BG777300ER From Bulgaria, joined Mar 2005, 248 posts, RR: 1 Posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 2494 times:
This may come as a stupid question but I've always wondered about it. Why is it that airlines use big airplanes like the 777 and 747 when flying from the American East Coast to Europe but they use planes like the A320 on flights from the East to the West American coasts. The flights are just about the same lengths yet the planes used to cross America are much smaller. I am asking this because it's not very comfortable sitting in a small A320 or A319 for 6 hours; I would much rather fly on a 777. Even big airlines like United (that have tons of 777s) use small A320s on their coast to coast flights.
ERJ170 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 6626 posts, RR: 19 Reply 1, posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 2483 times:
East Coast to West Coast flights are at a maximum about 7 hours..
East Coast to Europe flights are between 10-12 hours depending on the point of origin..
The 737/320 families can handle those kind of east-west flights.. but they cannot handle the transAtlantic flights without a fuelstop on at least one of the legs without special modification which would decrease the amount cargo hold (valuable commodity)...
I think this is correct, if not, somone will correct me..
Jdwfloyd From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 837 posts, RR: 4 Reply 2, posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 2476 times:
You don't need to have ETOPS (that cost lots of $$$) and the demand for a 747 from IAD to LAX. Smaller planes are cheaper to run and buy, also once they get across the country they can be used for short to medium haul routes.
BG777300ER From Bulgaria, joined Mar 2005, 248 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 2462 times:
Quoting ERJ170 (Reply 1): East Coast to Europe flights are between 10-12 hours depending on the point of origin..
ERJ170,
Thank you for your answer. It makes sense. I just had a comment about what you said. About a week ago I flew IAD - CDG and back on AF and I remember both flights were just over 7 hrs. Thats why I was wondering about the aircraft used, because i know Dulles - San Francisco is 6 hours which is pretty close to the IAD - CDG.
UAL747 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 2451 times:
Quoting ERJ170 (Reply 1): East Coast to Europe flights are between 10-12 hours depending on the point of origin..
They are hardly this long. Think more in the range of 6-8 hours depending on how far south you are on the east coast and how far into Europe you are going.
The reason, I believe, airlines use smaller planes on transcons is the fact that the US airline market is focused on frequency over capacity. That's the way it's been in the US for a long while, American Airlines being the KING of smaller planes and greater frequency.
Now, when you are crossing the Atlantic, you have the need for greater capacity/fuel loads, and there are less overall flights from point to point.
Daron4000 From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 712 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 7 hours ago) and read 2374 times:
The airlines use the big planes on routes that demand more seats and also a better premium product because they are bigger and designed for premium seats. These routes are the long haul routes. However, some routes, like ORD-DEN, ORD-SFO, ORD-LAX, ORD-IAD, DEN-IAD, DEN-SFO, DEN-LAX, IAD-LAX, and IAD-SFO have widebodies configured in an internatinal configuration which is much more comfortable. Other routes use widebodies, but only in a two-class configuration, with except for more people and possibly more "felt" space, is the same as an A320 or 757, like ORD-BWI. However, on JFK-LAX for example, United uses a 757, but in a special configuration that is very nice. It just depends on the route, time of day, and airline (different hubs.)
Goldenshield From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 5417 posts, RR: 13 Reply 6, posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 7 hours ago) and read 2357 times:
Quoting BG777300ER (Thread starter): I am asking this because it's not very comfortable sitting in a small A320 or A319 for 6 hours
If you think these are small, then you haven't flown that many aircraft.
That aside, these aircraft fit in these missions perfectly. They fill the times when a larger aircraft, be it a 757, or widebody aircraft, simply would not be profitable to operate on such a route.
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Trvlr From United States of America, joined Feb 2000, 4430 posts, RR: 24 Reply 8, posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 7 hours ago) and read 2355 times:
If transcon flights average between 5-6 hours, then transatlantic flights are at least 6.5-8 hours. It is close to the length of transcons, but still enough to make a difference.
The advent of the BBJ and A319LR are changing things across the Atlantic, though. I would expect to see many more such flights in the future.
SonOfACaptain From United States of America, joined May 2004, 1747 posts, RR: 5 Reply 9, posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 7 hours ago) and read 2342 times:
Quoting BG777300ER (Thread starter): I am asking this because it's not very comfortable sitting in a small A320 or A319 for 6 hours
It's not as bad as you think. In some cases, it has more room than a 757. The A320 family is quite comfortable.
717-200 From United States of America, joined Oct 2000, 601 posts, RR: 3 Reply 10, posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 7 hours ago) and read 2335 times:
DL likes to use the 767 on transcon runs out of ATL to such places as
SEA which I flew on a couple of weeks ago on a 763 in about 4.30 hrs
westbound. It was one of the better flight experiences I have had lately.
Mdsh00 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 4097 posts, RR: 9 Reply 12, posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 2297 times:
I know that CO flies many 738's from LAX to EWR, as well as 757s. Like others said, it all depends on time and route. During the weekdays, many businesspeople take the transcon flights, which is why you see smaller planes but greater frequency. It is nice to have transcon flights leaving almost at every hour.
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Bridogger6 From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 710 posts, RR: 11 Reply 13, posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 2289 times:
To be honest.. on a comfort level I agree that the A320 family isn't uncomfortable at all, and in most cases, is just as comfortable as it's widebody counterparts. I've been much more comfortable in the A320 family than say the 767 family (it also depends on the airline's config). So, I think increased frequency on smaller planes is absolutely fine, comfort is not the issue here.
UAMAYBACH1239 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 221 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 2273 times:
BG777300ER From Bulgaria, joined Mar 2005, 30 posts, RR: 0
Even big airlines like United (that have tons of 777s) use small A320s on their coast to coast flights.
UA use to fly 757's and 767 to east coast and still have quite a few flts.
When they began receiving A320's they would will up pax,mail, and freight, the A320 takes about 14,000 lbs. in the center tank, for that same load on a 757 took an extra 1200lbs, which made the bus perfect for those legs.
UnitedStarGold From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 100 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (8 years 1 month 2 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 2254 times:
Quoting ERJ170 (Reply 1): East Coast to Europe flights are between 10-12 hours depending on the point of origin
Have you ever flown East Coast to Europe? It's eight hours, max.
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