PHL

That's right. Watch out if you are booking PHL-LGW in Sep or Oct. Looks like from 9/5 to the end of Oct, PHL-LGW is being operated with a 757-ETOPS.

Likely reason(s):
1.) off season begins after labor day, translating to lighter loads
2.) A330's begin heavy MTC rotation
3.) 767's begin Envoy refurbishment.10/27 shows a 767 on the route - perhaps with the new lie-flat Envoy seats?

I guess if you're used to Envoy on the A330, then flying a 757 Envoy is virtually the same since the seats are identical. You'll also get video on demand, but in a portable unit. Coach, on the other hand, will be a big downgrade in amenities....

ClueByFour

Classy. And to think they want to fly to LHR.

warbo

Gatwick is a much nicer airport than LHR, which is a huge, tatty, dirty, confusing dump of a place. Give me LGW any day. 30 mins from Victoria, and only two nicely conneceted, efficient, terminals.

PhillyPhlyer40

I think you MAY have missed the context of the post???


I dont understand why everyone bashes US on the great 757 config...you dont feel like flying in one of the greatest planes ever made for TATL travel? You really think you need a 330/767/777? Why would US use those for transcons, when everyone is happy flying the 321/737??

Seriously..have all the "us sheep" ever flown anyone else? The smallest transcon F cabin is 24 on MOST other airlines from hubs to LAX/SFO. NOT US though!

ClueByFour

Gatwick south: you get an hour wait upstairs (if you are lucky) and lord only knows what downstairs, unless it's the rare occasion where fasttrak is back for a day here and there. Inbound, those of us who don't have citizenship or indefinite leave to remain in the UK get to wait in a line that goes all the way up the ramp and around the hall. There is no fasttrak immigration. There is no IRIS machine (yet). The GEX, even if it continues to be the GEX for any length of time takes 35 minutes at best, 40+ on the weekends.

Gatwick north is a whole other ball of wax, but only when the fasttrack security is open and you are an IRIS member inbound.

LHR is 60 minutes by tube and 15 by HEX from the west end. Fasttrak all around. And you don't have to fight the hoards of holiday goers on Easyjet and the charters.

LGW south used to be okay when it had fasttrak and the GEX worked. Now it's entirely different.

Sally4th

"Indefinite leave to remain" allows you to go through the EU line even if your passport is US?? You mean I have been going through the longer line all these years.....

martin33

they aren't asking, and will dump LGW as soon as they can break the leases and sell of the LGW slots. they have their eyes on high yield J money, and ego will lead Mr Parker to invest every last dime in relocation thereby. of course, that conflicts with the reality of not being able to fill more than a 757 from his largest international hub to london, but who's counting. perhaps he thinks that the move will enable stealing customers from BA, tee hee.

PhillyPhlyer40

BAHAHAHAHA! "High yield J" and "LCC"!


So I guess they would serve only premium potato chips??

US is and ALWAYS will be a pig...maybe with a little lipstick...but not of late!

ClueByFour

I used to roll thru with my work visa with no problems, and I was once told.... one of those sorts of things. That and standing behind/in front of folks who were clearly yanks and clearly had ILR.

Basically, anyone who can come in and does not have a short-term time limit should, in theory, be able to use the UK/EU lines. Or, everyone I know who falls into that characterization (including me) has done it without ever being rumbled.

All that said, all this is moot if they would finally turn up the IRIS machines in LGW south, this problem would go away for frequent travelers. LGW north has had it for some time.

murphy

Why are you talking about transcons? What do they have to do with the post at hand? Anyway, I thought you're a big CO fan? They were the first to fly 757s TA.

murphy

I don't understand your post. US is going to leave LGW? For where? And why do you think they can't fill more than a 757? This appears to be a temporary move.

Sally4th

This is being discussed on US Aviation. Sounds like they make more money on MAN and BRU (which surprises me) but will go back to the A330 if they get to shift over to LHR. Part of this is based on information from a poster who seems to have better connections than "The King"


Thank you for that great nugget of information, ClueByFour, how great to be able to choose whichever line is shorter.

kinglobjaw

hey Sally, King has been on Vacation in St. Kitts. no way to post from there. and besides, I'm on vacation which means BREAK!!!!!!!

Sally4th

Go back to your break. I was referring to talking with US higher-ups.

martin33

for LHR, as soon as their hot little hands are able.

temporary 757 usage, you're right, perhaps it was hasty to judge if they are busy refurbing the widebody fleet.