Love the over dramatization of the news report, after seeing the missing panel photo, it's quite a minor problem, just looks to be cosmetic.
Now, I find it sad to see a Q400 now running MCI-DEN. I lived there for about 10 years and we always had mainline UA flights to DEN, I think 1 752 per day and the rest were 738 or A320....
The Q400's have been dreadful for United. Starting with Colgan 3407 where a plane full of passengers lost their lives to now the exact same planes but operated by Republic with new registrations, the reliability of those aircraft has ranged from dismal the majority of the time to absolutely tragic. No other aircraft has been a worse performing aircraft for them.
Programs: UA 1K/RCC, AA EXP BIS, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, G.E./NEXUS, Amex, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 17,546
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hammer0425
The Q400's have been dreadful for United. Starting with Colgan 3407 where a plane full of passengers lost their lives to now the exact same planes but operated by Republic with new registrations, the reliability of those aircraft has ranged from dismal the majority of the time to absolutely tragic. No other aircraft has been a worse performing aircraft for them.
+1
Ever since we got the PoS Q400s at MCI, they've seen at least one cancellation per day. Today, 4/5 Q400 flight experience some sort of delay, as well as the one cancellation.
Bring back the CRJ-200s, UA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dvs7310
Love the over dramatization of the news report, after seeing the missing panel photo, it's quite a minor problem, just looks to be cosmetic.
Now, I find it sad to see a Q400 now running MCI-DEN. I lived there for about 10 years and we always had mainline UA flights to DEN, I think 1 752 per day and the rest were 738 or A320....
UA never flew any 738s Definitely 735s, though! But you are absolutely correct.. Mainline at MCI has been going down for the past year and a half..
UA never flew any 738s Definitely 735s, though! But you are absolutely correct.. Mainline at MCI has been going down for the past year and a half..
Yeah, you're right, it would have been 735 with that 'generous' 8 seater F section. I know I've been on a few between MCI to DEN and ORD, just been a while since I've seen a non-800/900 version of a 737, kinda forgot. lol.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hammer0425
The Q400's have been dreadful for United. Starting with Colgan 3407 where a plane full of passengers lost their lives to now the exact same planes but operated by Republic with new registrations, the reliability of those aircraft has ranged from dismal the majority of the time to absolutely tragic. No other aircraft has been a worse performing aircraft for them.
Wonder what it is that the CO/UA contractors can't get it together and have had such a problem with? In general this is a pretty productive workhorse aircraft globally. I don't really love the Qs or turbo props in general but on a short hop... might actually prefer it to a CRJ200. Even had one subbed in on a very lightly booked ET flight ADD-DAR, which is a pretty long haul for this plane but wasn't all that bad... and certainly more comfortable than a CRJ200.
The Q400 is now on OMA-DEN and has been cancelled on me twice. When it runs it is quite nice, large cabin with good F compared to some of the smaller RJ's. Bit slow and the QC15's really excel with the noise.
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, Private Pilot, Virtuoso Travel Agent
Posts: 620
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hammer0425
The Q400's have been dreadful for United. Starting with Colgan 3407 where a plane full of passengers lost their lives
For what it's worth, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the aircraft that flew Colgan 3407. I can't speak to the reliability during other operations, but as a pilot I'd generally rather be in a Q400 than many of the regional jets in operation right now.
__________________
Need help booking your "good deal" premium itinerary? PM me.
These planes came straight from Colgan which was just a disaster of an operation. Recall Colgan was in bankruptcy followed by liquidation mode for months. The planes weren’t taken care of during the last six months at Colgan and then went to Republic in pretty dismal shape with a plan to be flown again almost immediately. Republic tried and frankly didn’t do a very good job trying to get a training or maintenance program for the Q400 up and running almost immediately and you’re seeing the results. The bigger problem is the lowest bidder routine among regionals. Colgan didn’t make it because the CPA they signed with United had no change of making them any real money. Republic came in and put a bid in to operate the Q400’s and I guarantee it they went in planning to lose money on the Q400 operation because they wanted to increase their United Express flying. Other regionals out there (ExpressJet mainly) wanted nothing to do with a bid on those aircraft because it would mean flying them at a loss. The question next is who will flinch first, United or Republic. Republic could realize they just can’t operate these planes with the skyhigh maintenance costs (which they pay for, not United) plus on time and cancellation penalties that United is imposing each time they cannot complete a flight they were contracted to fly. Or United comes in and realizes the Q400’s have been a total disaster to their operation, cost them money, customer loyalty and even lives, and maybe it’s time to face the music and not fly them anymore. The third option is Republic gets their act in gear and the Q400’s become a reliable part of their fleet although I would say that’s the least likely of the three.
I've been following UA 3260 which is IAD-EWR connecting on to UA 84 (EWR-TLV)--booked on this itinerary tomorrow. 3260 is several hours late because the flight originated in MCI (UA 6503). Is it likely that the emergency landing of UA 4914 slowed all traffic out of MCI (6503 is now estimated to be 4 hours late)?
These planes came straight from Colgan which was just a disaster of an operation. Recall Colgan was in bankruptcy followed by liquidation mode for months. The planes weren’t taken care of during the last six months at Colgan and then went to Republic in pretty dismal shape with a plan to be flown again almost immediately.
This particular plane was never part of Colgan...it was part of the Lynx Aviation fleet that flew for Frontier out of Denver.
Definitely 735s, though! But you are absolutely correct.. Mainline at MCI has been going down for the past year and a half..
