Inflightmags From United States of America, joined Jun 2003, 103 posts, RR: 0 Posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 1627 times:
Need information on UPS AIRLINES - set up by UPS (United Parcel Service) back then I believe for charter purposes. Need main hub/base, destinations (if possible), etc.
Johnboy From United States of America, joined Aug 1999, 2472 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1573 times:
I know at least one destination was Aruba, as my brother from Louisville flew there on UPS Airlines for a package vacation.
At Louisville Airport, there were also signs showing baggage claim for UPS Airlines.
Sorry, don't know much more than that. It was an experiment with a charter company, whereby they fitted seats into idle UPS aircraft probably on weekends, when demand was low for overnight air services.
UPS ended the service within the past couple of years. At the time I read about it, I remember thinking there wasn't any one overriding concern against the venture. I'm guessing at the heart of the matter was, that UPS is not a vacation company and felt like they were straying from their mission.
ClipperNo1 From Germany, joined May 1999, 671 posts, RR: 2 Reply 2, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 1542 times:
Flights were operated by a bunch of ex-EA B727-25QC's during daylight, which then were converted to freighters during the night. Once read an interesting article in the Airways back then. The article also expressed 'between the lines', that pax was quite frankly a bit concerned when they saw their plane at the gate. Maybe one reason they stopped ops. What I remember were operations to mexican destinations and I once saw a counter of them at BWI.
"I really don't know one plane from the other. To me they are just marginal costs with wings."� Alfred Kahn, 1977
Luv2fly From United States of America, joined May 2003, 11957 posts, RR: 51 Reply 3, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1518 times:
They flew as a charter only, so the financial risk was always the company who was chartering them. The charter market at the time was full, you had ATA and Sun Country both competing for the same business. Also UPS received a lot of attention for this, I remember they never really did a whole lot to promote it or seek business. The did a lot of last minute stuff and did some flights for a cruise line I worked for at the time.
Fly727 From Mexico, joined Jul 2003, 1788 posts, RR: 23 Reply 4, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 1420 times:
As said by ClipperNo1, they were using some 727-25QC regs N950UP, N951UP, N95.... on behalf of Vacation Express. Some of their destinations included Louisville, Aruba and Cancun. The service was acceptable (remember that on charter flights the pax get whatever the tour operator pays for). They never hired their own F/A, as they got some from a crew broker, nevertheless they used their own pilots to whom they gave some training about passengers operations.
RM
There are no stupid questions... just stupid people!
Mexicana757 From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 2958 posts, RR: 30 Reply 5, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 1388 times:
I remember they used to operated their UPS passenger airline into ORD. I think they only did it during the weekends.
Caetravlr From United States of America, joined Oct 2000, 898 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 1366 times:
I remember reading something about them serving Atlanta as well, maybe even being based there, would have to dig a little deeper to find out though. It sounds to me like it was an experiment in increasing aircraft utilization. I think Aloha or another Hawaii based airiline does something similar. Slide in seats on pallets that fit the same dimesions as the cargo containers, and slide them right in, and use the aircraft all day long. Not a bad idea if there is the business I guess. Was probably just experimental, and very minimal investment.
Imagine flying Bulk Package class?
A woman drove me to drink and I didn't have the decency to thank her. - W.C. Fields
Inflightmags From United States of America, joined Jun 2003, 103 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 1286 times:
Thanks for anyone who replied to my question/topic. If you got to add keep on going...more is better...
Air2gxs From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 1204 times:
The aircraft, there were 5 of them, operated pax flights on the weekend and were converted back to frieghter for normal cargo operations. Sometimes, during the heavy vacation season, we would keep one in config all week to pick up any extra work. Cancidas: We had the window plugs removed and installed windows.
As I recall the registrations were:
N947UP
N948UP
N949UP
N950UP
N951UP
Raven111 From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 106 posts, RR: 2 Reply 11, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 1112 times:
Yes I remember when they use to have those flights. I have friends that have flown on them from IAD to Cancun and also CLT to Cancun. I remember them joking before the trip about how they will have to carry lawn chairs so they would have something to sit on. They always flew on 727's.
"The secret to my success is that I always managed to live to fly another day." Chuck Yeager
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Jun 2003, 103 posts, 
From Germany, joined May 1999, 671 posts, 
From Mexico, joined Jul 2003, 1788 posts, 
From Poland, joined Jul 2003, 4112 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
