Southwest red eye flights
#16
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: WN F9 HA UA AA IHG HH MR
Posts: 3,305
Not too long ago it was possible to piece together late arrivals at MDW with early morning departures on the same ticket with the provision of fewer than four hours between flights. The old 'puter was able enough to do that... or maybe it was an unintended glitch.
#17
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SoCal
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors LTDia, Marriott Plat
Posts: 639
It was designed when data storage was at a premium. In the late 80s, a disc drive the size of a small washing machine had a capacity of 400mb. Storing the extra bytes when you didn't imagine you'd ever need an overnight flight would have been considered a waste. We were always running cleanup jobs to remove temp or unneeded files to free up space.
#18
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,653
Interesting -- on the same ticket? Last summer I tried to do specifically that...i think it was a 0135 arrival and a 0525 departure....and it wouldn't come up unless two separate tickets were purchase.
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: AA Gold AAdvantage Elite, Rapids Reward
Posts: 38,326
Sure they can. Hawaii can fly redeye back to West Coast. They will connectivity the flight.
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
Hawaii will virtually REQUIRE redeyes on the schedule, if WN wants to have connectivity to the rest of their system. The flights will have to be redeyes out of Hawaii and/or redeye connecting flights out of the West Coast.
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: RNO
Programs: AA/DL/UA
Posts: 10,775
It was designed when data storage was at a premium. In the late 80s, a disc drive the size of a small washing machine had a capacity of 400mb. Storing the extra bytes when you didn't imagine you'd ever need an overnight flight would have been considered a waste. We were always running cleanup jobs to remove temp or unneeded files to free up space.
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
Yes, redeyes can happen now, but so far WN has NOT scheduled any of them.
In addition to the Hawaii point, I would say that WN has done very well for itself without scheduling redeyes. In fact, not having redeyes has let them "catch up" during IRROPS. Several times over the years, my flight has gone mechanical and the agent says "we are waiting for the next overnighting aircraft to arrive so it can be used for your flight". If alot of redeyes were scheduled, WN would have less flexibility to substitute aircraft.
In addition to the Hawaii point, I would say that WN has done very well for itself without scheduling redeyes. In fact, not having redeyes has let them "catch up" during IRROPS. Several times over the years, my flight has gone mechanical and the agent says "we are waiting for the next overnighting aircraft to arrive so it can be used for your flight". If alot of redeyes were scheduled, WN would have less flexibility to substitute aircraft.
#24
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
The new reservation system went fully live literally a week ago. I expect redeyes will trickle in over time as new schedules are released. Aircraft positioning doesn't care when it happens, it's just factored into the bigger equation. Hawaii is a moot point, as it's not going to happen anytime soon.
#25
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
I don't expect to see any until at leaset after the first of the year. The next schedule extension is supposed to be released this week. I imagine they won't make any sudden changed until everyone if comfortable with the new software. They will also have to rework personnel scheduling to make sure those flights are covered.
#26
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, WN A+, Marriott LT
Posts: 893
Yes, redeyes can happen now, but so far WN has NOT scheduled any of them.
In addition to the Hawaii point, I would say that WN has done very well for itself without scheduling redeyes. In fact, not having redeyes has let them "catch up" during IRROPS. Several times over the years, my flight has gone mechanical and the agent says "we are waiting for the next overnighting aircraft to arrive so it can be used for your flight". If alot of redeyes were scheduled, WN would have less flexibility to substitute aircraft.
In addition to the Hawaii point, I would say that WN has done very well for itself without scheduling redeyes. In fact, not having redeyes has let them "catch up" during IRROPS. Several times over the years, my flight has gone mechanical and the agent says "we are waiting for the next overnighting aircraft to arrive so it can be used for your flight". If alot of redeyes were scheduled, WN would have less flexibility to substitute aircraft.
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: AA Gold AAdvantage Elite, Rapids Reward
Posts: 38,326
Yes, Hawaii is coming. You will see PHX-HNL, LAX-HNL, OAK-HNL, LAS-HNL, SAN-HNL, and SMF-HNL, as well.
Right, redeyes is coming. They will fly out from West Coast to BWI, FLL, MCO, TPA, MDW, and ATL, as well.
#29
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
Reading is fundamental.
Years away. If ever.
I'll stick by my comment, thank you.
"We're deciding what our plans are for 2018 and Hawaii is important to us,'' Kelly said in a meeting with reporters after the shareholder event in downtown Phoenix.
Asked if Hawaii flights could begin as early as 2018, Kelly didn't rule it out but didn't sound promising.
"I doubt it,'' he said. "We have not decided exactly what we want to do for 2018 yet.''
He said Southwest must take several steps to prepare for the launch of Hawaii service, including Federal Aviation Administration certification for flights over the Pacific, flight crew training and technology support.
"We still have a lot of work to do and we don't have a committed work plan yet on Hawaii ... but it's pretty high on the priority list,'' Kelly said.
Asked if Hawaii flights could begin as early as 2018, Kelly didn't rule it out but didn't sound promising.
"I doubt it,'' he said. "We have not decided exactly what we want to do for 2018 yet.''
He said Southwest must take several steps to prepare for the launch of Hawaii service, including Federal Aviation Administration certification for flights over the Pacific, flight crew training and technology support.
"We still have a lot of work to do and we don't have a committed work plan yet on Hawaii ... but it's pretty high on the priority list,'' Kelly said.
I'll stick by my comment, thank you.
#30
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SoCal
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors LTDia, Marriott Plat
Posts: 639
Here is a page on the HP3000. The 2nd image has the 7933 404mb hard drives in the background.
http://www.hpmuseum.net/display_item.php?hw=106
Here is the 7933 close up:
http://www.hpmuseum.net/display_item.php?hw=273