Southwest/Preferential treatment by ATC?
05-20-2008 | 06:56 AM
#1
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Southwest/Preferential treatment by ATC?
Read a thread on another message board, and it got my brain noodle cogitating.
I've been flying in/out of LAX regularly for the past 10 years, I can't remember ever seeing a SW jet operate (land or taxi) in the south complex. It seems FAA ATC limits SW operations to the north complex only. Seemingly makes sense in that their gates are in the north, but it the airlines with gates in the south complex, AA, UA, DL, etc are regularly sent to land/taxi to the north complex.
Is an operational advantage being given to SW?
Thoughts?
I've been flying in/out of LAX regularly for the past 10 years, I can't remember ever seeing a SW jet operate (land or taxi) in the south complex. It seems FAA ATC limits SW operations to the north complex only. Seemingly makes sense in that their gates are in the north, but it the airlines with gates in the south complex, AA, UA, DL, etc are regularly sent to land/taxi to the north complex.
Is an operational advantage being given to SW?
Thoughts?
05-20-2008 | 07:59 AM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,534
Likes: 1
From: A320 CA
Read a thread on another message board, and it got my brain noodle cogitating.
I've been flying in/out of LAX regularly for the past 10 years, I can't remember ever seeing a SW jet operate (land or taxi) in the south complex. It seems FAA ATC limits SW operations to the north complex only. Seemingly makes sense in that their gates are in the north, but it the airlines with gates in the south complex, AA, UA, DL, etc are regularly sent to land/taxi to the north complex.
Is an operational advantage being given to SW?
Thoughts?
I've been flying in/out of LAX regularly for the past 10 years, I can't remember ever seeing a SW jet operate (land or taxi) in the south complex. It seems FAA ATC limits SW operations to the north complex only. Seemingly makes sense in that their gates are in the north, but it the airlines with gates in the south complex, AA, UA, DL, etc are regularly sent to land/taxi to the north complex.
Is an operational advantage being given to SW?
Thoughts?
I'm based at LAX and my crashpad overlooks the South Complex, I see southwest land there everyday. I think most of WN's flights head North (SFO, OAK, SJC, SMF, PDX, RNO, SLC) so they tend to get the North Complex more.
What they do get preference on is landing when the Visibility drops. All the CAT II jets go into a hold while all the SW guys claim they're CAT I and get priority before the vis gets worse, and the guys in the hold have to divert for gas since the whole WN fleet just cut in line.
05-20-2008 | 08:49 AM
#6
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Joined: Jan 2007
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From: B737 Capt
I'm based at LAX and my crashpad overlooks the South Complex, I see southwest land there everyday. I think most of WN's flights head North (SFO, OAK, SJC, SMF, PDX, RNO, SLC) so they tend to get the North Complex more.
What they do get preference on is landing when the Visibility drops. All the CAT II jets go into a hold while all the SW guys claim they're CAT I and get priority before the vis gets worse, and the guys in the hold have to divert for gas since the whole WN fleet just cut in line.
What they do get preference on is landing when the Visibility drops. All the CAT II jets go into a hold while all the SW guys claim they're CAT I and get priority before the vis gets worse, and the guys in the hold have to divert for gas since the whole WN fleet just cut in line.
YGBSM, WN jets do get to shoot the approach with loe viz because they are CAT III and can hand fly the ILS on the HUD to 700 RVR and 50 ft AGL. That's why some CAT I and CAT II aircraft go hold and WN and FEDEX aircraft keep landing....not because of some sweatheart deal or BS gameplaying. Grow up.
05-20-2008 | 09:29 AM
#7
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 500
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From: 737 F/O
Read a thread on another message board, and it got my brain noodle cogitating.
I've been flying in/out of LAX regularly for the past 10 years, I can't remember ever seeing a SW jet operate (land or taxi) in the south complex. It seems FAA ATC limits SW operations to the north complex only. Seemingly makes sense in that their gates are in the north, but it the airlines with gates in the south complex, AA, UA, DL, etc are regularly sent to land/taxi to the north complex.
Is an operational advantage being given to SW?
Thoughts?
I've been flying in/out of LAX regularly for the past 10 years, I can't remember ever seeing a SW jet operate (land or taxi) in the south complex. It seems FAA ATC limits SW operations to the north complex only. Seemingly makes sense in that their gates are in the north, but it the airlines with gates in the south complex, AA, UA, DL, etc are regularly sent to land/taxi to the north complex.
Is an operational advantage being given to SW?
Thoughts?
05-20-2008 | 09:32 AM
#8
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"That's why some CAT I and CAT II aircraft go hold and WN, FedEx and UPS aircraft keep landing..."
Last edited by ⌐ AV8OR WANNABE; 05-20-2008 at 09:38 AM.
05-20-2008 | 10:45 AM
#10
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,772
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From: 744 CA
i have been slowed numerous times going into MDW only to have the controller tell a blue top to keep his speed up and vector him in front of us. No skin off my nose I get paid by the hour. An extra 1/10 here.. or there.. all adds up.
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