Is that Kxxx, Pxxx, Exxx or Vxxx?

 

What’s with all the vacation cancellations in April if business is so bad? Are we picking up all the extra belly freight that isn’t going on the pax carriers?

 

Nah, couldn’t be that. It must be all the humanitarian flying the company is patting themselves on the back for in every other email or FCIF.

They’re putting MDs back into Asia on regular 767 routes. I doubt that’s to handle the 28,000 pounds (what? 4-6 pallets?) of humanitarian aid they’re so proud of.

 

I hadn’t heard about the MDs showing up in Asia. I have noticed a fair amount of open time on the 777 and in HKG.

Are they adding MDs on the routes because of capacity issues with the loss of the PAX airlines capacity in Asia? Are we actually picking up business, or are they adding MDs because of the complexity of country restrictions on our Asia System?

 

Any indication on timeline for 1st and 2nd bid?

 

I don't understand why we would reduce the number of 757 Captains. Are we over manned in that airframe?

I can understand the MD, as we are parking some of those, but I have not heard we are parking any 75's.

 

There have been a boatload of Xtra pairings on the MD MEM since open time release. Most with at least one Intl deadhead and mostly to/from/around Asia. Also mostly trunk flights, not charter, so I assumed they were base/equipment changes to remedy staffing issues in ANC/HKG/LAX and MEM 77.

While these haven’t gotten NEARLY the interest in terms of makeup requests they normally would they’ve all been gobbled up. No thank you - not scared of the virus, just the hassle factor and threat of being thrown into quarantine by some over-zealous functionary. Still, it’s weird to see a 60 hour double deadhead international trip with 1-2 live legs sit in open time for two hours with only a couple of requests for it.


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I have no doubt the company is making a **** ton of money filling the belly freight vacuum.
They’re putting an MD on NRT-SIN. Japan has yet to make any significant restrictions regarding the coronavirus. Singapore‘s have been the same since it’s kicked off and we simply deal with that by going to the terminal hotel and not actually entering.
If the company was worried about actually being proactive and building a cogent plan to deal with the various restrictions, the first thing they would’ve done is position crews at all the non-China outstations and have them fly turns in and out of CAN. That way no one would actually have the China stink on them. This would allow relatively normal operations in Vietnam and the Philippines which have been significantly affected by the fact that no crews can actually enter either country if they’ve been in China. Most importantly it would also keep crews safer and away from ground zero. The company’s plan up to now has been to just be completely reactionary, so I think it’s a pretty safe assumption that the change to the MD is purely based on lift and a short term money grab.
Ether that or it’s a big money route they don’t want to risk since they’re having a hard time filling normal HKG flying with HKG crews who are so fed up with the BS and are staying home and not excepting draft.

 

While it’s possible there is some pickup due to belly freight due to the lack of passenger flying I think the answer is much simpler. As countries continue adding rules and requirement the 777 creforce is becoming more difficult to manage with who has been to China, who hasn’t been to China, and when have people been to various other countries that now have restrictions. Opening it up to the MD makes a bigger pool of folks who will fly into and around these countries and prevent immigration issue being continually being an issue on a the 777 crews. I think this will is an effort to add to their ability to service all the various countries no matter how much cargo is on board.

 

Along with the realization that the pairings are going to have to change drastically with a lot more inefficiency.