Now this is not a Pakistan-bashing post. Just something to figure out "why"

PIA flies BOM KHI (I think daily) as flight PK 275.

I've been noticing the past few days this week, and almost every day the flight was operated by a different aircraft.

First an A300 B2 (which was the regular visitor to BOM)

Then an A310

For two days a 747-300

and finally yesterday, one of the new 777-200LR's !!!

The only common thing was that all of them were in the new color scheme which itself is quite boring and sad to look at.

So either PIA's fleet planning dept is on holiday, or someone's gone bonkers, or they want to show us Indians how many different types they have in their fleet !!

Anyone in India (Bombay) or Pakistan (Karachi) have an idea about this ? Why ? How ?

Cheers!

Quoting SM777 (Thread starter): and finally yesterday, one of the new 777-200LR's !!!

Well it is a long trip  
eP007

Sanjeev....Last time I checked the B747s were doing the rounds.But due to training not had a look at the International for some time now.Maybe the PIA helpdesk at Mumbai could help.If it was a Roster issue or load factor one.
regds
MEL

the 772LRs could be to train new pilots. I think a lot of airlines do this when they get new a/c types - run them on very short sectors so they can get pilots trained faster. I hope the rest is due to varying loads 

KHI-BOM would be what 45-minutes? A 772LR does seem like major overkill, but I guess as Nimish said it must be for crew-training purposes. However if PK is using such large aircraft on the route there must be significant demand. Has PK recently (since services were restarted) used their 737's on the route? I know DEL only gets a 733 and maybe a 734 once in a while.

Quoting SM777 (Thread starter): So either PIA's fleet planning dept is on holiday, or someone's gone bonkers, or they want to show us Indians how many different types they have in their fleet !!

Probably all of those points are valid, same with the babus in AIs fleep depts  

Basically this proves that fleet planning in South Asia is a mysterious art! Everybody is bonkers out here.
 

PIA's new schedule for KHI-BOM shows five weekly flights with A310 once a week, 777 and 743 twice a week each.

KHI-DEL is thrice weekly with A310, 777 and 743 once a week each, 737 only do LHE-DEL and A300B4 fleet has been phased out.

[Edited 2006-04-07 13:11:46]

Maybe their just proud of their 777LR's !!
I know Id be... especially as they're new and AI's are ex UA ..

 

Thanx all for your inputs.

Well its quite mysterious, could be pilot training (777 most likely since its the newest type) or a sudden spurt in traffic sufficient enough to fill 2 x 743s a week and 1 x 772, in addition to the 310 flights !

Cheers   

You read it wrong BOM is 777 twice a week, 743 twice a week and A310 once a week, a total of five flights weekly.

DEL is 777 once a week, 743 once a week and A310 once a week from KHI, while 737 is thrice a week from LHE, total six flights.

Schedule from KHI has been changed again:

BOM getting 743 twice a week and A310 thrice a week.
DEL getting 777 twice a week and A310 once a week, from LHE 737 now four times weekly

[Edited 2006-04-17 21:19:41]

Quoting SM777 (Thread starter): First an A300 B2

Not sure what's happening, but its not A300s you would have seen. PIA operated B4-200s and they are long gone now. 777s or 747s to India doesn't sound right. I am out of touch so can anyone tell what the loads are like? I remember the 737s to Delhi probably once a week from Lahore and my father used to tell its not very crowded.

[Edited 2006-04-17 21:22:57]

[Edited 2006-04-17 21:23:26]