A330-200 Envoy updates?

[beachboy]

What we were told was the third 330 #281 will have the old seats then the first 332 we got will go in for pod modification. Makes no sense but does anything anymore? Also no Emergency Manual Alert (which will come with the pods) has been issued so I doubt that new ship will have them.

 

[PHL]

are the pods being installed in the US?

 

[nycbusdriver]

That would be A/C 281. This aircraft should absolutely have the pods. Should be a quick Pre-Ops. I've been looking in the schedule and noticed LHR and MUC no longer have a 332 on those routes for the future. So where is the 3rd line gonna be to?

Checking the ever-precise website, it looks like MUC is going to the A330-200 permanently on December 17, and LHR on October 24.

 

[A320 Driver]

Checking the ever-precise website, it looks like MUC is going to the A330-200 permanently on December 17, and LHR on October 24.

And no pods on A/C 281, 282, or 283. I heard that the new Envoy seats won't be available until Feb 2010.


Driver B)

 

[OTslave]

And no pods on A/C 281, 282, or 283. I heard that the new Envoy seats won't be available until Feb 2010.


Driver B)

So has 281 been delivered yet or not? I've seen pictures of it at TLS but not elsewhere.

 

[Travelpro72]

So who is responsible for this delay in pod installation? Does US get a discount now or something? The whole thing is nuts. New planes with old seats. Now we'll have planes almost what 10 months old when they receive their "new" seats? Sounds about right.

 

[nycbusdriver]

So who is responsible for this delay in pod installation? Does US get a discount now or something? The whole thing is nuts. New planes with old seats. Now we'll have planes almost what 10 months old when they receive their "new" seats? Sounds about right.

They're waiting to see if maybe they can still get a good deal on some American Airlines castoff "Majesty Seats" like the 767 has. Surely that must be worth waiting for!


NOT!!! :down:

 

[A320 Driver]

So has 281 been delivered yet or not? I've seen pictures of it at TLS but not elsewhere.

Should be in Mobile by now unless it was delayed.


Driver B)

 

[beachboy]

Where is the think going to go? I don't understand a 332 with that range being wasted in LHR. MUC well OK whatever. Take ATH year round. My gosh the Greek community is always saying how hard it is around here to get to ATH in the winter. Don't tell me it just dries up come on. US refuses to put 2 cents into advertising. They only like destinations where the seats/cargo sell itself. Typical.

 

[Travelpro72]

Hell, add another TLV flight. It seems to be "selling itself". I don't understand the 332 on LHR either.

 

[galley princess]

There must be data indicating that LHR can be a higher profit market. I don't get it, since there was a release that the flight wasn't meeting expectations. I also know that it's been a "cleanup flight" for PHL when rain, too much sun etc. causes misconnects.

I guess they want the nicer aircraft on it to GASP, compete with BA?

I agree with Beachboy, put it on Athens year round, or split it. ATH doesn't have to run every day, and they could use it the other days on one of the flights that they're pulling for the winter.

 

[zethya]

I plan to take the 332 flight sometime in January or February. When I fly PHL to London 2 - 3X Year, I use BA's Club World and have done so quite a few times. A while back someone here mentioned that the US service on the route was to be an "upgraded" Envoy. Is that the case and if so, what is the difference between PHL-LHR and say PHL-FCO? Obviously if they get the new Pods on that aircraft coupled with a little higher class oriented service - US could very well compete with BA. Really it's not that tough now a days to compete with a somewhat downgraded BA (from previous years) if one wants to really make the effort. US has the connectivity and the alliance advantage at PHL. Noting that BA's revenue/yields at PHL are almost 100% O&D. If US wants to make LHR work, IMO they need to go after the top end corporate travel accounts many of who are now using BA. BTW, very few of the new East Coast based Open Skies LHR routes are doing well - US is not unique in that respect. Seems the winners in Open Skies were the Sellers of the LHR Slots.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

. I also know that it's been a "cleanup flight" for PHL when rain, too much sun etc. causes misconnects.

With its current late evening departure, the LHR flight is indeed a clean up flight for missed conx to Europe during PHL's all too frequent bad days. From LHR, you can get to pretty much anywhere in Europe. Though not always on Star Alliance which means mean higher reroute costs. I don't remember when LHR goes to an earlier (said to be more marketable) time; when it does, a very important "safety valve" for blow Euro conx will be gone.

 

[Dog Wonder]

The question never answered here is who in Tempe is responsible for 'new' aircraft missing all of Envoy Class.

And when will they fix it?

 

[Travelpro72]

From what I remember hearing it was the seat manufacturer that delayed the seat installation. I think US was set to have them installed while the a/c were still on the factory floor. Due to this inconvenience I wonder if the company is giving US a price break. Delivering a brand new a/c to an airline is a big deal. Especially a different type (sort of).