I've seen in the past that U.S. Airways ran a lot of widebodies on their routes between hubs, and to Florida. It seems to have gone down but I noticed while searching flights for and A330 on a domestic flight I found one from Philadelphia to Miami. Did American change these routes, or are they only for a short time, and besides the route just mentioned does anybody know any other routes operated by the A330 domestically? And for one last thing, is there IFE on those flights, or from what I've heard it has been "disabled" from use.

There is a lot of slack in the A330 fleet during the winter hence why they pop up on domestic and caribbean runs. From what I remember these routes typically see A330s:
BOS-PHL (new add this year)
BOS-CLT
CLT-MCO
PHL-MCO?
PHL-MIA

From a relatively uneducated perspective, they seem to plug in the A330s for seasonal upgauges wherever needed. They'll pop up here in Phoenix on occasion for an east coast redeye capacity bump around the holidays. As for IFE, I flew an A332 in F about two years ago from PHX-CLT, and they had IFE disabled. I found that fairly ridiculous. I have no idea if things have changed in the time since.

They did a PHL-CLT turn for a couple years ago as well but I guess it doesn't operate anymore.

An A330 shows up every so often on CLT-PHX if there is a blue moon out.

CLT-SJU/STT see/have seen A330s, as has PHL-SJU, and both those routes are technically domestic.

I think AA has also been putting A330 on MIA-SJU. Maybe from PHL?

The A332's also do CLT & PHL-SJU are also domestic.

atcsundevil wrote:

As for IFE, I flew an A332 in F about two years ago from PHX-CLT, and they had IFE disabled. I found that fairly ridiculous. I have no idea if things have changed in the time since.

Because Dougie and PMUS never cared about PaxEx and were too cheap to pay for the content. Not that AA is much better, but now they are paying for the IFE on the 737s and A321s so is no longer disabled on the A330's.

aaflyer777 wrote:

There is a lot of slack in the A330 fleet during the winter hence why they pop up on domestic and caribbean runs. From what I remember these routes typically see A330s:
BOS-PHL (new add this year)
BOS-CLT
CLT-MCO
PHL-MCO?
PHL-MIA

Wow, AA is putting an A330 on BOS-PHL?!? I know they do it on BOS-CLT, but this is quite an upgauge for a route they typically fly 10+ per day. Any idea when it starts?

clrd4t8koff wrote:

aaflyer777 wrote:

There is a lot of slack in the A330 fleet during the winter hence why they pop up on domestic and caribbean runs. From what I remember these routes typically see A330s:
BOS-PHL (new add this year)
BOS-CLT
CLT-MCO
PHL-MCO?
PHL-MIA

Wow, AA is putting an A330 on BOS-PHL?!? I know they do it on BOS-CLT, but this is quite an upgauge for a route they typically fly 10+ per day. Any idea when it starts?

It is typically for the Holiday season since there aren't as many places to send a 330 to from PHL during that period.

Per AA Cargo:

https://www.aacargo.com/downloads/sched ... mestic.pdf

I'm scheduled to fly on an A332 on CLT-PHL in early December.

The A330 IFE is enabled where ever it operates . Domestic and of course on international routes . It will enable as soon as the aircraft takes off all the way until it reaches the gate at its destination .

I used to hop on the A330 from PHL-CUN in Feb when prime season starts up

Last year I recall A330 flights in the winter from PHL to MCO, MIA, CLT, SXM, PUJ, CUN, SJU, and STT (I might be wrong about STT) and these were all of the mid morning departures!

Is HA's use of 330s to the mainland of interest here?

BobPatterson wrote:

Is HA's use of 330s to the mainland of interest here?

Given it concerns AA's use of 330s domestically, not really since HA has nothing to do with AA.

Why didn't US order the A343?

blacksoviet wrote:

Why didn't US order the A343?

They were thinking they'd operate it PHL-NRT, but when they decided not to, the 343 didn't make any sense. that's the only route they would have used it on.

superjeff wrote:

blacksoviet wrote:

Why didn't US order the A343?

They were thinking they'd operate it PHL-NRT, but when they decided not to, the 343 didn't make any sense. that's the only route they would have used it on.

PHL-PEK. Actually received the route authority and just kept pushing it back until I believe it was either given back or taken away.

I'm looking to fly BOS-PHL-BOS in May 2017 and still see the A332 on the schedule for a few flights. Do you think these will stay as A332 flights or will they be downgraded to, say, an A321 or 738?

