Europe flights being cut?

[700UW]

This is floating around the internet:

According to some sources US Airways is turning some of its year-round destinations into seasonal service only.

PHL-MXP and PHL-ZRH last flight effective September 30.
PHL-BRU last flight eff Oct 23.

Can anyone confirm this?

 

[Dog Wonder]

Duh?

 

[Itestwell]

True. At least, the flights are all "zeroed out" after those dates you've listed. No official announcement from the company.

 

[PHL Approach]

It goes back and forth a lot. The only surprise for me is MXP which has been a solid year round flight for years.

 

[USA320Pilot]

At today's BOA/Merill Lynch Transportation Conferece Scott Kirby said US Airways is likely to annouce additional transatlantic seasonal reductions in flying, which might explain today's announcement the company is seeking 100 East Flight Attendant voluntary furloughs for a 3-month period starting later this year.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[nycbusdriver]

ZRH was already seasonal. It was not operated this past winter.

This may also have to do with 2 767s being returned to lessors late this year. (I know...I know...BRU is a 757, but that just means the company will try to S_T_R_E_T_C_H the range of another 757 to cover the route. Look for MAD to go to a 757 and stop daily at BGR for fuel.)

The company said that the return of these airplanes may not happen, but this may be the first indication that they actually will be returned. Not good.

 

[US1YFARE]

How much smaller can US get?

 

[nycbusdriver]

How much smaller can US get?

Not much without violating the pilots' Transition Agreement. (Actually, they have already violated it by flying too many RJs and reducing flight hours on the west more than contractually allowed. Grievances are in process.)

Both sides are within a few airplanes of the minimum required by the pilots' contracts, so it can't get too much smaller. But for every A321 or A330 that is now getting delivered, they can get rid of something else in the fleet including the 767s (which the company reportedly plan to retire as the A330s are delivered.)

 

[hp_fa]

Not much without violating the pilots' Transition Agreement. (Actually, they have already violated it by flying too many RJs and reducing flight hours on the west more than contractually allowed. Grievances are in process.)

What happens to the contract provisions as far as aircraft count when you have a hull loss such as what happened with Flt. 1549?

 

[BoeingBoy]

The TA just provides the method for arriving at a firm minimum number for each side. Given that unfortunate things do happen, I would expect that the union would make short-term allowances for a hull loss dropping the fleet below the minimum number, but it shouldn't change the minimum number.

Jim

 

[HottootrotNyc]

The 757 can do MAD just fine without a fuel stop. The furthest route we use it for at CO is Berlin, Germany, that was the only route we had trouble with in the winter. So they swapped it to a 767-200 for winter months, due to the strong head winds and back to the 757 in the summer. We even do BCN with the 757 and haven't heard of regular fuel stops and we have all the bells and whistles on our 757's, like PTV's that add weight.

 

[BoeingBoy]

The 757 can do MAD just fine without a fuel stop.

Not all 757-200's are created equal. Boeing publishes at least 3 range/payload charts for the 757 just to cover engine differences. Then there could be empty weight differences, MTOW differences, etc., which can affect the range.

Jim

 

[nycbusdriver]

The 757 can do MAD just fine without a fuel stop. The furthest route we use it for at CO is Berlin, Germany, that was the only route we had trouble with in the winter. So they swapped it to a 767-200 for winter months, due to the strong head winds and back to the 757 in the summer. We even do BCN with the 757 and haven't heard of regular fuel stops and we have all the bells and whistles on our 757's, like PTV's that add weight.

Again, I find my self in the odd situation of agreeing with BB.

Like he said, just because CO's 757 have the range does not mean that US 757s do.

What is the max fuel load of a CO 757 that makes these very long hauls you speak of? What is the Max Gross weight? I'll bet these numbers are different by tons from the US aircraft.

 

[Pacemaker]

BB & NYC are correct. You could get the airplane in variants from 220,000 lbs. up to 255,000. The original Eastern 757's were of the lighter MGTOW type. Essentially domestic-only airplanes. When USAir ordered new airplanes they had the same limitations. You had to pay more for an airplane certified to higher weights and it was never envisioned that the planes would do more than a PHL-SFO nonstop.

 

[USA320Pilot]

The company will announce a revised transatlantic schedule in the not-to-distant future. This schedule will likely include the removal of 2-4 B767s. Do not be surprised if management asks the DOT to delay new China service one more year.

Regards,

USA320Pilot