat space. We'll have to wait and see how that works. Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
| September 29th, 2017 at 8:01:00 AM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
As science, I would think it would be right up your alley, as it is essentially looking into the fundamental structure of the universe including the first few hundred thousand years after the big bang. As music Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. It is characterized by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the off-beat. The genesis was roughly 60 years ago in Jamaica. In the 1980s it spread around the world including Mexico City. |