I just spoke to a friend who took a flight this morning from one of the NYC airports. He was headed towards a large midwestern city aboard a MD-80 belonging to one of the big five carriers. Number of people on the flight: 11. According to my friend, this flight is usually near capacity.
Interestingly enough, he says he did not notice security being much tighter. Sure, the X-ray operators asked him for this ticket and destination, but he was still able to carry a shaving razor (mind you, not a straight razor) aboard the plane.
In my personal opinion, we should devote several thousand of our US Army infantry to airport/aircraft security. God knows we have enough troops, and if this is really a "war", shouldn't they be on the front lines?
Moderators: jsumali2, richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
-
- flashmeister
- Posts: 2686
- Joined:
RE: Shocking Low Load Factors
Load factors were reported by Lowfareair on another thread:
Quote from Lowfareair-
According to Deltanet, Tuesday's load factor is 38.4%, Shuttle 10%, and DL Express in the 20's. Their overall load factor seems to have gone down everday since Sat.
This is not good people.
As for your friend's security experience, please remind him that he shouldn't breach security to just see if he can get through. Leave that to the professionals at the airlines and FAA, even if we have little faith in them. Your friend could have been in quite a bit of trouble, or at least have hassled by local authorities.
Quote from Lowfareair-
According to Deltanet, Tuesday's load factor is 38.4%, Shuttle 10%, and DL Express in the 20's. Their overall load factor seems to have gone down everday since Sat.
This is not good people.
As for your friend's security experience, please remind him that he shouldn't breach security to just see if he can get through. Leave that to the professionals at the airlines and FAA, even if we have little faith in them. Your friend could have been in quite a bit of trouble, or at least have hassled by local authorities.
RE: Shocking Low Load Factors
Now is the time nonrev to those hard to get to and hard to leave cities
-
- Das Flugzeug
- Posts: 156
- Joined:
RE: Shocking Low Load Factors
I don't think he intentionally packed his razor, he flies several times a week with work, and I believe he merely grabbed his bathroom kit during the rush to make the plane. He hasn't flown in 1 1/2 weeks due to the tragedy, and I believe it was a sudden decision to make this trip.
-
- SouthRebels
- Posts: 166
- Joined:
RE: Shocking Low Load Factors
"I just spoke to a friend who took a flight this morning from one of the NYC airports. He was headed towards a large midwestern city aboard a MD-80 belonging to one of the big five carriers."
Why are you being so secretive with the cities and airlines? That seems odd to me.
Why are you being so secretive with the cities and airlines? That seems odd to me.
-
- Das Flugzeug
- Posts: 156
- Joined:
RE: Shocking Low Load Factors
The reason I didn't mention names of airlines or destinations is because I know the airlines themselves are quite secretive over their load factors. Especially with the way airline stocks are getting hammered, I didn't want to point out one particular company that was hauling around 11 people in a 150 person jet. I'm sure I'm being overly cautious, but the point is made without any names being mentioned.
RE: Shocking Low Load Factors
It doesn't take too much guesswork to figure out who flies MD-80s between NYC and "a large midwestern city"...
RE: Shocking Low Load Factors
Give the public some time to calm down and people will fly again. Right now a lot of people are too scared to get on an airliner. Once people see it is safe again, load factors will start to rise.
"There is no victory at bargain basement prices."
RE: Shocking Low Load Factors
I flew from Dulles (IAD) to San Francisco (SFO) this morning (Thursday). There were only about 50 of us on the United's A320.
IAD was fairly empty for the morning block of flights. The media is helping to keep people from flying....report after report about 3 or 4 hour lines. I arrived 90 minutes ahead of time (Pre-terrorism I was usually there only 30 minutes before departure) and had NO delay getting through a new and thorough security procedure. Flying was not a hassle.
Fly, people, fly! The airlines need you.
IAD was fairly empty for the morning block of flights. The media is helping to keep people from flying....report after report about 3 or 4 hour lines. I arrived 90 minutes ahead of time (Pre-terrorism I was usually there only 30 minutes before departure) and had NO delay getting through a new and thorough security procedure. Flying was not a hassle.
Fly, people, fly! The airlines need you.
Airliners.net has many forums. It has spell check and search functions. Use them before posting!
RE: Shocking Low Load Factors
I just returned from my first business trip since this happened. I flew PDX-BOI on a Wednessay and the plane was a little over 50% full. I notice Alaska, Northwest, and Southwest lines at the ticket counter and at the gates were fairly crowded. My return from Boise was about 80% full so at least some people are flying in the northwest.
RE: Shocking Low Load Factors
I flew US today PHL-FLL; FLL-PHL. The plane in both directions was about 3/4 filled. More people then I expected. Security was about the usual. In FLL they asked me to take off my shoes and put them through the machine because they beeped. No problem with that. Moral of that is: Make sure you do not have holes in your socks!
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: 717atOGG, ADM94, arfbool, ATLgaUSA, ATLTowerboy, Austin787, AVENSAB727, AVLAirlineFreq, Baidu [Spider], Bazooka, Cboyle, deltacto, dmurray, dolphinflyer, edina, ehaase, FARmd90, FlyTheWidget, FromGSPtoChi, hbernal1, Ishrion, iuwnaa, JakeWelty, Jefford717, Joshu, kaitak, Lesquin, N649DL, Peacefulswiss, Phosphorus, QF744ER, ROSSIGNOL, spinotter, SRJ94AB, TeamLH, UPlog, Wardhuntz, Weatherwatcher1, Wneast and 354 guests