...and PHX begins the shrinking

[strangiatotheme]

A friend of mine is a flight attendant and told me she is doing training on the A330 . Starting in December going to Hawaii from Phoenix

Yes this was announced a while back. The 330 has already been doing domestic turns off and on throughout the year. The 332 will be back from 11/6 to 12/14 CLT-PHX-CLT, and then from 12/15 to I believe early April of next year the 333 will operate CLT-PHX-HNL-PHX-CLT.

 

[jimntx]

I don't know, that sounds too much like a LOGICAL use of one of the big birds in the European off-season. Are you sure?

 

[Jester]

I don't know, that sounds too much like a LOGICAL use of one of the big birds in the European off-season. Are you sure?

I suggested on this board a few years ago that maybe the Company should consider using some of those ratty B762's (maybe even a better B763?) to replace the even more ratty B757's on the HNL trips. I think that might have been even more logical. However, someone mentioned it was a violation of the US pilots' agreement in flying AA wide-bodies from PHX to Hawaii-- as to what has changed now, I don't know.

Overall while many see this news as a big plus for PHX, I see it as a continuation of reduced service as 1 A330 does not equal 2 B757 in terms of seats.

 

[strangiatotheme]

I don't know, that sounds too much like a LOGICAL use of one of the big birds in the European off-season. Are you sure?

I suggested on this board a few years ago that maybe the Company should consider using some of those ratty B762's (maybe even a better B763?) to replace the even more ratty B757's on the HNL trips. I think that might have been even more logical. However, someone mentioned it was a violation of the US pilots' agreement in flying AA wide-bodies from PHX to Hawaii-- as to what has changed now, I don't know.

Overall while many see this news as a big plus for PHX, I see it as a continuation of reduced service as 1 A330 does not equal 2 B757 in terms of seats.

My thoughts on it: when I worked in PHX the rumor about the 767s to HI had persisted since at least 2007. One of the biggest reasons I think we never saw that happen with the 762s or the 330s was that it's a big risk, operationally speaking, to run an aircraft on two long, back-to-back segments with no available spare. In the US days at least, if I'm not mistaken, if an East flight went tech, any replacement flight had to be done with East metal. So even with an abundance of 757s, nothing could be done. At least that's how I remember a lot of cancellations going when they first started crossfleeting. And I mean...look at how well CLT-HNL did in the beginning (sarcasm intended). That flight was diverting almost once a week it seemed.

Nowadays the risk hasn't really been mitigated. BUT, you can now route pax on AA metal through two other hubs in case of irrops.

As far as seat count, yes it's a reduction compared to 2 757s, however it could be a case where 2 is actually a bit too many seats resulting in depressed yields to fill both aircraft. And there are times during the year when only 1 757 operates. The 333 can also lift quite a bit more cargo than the 757, and as I recall HNL was pretty heavy with the freight and mail and left a lot behind some days. I know it probably doesn't make or break the flight, but it can certainly help offset the cost of operating a larger aircraft.

Overall I'd say it's mostly positive; they'll probably be getting healthier margins, which means the flights stay, and passengers get an improved experience as well.