US actually had the most efficient (CASM) trans atlantic network for awhile. Hard to beat a fleet of A330's.

Soxfan wrote:

I'm looking to fly BOS-PHL-BOS in May 2017 and still see the A332 on the schedule for a few flights. Do you think these will stay as A332 flights or will they be downgraded to, say, an A321 or 738?

There is a decent chance it is still there until the full summer schedule kicks-in in early June. Though this far out is anyone's guess.

usairways85 wrote:

superjeff wrote:

blacksoviet wrote:

Why didn't US order the A343?

They were thinking they'd operate it PHL-NRT, but when they decided not to, the 343 didn't make any sense. that's the only route they would have used it on.

PHL-PEK. Actually received the route authority and just kept pushing it back until I believe it was either given back or taken away.

I swore they asked for and got approval for PHX-NRT and CLT-GIG/GRU all at the same time, some sort of thing with DL

superjeff wrote:

blacksoviet wrote:

Why didn't US order the A343?

They were thinking they'd operate it PHL-NRT, but when they decided not to, the 343 didn't make any sense. that's the only route they would have used it on.

Heck, the management was trying to get AC's 2 A345 to operate PHL-PEK but TAM got them instead, and TG wanted too much for theirs, therefore they remain parked.

wenders825 wrote:

usairways85 wrote:

superjeff wrote:

I swore they asked for and got approval for PHX-NRT and CLT-GIG/GRU all at the same time, some sort of thing with DL

US was going to get one slot at NRT in exchange for a couple slots to DL at LGA (?) and US getting more DCA slots. Unfortunately the economy went into the dump, after a very festive board meeting, the board voted to delay the remaining 10 A332's, which would be the only aircraft that could have operated the PHX-NRT route.

This link might explain it better. http://www.iam141.org/us/slotfaq.html

if you are also talking about widebody domestic traffic in general then i have noticed that MIA-MCO is operating with 767.

910A wrote:

superjeff wrote:

blacksoviet wrote:

Why didn't US order the A343?

They were thinking they'd operate it PHL-NRT, but when they decided not to, the 343 didn't make any sense. that's the only route they would have used it on.

Heck, the management was trying to get AC's 2 A345 to operate PHL-PEK but TAM got them instead, and TG wanted too much for theirs, therefore they remain parked.

wenders825 wrote:

usairways85 wrote:

US was going to get one slot at NRT in exchange for a couple slots to DL at LGA (?) and US getting more DCA slots. Unfortunately the economy went into the dump, after a very festive board meeting, the board voted to delay the remaining 10 A332's, which would be the only aircraft that could have operated the PHX-NRT route.

This link might explain it better. http://www.iam141.org/us/slotfaq.html

Is the A345 closer in size to the 772 or the 773?

910A wrote:

US was going to get one slot at NRT in exchange for a couple slots to DL at LGA (?) and US getting more DCA slots. Unfortunately the economy went into the dump, after a very festive board meeting, the board voted to delay the remaining 10 A332's, which would be the only aircraft that could have operated the PHX-NRT route.

Correct. US then said PHX-NRT would be started once the A350s came on property, but that was prior to the AA merger. I have always been dubious at such a prospect. Of the viable international flights out of PHX, I just don't see NRT being one of them. Perhaps with a 788, but I think even the A332 just couldn't do it in a way that's economically viable. The A359 is just too big.

blacksoviet wrote:

910A wrote:

Is the A345 closer in size to the 772 or the 773?

The A345 is pretty much right in between (in terms of physical dimensions):

777-200: 209 foot length, 199 foot wingspan
A340-500: 222 foot length, 208 foot wingspan
777-300ER: 242 foot length, 212 foot wingspan

That's one thing that I don't get about operating widebodies. US airlines could have long domestic flights with very high demands. Many US domestic flights are as long as DXB-LHR, yet it is rare to spot widebodies operating those routes. I know, frequency over capacity, but many airlines seem to prefer operating widebodies for international flights that is similar in length. I mean, choosing between flying WB vs NB does not seem to be a matter of capacity and range all the time, domestic flights seem to be attracting NB planes even when conditions for flying WB seem about right.

Narrow-bodies are always more efficient. WB have to add structural weight to carry anticipated weight (fuel) for longer distances. They are sub optimal for shorter routes.

Foreign airlines use them on shorter routes because their fleets are more heavily populated by WB aircraft on a percentage basis.