Yet another aviation thread.

January 16th, 2018 at 11:54:50 AM permalink
boymimbo
Member since: Mar 25, 2013
Threads: 5
Posts: 732
With regards to seat pitch I think 30" is the minimum you'll get away with. At 34" for JB the cost of Even More Space is a row of seats. At 34" for JB vs 30" for Delta it means that Delta can put in 18 more seats over JB. But DL usually has Biz with 12 seats on its planes to give 156 seats (six more seats than JB).

It's about mixing. With JB even with Mosiac (its only premium seating) you have to pay for Even More space seats (very discounted, mind you) and there are no waitlistings for Upgrades as there are no upgrades. And you get free drinks where-ever you sit on the plane, and no meal enhancements.. With Delta, anyone with Premier Silver status or above is playing the upgrade game to get into First or E+.

And JetBlue doesn't have overbooking.

It also lacks a midwest Hub which I think really hurts it. Long Beach is not much of a hub and it sits at a corner of a nation such as you are always backtrack to get to where you want to go. JFK's Terminal 5 is very nice; gates are easy to get to unlike DL's T4 where you walk for an eternity. But like LGB it's a stretch if you travelling from anywhere west of NYC.

For example, if I fly my usual SMF - BUF routing, my choice for JB are SMF-JFK-BUF. My choices for DL are via MSP (on the way), SLC (on the way), or ATL (out of the way). For UA it is DEN (good), ORD (good depending on weather), or EWR (out of the way).

I could also do SMF - YYZ via SFO, ORD, DEN, ATL, SLC, or MSP. JetBlue doesn't give me that option.

If JB opened a Hub in STL (39 gates currently vacant) or CVG (Delta pulled out of Terminal A) I think it would be really onto something. It could decrease pressure on JFK and BOS and provide better connections.
January 16th, 2018 at 7:37:24 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: boymimbo
With regards to seat pitch I think 30" is the minimum you'll get away with.


You haven't flown an ULCC. Spirit Airlines flies the A320 with 17 4 seats 28" by 17.75". They only have 4 or 8 seats with 36" pitch and 20" width.

Quote: boymimbo
If JB opened a Hub in STL (39 gates currently vacant) or CVG (Delta pulled out of Terminal A) I think it would be really onto something. It could decrease pressure on JFK and BOS and provide better connections.


When commercial airlines started it was thought to be useful to have a hub near the mean center of population.


But those days are gone. So we have CVG, PIT, CLE, CIN, and STL with large number of empty gates. The so called FAA "medium size airports" are about equally airports on their way up, and airports on their way down

DAL Dallas Dallas Love Field
STL St. Louis St Louis Lambert International -------------------------------
BNA Nashville Nashville International
HOU Houston William P Hobby
AUS Austin Austin-Bergstrom International
OAK Oakland Metropolitan Oakland International
MSY Metairie Louis Armstrong New Orleans International
RDU Raleigh Raleigh-Durham International
MCI Kansas City Kansas City International
SJC San Jose Norman Y Mineta San Jose International
SNA Santa Ana John Wayne Airport-Orange County
SMF Sacramento Sacramento International
SJU San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International
RSW Fort Myers Southwest Florida International
IND Indianapolis Indianapolis International
SAT San Antonio San Antonio International
CLE Cleveland Cleveland-Hopkins International -------------------------------
PIT Pittsburgh Pittsburgh International -------------------------------
CMH Columbus John Glenn Columbus International -------------------------------
OGG Kahului Kahului
MKE Milwaukee General Mitchell International
CVG Greater Cincinnati International Airport Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International -------------------------------
PBI West Palm Beach Palm Beach International
BDL Windsor Locks Bradley International
JAX Jacksonville Jacksonville International
ANC Anchorage Ted Stevens Anchorage International
ABQ Albuquerque Albuquerque International Sunport
BUF Buffalo Buffalo Niagara International
OMA Omaha Eppley Airfield -------------------------------
ONT Ontario Ontario International
BUR Burbank Bob Hope

There are really only four large airports in the Midwest anymore, and I am of the opinion that MSP and DTW are going to start fading.
ORD Chicago Chicago O'Hare International
MDW Chicago Chicago Midway International
MSP Minneapolis Minneapolis-St Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain
DTW Detroit Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

FAA Great Lakes region


CONUS airports carrying at least 1% of passenger traffic
January 18th, 2018 at 7:14:10 AM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Gol intends to fly from Brasilia to Orlando in a 737-MAX8. This flight would be longer than all of Norwegians' narrow body transatlantic flights.

