AirTranTUS From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 1601 times:
Now I'm not the knid to go posting about every anomaly I see. I take some time to think and try to answer the question myself, but this seems strange to me.
AS is not consistent in the type of aircraft they operate on the TUS-SEA and vice versa run. Their current schedule shows an MD-80, but it has been a 737 for the past few days. If any of you have a FlightAware account, look into ASA729's history and you can see a whole variety of aircraft being operated on the route. At the beginning of August, it was almost a different type daily. From 7/30 to 8/10, the aircraft each day looks like this (737 = -700): 734, MD82, 734, 734, MD83, 734, 737, 734, 737, 737, MD83, 737. After that it has been primarily 737's with few substitutions. I have never before seen an airline schedule a flight like this. It almost seems as if they use whatever was the first ready to go. Do they use whatever aircraft has the closest number of seats to the bookings without going under? That could be a problem with them always changing the aircraft type.
Now the load question. Does anyone know the loads for this flight (both ways)? The variety of aircraft they use do not have the same seating which could be problematic. The flight is scheduled as an MD-80 until 11/16. On 11/17 it switches to a 737 until 12/30. On 12/31 it is scheduled to operate as a 734. Then from 1/1/07 on, it is scheduled as a 739. Are there enough pax on this route to warrant an aircraft of this size? It would definantly be the largest pax aircraft operating into TUS.
I hope someone can answer this because it is very odd to me.
DesertFlyer From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 475 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 1581 times:
PSP in the winter would every now and then get switched to a 739 when it was suppose to be a 737 or 734. When it was switched to MD80 service last year there were not many substitutions. Strange you guys would get such an inconsistent trend in TUS.
AS739X From United States of America, joined Apr 2003, 5820 posts, RR: 23 Reply 2, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 1524 times:
AirTranTUS: Right now we are on what we call a shoulder schedule. The winter schedule starts at the end of the month. It is often the case that A/C are moved around and sent on other routes not scheduled around this time.
Two other reason for this may be that the MD80's being prone to mechanical delays and scheduled maintenance of MD80. Though not many are in scheduled check's right now.
With TUS being 1 flight daily it really is not much of a factor. Its a turn crew and all that is needed it to have reserve 737 drivers come out and fly it down and back. Hope this helps a little.
ASLAX
"Some pilots avoid storm cells and some play connect the dots!"
It does. It is nice to see all of the aircraft AS flies here in TUS. We had a 737-200 here when U Washington came to play the UA and a 738 was used for the SEA flight a few weeks ago. That only leaves the 739 that needs to come here which will happen in January.
Do you know if the loads justify using the bigger aircraft? Could more cargo capacity also prompt the bigger aircraft?
HikesWithEyes From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 816 posts, RR: 8 Reply 4, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 1465 times:
SEA/TUS is supposed to be on an MD80.
For the past few weeks, this flight has been moved over to
a 73G because TUS is working on one of the runways and
the 73G has some navigational equipment that the MD doesn't
have.
The runway work should be completed by the 19th, so the flights
will be operated by an MD80 after that.
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