What happened to the 737? I was booking a RDU-IND run for 10/27 and found that the 12:20 PM to CLT is scheduled on a CRJ (now at 12:15P), apparently starting 10/26. I do not understand that. This noonish RDU-CLT run is usually full on a 737. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

There are a lot of cases like that in the USAirways system. While the plane may have been full, was USAirways making any money on it? Maybe, maybe not. With the smaller planes, they can (try to) charge more for the less seats available on the route.

Besides, I flew that route once. It's like 30 minutes. The days of the 737s from ITH to ELM and similar are gone!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by pitflyer:
There are a lot of cases like that in the USAirways system. While the plane may have been full, was USAirways making any money on it? Maybe, maybe not. With the smaller planes, they can (try to) charge more for the less seats available on the route.

Besides, I flew that route once. It's like 30 minutes. The days of the 737s from ITH to ELM and similar are gone!</font>

Well, IMHO, comparing flights from ITH/ELM to flights from RDU is a little disingeneous. The New York cities are pretty small whereas the RDU metro area has got to be at least a million people or so. While RDU is in close proximity to a major hub and does raise issues of big jet fuel efficiencies, there are a lot of passengers and business at RDU that could probably support a largish sized jet.

While I think that a CRJ is on the small side for this market, I think that a ERJ-170/175 would be a much more ideal match.

&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;

Update. Looked at the schedules. And appears that US has simply re-jiggered the equipment for various times and have swapped around some planes.

Today's schedule shows 8 flights - 6 733s and 2 DH8-300s. Looking four weeks from now, you'll see that they've INCREASED capacity in the RDU market. The 6 733s are now 3 733s and 3 734s. One of the DH8-300 flights has been substituted by a CRJ.

[This message has been edited by ITRADE (edited 10-03-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by pitflyer:

Besides, I flew that route once. It's like 30 minutes. The days of the 737s from ITH to ELM and similar are gone!</font>

In those days, weren't those just continuations of a circle trip PIT-ITH-ELM-PIT? I went to school at SUNY Binghamton in the mid-80s, and US did those and occasionally USEX did one like that thru BGM to PHL or other east coast airports. I would assume ITH and ELM only got to PIT or PHL now?

I can remember taking Piedmont Commuter one time from BGM-DCA with a stop in Wilkes-Barre. I guess the days of those type routes are gone unless you have to go into a hub.

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A "Mileage Run"... is that what they're called? I've been doing them for years and didn't know they had a name.

Yes, it was a circle trip, basically a flying bus (unlike the real flying bus of today, the CRJs) I've never flown that route but flew other pretty ridiculous routes for a big jet (PIT-LEX).

ITRADE, I do disagree with your assessment, but since USAirways apparently feels the same way, guess you win http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> basically a flying bus (unlike the real flying bus of today, the CRJs) </font>

I thought that the real "flying bus" was the Shorts 330/360 from years ago http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Well, if you look at the reverse, CLT-RDU there has been a change from 6 733s and 2 Dashs to 3 733s, 3 734s and 1 Dash. They also cut out the 10:40AM 737 which was usally full and I was on about twice a month. Now I have to take a flight to PIT to get back to RDU before noon from STL.

The other option I have is that finally AA will have an early AM flight even if all their flights STL-RDU are on RJs.

There's been a CLT-RDU-CLT circle-trip RJ in the 7:30pm RDU departure for some time now. I was supposed to be on it a few weeks ago when NC weather was really bad and they canceled the whole roundtrip moving me and the other passengers to the delayed earlier mainline jet (that ended up leaving RDU at 7:45pm).

At last census, the RDU metro area was a little over a million people. In addition, I have relatives that drive up from MYR (3 hours) to fly from here instead because it's that much cheaper.

jimcfsus sure brings back some memories. I was at grad school at SUNY Binghamton from 81 til 87, which is where I started flying Piedmont/USAir metal (usually through the Pitt hub). I still haven't learned to consistently say the "...ways" on the end of USAirways! (and I still call it SUNY Bingamton instead of Binghamton University)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by jimcfsus:
In those days, weren't those just continuations of a circle trip PIT-ITH-ELM-PIT? I went to school at SUNY Binghamton in the mid-80s, and US did those and occasionally USEX did one like that thru BGM to PHL or other east coast airports. I would assume ITH and ELM only got to PIT or PHL now?

I can remember taking Piedmont Commuter one time from BGM-DCA with a stop in Wilkes-Barre. I guess the days of those type routes are gone unless you have to go into a hub.

</font>

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by pitflyer:
Yes, it was a circle trip, basically a flying bus (unlike the real flying bus of today, the CRJs) I've never flown that route but flew other pretty ridiculous routes for a big jet (PIT-LEX).

ITRADE, I do disagree with your assessment, but since USAirways apparently feels the same way, guess you win http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif</font>

You mean "a flying train"?

Train = 737 (high capacity)
bus = CRJ (low capacity)

continuing the analogy:

train = comfortable
737 = comfortable
bus = not comfortable
CRJ = not comfortable

train = good old days
737 = good old days

train = requires patience making stops
737 = required patience making stops (e.g., PIT-ITH-ELM)

bus = non-stop express service from downtown to your neighborhood
CRJ = non-stop flight from hub to your small city airport

Adding in cars to the mix makes no sense, so I'll stop now. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Basically, people have decided that they would rather have a non-stop flight on a tiny jet than make an extra stop on a big jet, similar to people (well, city governments) deciding that people would rather have express bus service on the crowded freeways rather than comfortable, dependable train service with a couple of stops along the way. Oh well. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

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"Yippie-kay-yay, Mr. Falcon!" -- John McClane, Die Hard II As Seen on TV

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RDU-Man:
jimcfsus sure brings back some memories. I was at grad school at SUNY Binghamton from 81 til 87, which is where I started flying Piedmont/USAir metal (usually through the Pitt hub). I still haven't learned to consistently say the "...ways" on the end of USAirways! (and I still call it SUNY Bingamton instead of Binghamton University)

</font>
I still call it SUNY Binghamton too.

I miss those RDU-CLT-DAY-CAK Piedmont round trips home too, especially in '88 when there were triple miles (and PI's 1000 mile min)... 18000 miles per round trip, plus entertainment at the PI club in Dayton. Saw Rob Lowe there one time, amongst others who used to fly the DAY-LAX nonstop.

Also, had to call the SP desk the other day, and the gal there was a transferred airport agent. She even said at the end "Thanks for calling USAir"... OOPS! Hope BBB wasn't tapped in. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif