Really

Have you seen this personally? Just asking, since I can't remember the last time I've had an empty seat due to WT. restriction. Overselling a Flt. whole different story!!

pilot64golfer

Yes. A bunch of times. Mostly Transcons and Hawaii.

There was even an article where a weight restricted guppy flying to Hawaii removed a veteran who was at Pearl Harbor going back for the 72nd anniversary of the attack. Delta put him on one of their 757s. Imagine that.

The guppy is a great short haul airplane, but not meant for a lot of the routes it has been put on.

I never understood why two airlines would merge, one profitable and one losing money hand over fist, and then pick the guy from the money losing airline to be CEO.

Really

Good to see you back, you're always good for some comic relief!! And if your statement was correct and you had any back round in business you would know that you would have been in the drivers seat as far as the Merger went!! Look at other 2 mergers to see example of this and which Mgt. survived!! The management that is in STRONGER position "WINS"!! May not be right but is a fact of life!! If your stated case was true, Tilton may not have wanted to be CEO but, he would have dictated who would be! My response was not to get into a "who's is larger" argument since I could care less!! My question was to Scott! Yes, you gave me 1 example from awhile back. There are case's it's restricted just like the 757,777 etc. You and I don't have the #'s to prove whether it's profitable or rt to run which a/c on which route so how can we with confidence say which one is better? p.s.- you are entertaining!!

Shrek

I don't have much back round on the subject either......

Dave Fitzgerald

Sorry, the CO 757's--especially the 757-300, might be different, but I have been flying the 757 for 10,000 hrs, and over 13 years, and have never been weight restricted. Not once, ever. Some close, but still not, even OGG with no wind. BOS-SFO in the winter full. May have to use the long runway, but that's about it.

I even flew SNA-IAD, full. Flaps 20, packs off. Never did that one before, we had to look up how to do it. Try that in your Guppy.

The only other plane I've ever seen more impressive was the DC-8-71.

Now, it is very possible that other airlines are using it in a different pax configuration, and over stage lengths that won't limit the payload, almost like they were using it as designed. Something our management seems to not be able to do. Don't get me wrong, I think it's great where used for the stages it is good for, not ones it is limited on. It is certainly much better than using under sized and more weight restricted RJ's.

In the long run, I have to think, the fleet plan will fix most of the restricted segments. They are parking 757's too soon thus the Guppy has to take over some segments it is not really suited for. As we get more Guppies, they will fill out the RJ segments, and the remaining 757's will resume/fly the more demanding legs. I think management blew it, really, again?

catIIIc

I think putting 767-300's in EWR on LHR,CDG,and AMS will free up those L-Cal 757-200's to do those routes the 900ER is not suited for. ie Hawaii and SNA and DCA.

BTW I fly the -300 to OGG weekly and we have taken everyone that wanted to go everytime. The problem in OGG is that they fuel us before we get there so we can't change the fuel load for the better we usually can leave 2-3K's of gas behind to get everyone on board. There is no reason we need to land in sfo or lax with 17-18k pounds of gas.

Really

No one is following what I am saying! I never said the 757 was always restricted I just said there were cases of it and the 777 being restricted! Don't worry I'm not trying to get into a mine is better than yours debate!! I'm just saying sometimes it's put into missions it wasn't made to do ie: 757 has issues when used from London to EWR in the winter. The DC8 was a GREAT A/C but if it was the BEST plane to fly ALL the airlines would be flying it!! I also have over 15 yrs on the 737 and NEVER have been wt restricted!! Do I think there are instances where it is not the best choice? Absolutely!! The ? is, is it better to fly 757 one way more ECON than less ECON the opposite way compared to 737? I have no idea!! Thats what I said in prior post, I don't have the program or people to run the #'s.

Scott Stoops

Absolutely. Many places into Denver with icing conditions. Huge weight penalty for tail icing (SE go-around performance is what I've been told by a couple of crews that fly it.) Also have a friend that is a CSR in LAX that has stated the number of seats blocked is unsat to some of the islands. 757's Europe to IAD with gobs of fuel diverts, closing and reopening the ord 747 base, taking the 747 off of SYD, and the list goes on.

From an IT perspective, they're doing the exact same thing. Choosing the least robust system in each decision. Res, CCS, PBS, records management, maintenance records, training records, etc. At each point, they're taking the cheap path, not the best path.

Same goes for manpower planning and crew management. 737 FO's sitting around, losing landing currency and even not getting consolidated because we're short 737 Cap's. Paying 200% for trips because we can't figure out how to staff an airline. Sending crews home from training because we don't have the capacity (sims, facilities, instructors, LCA's) to get them trained.

Look, I'm over the UAL/CAL thing. We're all UAL pilots now. It does no good to blame one side over the other. I am 40 years old, with 24.5 to go. I need this place to work, and it simply isn't. This summer is going to be an absolute train wreck with no end in sight. Unfortunately, this is Jeff's baby now... until his parachute opens and the next lawyer/politician/manager (not leader) takes the helm.

Scott

Really

Scott my point wasn't a LCAL/LUAL thing. I'm just trying to figure out what you guys are seeing. Like I've said on prior post 15 yrs on this A/C, 4 times into Denver in a Blizzard this Winter! Only one time was restricted for T/O wet r/w but then we worked it out and got everyone on board. Just saying. As far as A/C, I've always liked the 757 great a/c!! Not that I like all the decisions that have been so far either or trust that they are right. But, on this decision I have to believe them since the 737 line is ramping up because of all the orders from Mult. airlines and the 757 is closing since nobody wants them new anymore!! Just look at the Market. There are many things that make a A/C profitable that neither one of us have any knowledge on! For example lease rates, i know we got great ones on the 757-300 from Sun Country since only NWA and us were flying them and the lessor didn't want to get stuck with them. Prob. many more that we don't know of!! Bottom line is I'm just like you, I want this place to work. Unfortunately, we can only work with what they give us!!

Dave Fitzgerald

For the large part we agree. My illustration was to make the point that we are flying a bunch of routes with planes that are not optimized for the route costing us money and long term customers. Another case of management's inability to manage.