patrick.net

My kid just flew to Oregon with a connecting flight through Pheonix. Unfortunately, that connecting flight was delayed for maintenance, so she got to the gate at Pheonix just a few minutes after they closed the door. Since no flights to Oregon until the next day, American Airlines put her up in a hotel and gave her a meal voucher. Funny thing is that the flight she missed sat at the gate for 2 hours for some reason. I do not know if they allowed the passengers to get off during the delay, but if so she could have been added to that flight. Ironically, her flight the next day was also delayed by about 45 minutes. She will be coming back in a couple of days, so I hope those delays were just bad luck and not something that is more common these days.

HeadSet says

She will be coming back in a couple of days, so I hope those delays were just bad luck and not something that is more common these days.

I've rarely been delayed and worst case 20 minutes because at Midway the deicer has to come to the plane. O'hare has this https://www.kimley-horn.com/project/ohare-centralized-deicing-facility/

We fly more in the winter, we're usually on time or early if anything. Not the best seats by far, but most our flights are 3-4 hours max from Chicago. That gets us to CA, MX, PR, FL and say Maine pretty quickly, usually non-stop.

If you travel a lot domestically Chicago is the spot to be if you can deal with this bull shit weather. Cancelled school tomorrow already. No snow either. -35ºF wind-chill temps. I don't have to go outside though at least.

Southwest is also reliable because it's just the 737. Obviously different models/varients, but easier to maintain if that's what your staff and pilots only fly on. So I feel extremely safe on them, hence why I get pissy on the Boeing thread. They're safe planes. If your pilots need to get certified in different classes of planes that's where the problems begin.

It's why I don't fly United, American or Delta. Spirit and Frontier are manageable if you know what you're getting into, but those are the worst seats of any airline.

MolotovCocktail says

Won't happen. Even lightweight passengers are a lot of weight. Figure a carry on? Checked bag? If you increase capacity 20% these planes were not designed for that weight. They'd have to install new engines that would take 5-10 years to recoup the costs of the engines and new seats. Then passenger satisfaction would go way down.

Maybe it would work in Europe, but not working in the states. If it's a dedicated short route and the plane needs work, you're screwed and lose money on those short routes. Potentially for weeks. I'm not riding one of those going to San Diego or Puerto Rico.

WookieMan says

They'd have to install new engines that would take 5-10 years to recoup the costs of the engines and new seats. Then passenger satisfaction would go way

The seats weigh 50% less, so no new engines. They plan on saving fuel, actually.

WookieMan says

Then passenger satisfaction would go way down

Since when do they give a shit? Especially United.

WookieMan says

I'm not riding one of those going to San Diego or Puerto Rico.

They are supposedly only going to be used for flights 20 min or less. Basically flying busses crammed like an Asian subway car.

But I agree. I am not sure this dog will hunt in the US even if the FAA will approve.

MolotovCocktail says

WookieMan says

They'd have to install new engines that would take 5-10 years to recoup the costs of the engines and new seats. Then passenger satisfaction would go way

The seats weigh 50% less, so no new engines. They plan on saving fuel, actually.

Human weight. https://www.healthyforlifemeals.com/blog/average-weight-of-men-women#:~:text=Average%20Weight%20and%20Body%20Mass,for%20women%20is%20170.8%20pounds.

170lbs for women and 200lbs for men. This negates the weight savings of a seat if they have carry on or a checked bag. The seats don't weigh that much anyway. Humans do. Pack more humans in and the balances get off. Just because the seats are "deemed" safe doesn't mean the plane is.

This might go in Europe or somewhere else, but in the US it's easier to drive instead of 1 hour or less flights. I can drive to St. Louis or Minneapolis in 4-5 hours on a tank of gas. Not getting on a plane that makes me stand up that will ultimately charge the same rates. This might be a top 10 dumbest ideas I've seen. Loser that can't afford flight except once every 10 years will bite at it though.