I've seen the future of flight, and it's cramped, uncomfortable and ideal for deep vein thrombosis.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
January 18th, 2018 at 8:52:40 AM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Norwegian Airlines Dreamliner did New York to London in just over five hours.. intense storm winds helped.
January 18th, 2018 at 12:29:10 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Nareed
Gol intends to fly from Brasilia to Orlando in a 737-MAX8. This flight would be longer than all of Norwegians' narrow body transatlantic flights.


You are correct, it is longer by about 10%
BSB MCO 3,283 nmi Brasilia to Orlando
SWF BGO 3,004 nmi Stewart to Bergen, Norway


It's possible that the A321LR with a still air range of 4000 nmi will bring even more airports within range of Orlando.

Quote: Nareed
I've seen the future of flight, and it's cramped, uncomfortable and ideal for deep vein thrombosis.


Perhaps Gol will fly with a lot fewer seats than Norwegian's 189 seats (exit limit of the plane). Southwest flies with 14 fewer seats than Norwegian.
January 18th, 2018 at 1:05:13 PM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: Pacomartin
Perhaps Gol will fly with a lot fewer seats than Norwegian's 189 seats (exit limit of the plane). Southwest flies with 14 fewer seats than Norwegian.


I think so. Gol gets compared to Southwest, not Spirit. I think they even have a kind of extra legroom section. But that long on a narrow body is too long.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
January 18th, 2018 at 1:58:44 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Nareed
I think so. Gol gets compared to Southwest, not Spirit. I think they even have a kind of extra legroom section. But that long on a narrow body is too long.



The routes from South America to USA cross winds going in both directions, so there isn't an obvious tailwind/headwind situation like TransAtlantic.

So Brazilia to Orlando is 3283 nm but the "still air range" of the B737MAX-8 is 3500 nmi

The "still air range" of the A321LR is advertised as 4000 nmi

Major Airport in South America to Miami
GRU AIP São Paulo [Guarulhos Intl (Governador André Franco Montoro)], SP, BR 3,539 nm
GIG AIP Rio de Janeiro [Galeão - Antônio Carlos (Tom) Jobim Intl], RJ, BR 3,618 nm
EZE DAFIF Buenos Aires [Aeropuerto Internacional Ezeiza/Ministro Pistarini], C, AR 3,829 nm

Africa to Miami
DKR AIP Dakar (Yoff) [Léopold Sédar Senghor Intl (Dakar Yoff Intl)], DK, SN 3,573 nm
January 18th, 2018 at 2:06:03 PM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: Pacomartin
So Brazilia to Orlando is 3283 nm but the "still air range" of the B737MAX-8 is 3500 nmi
So Buenos Aires to Miami is 3829 nm but the "still air range" of the A321LR is advertised as 4000 nmi


And deep vein thrombosis isn't always fatal. good to know, eh?

About the only "good" thing about being so long on a narrow body, is that just about everyone will need to use the lavatory, thus nearly everyone will get up and walk.

Widespread supersonic travel cannot get here fast enough. Of course it's already like 40 years late...
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
January 18th, 2018 at 7:11:01 PM permalink
Aussie
Member since: May 10, 2016
Threads: 2
Posts: 458
I see Emirates has ordered 30-odd more A380s from Airbus. Should keep the plane alive for a little longer.
January 18th, 2018 at 7:15:58 PM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: Aussie
I see Emirates has ordered 30-odd more A380s from Airbus. Should keep the plane alive for a little longer.


I read it as "Emirates blinked"

Here's a link: https://airwaysmag.com/airlines/airbus-saves-a380-program-emirates-commitment/

Now, if someone would buy or lease a gently used A380....
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER