I think it's gotten worse since the start of PVG. Each early morning, three 777-200s arrive from DEL, BOM and TLV. In the past, each has several hours to sit until the departures to NRT, PEK, and then HKG (at 3:00p for years; now 3:30p). And by that time, CO57 from CDG (around 12:30p) and CO29 from LHR (around 1:30p) will also have arrived back.

But with the start of PVG, HKG becomes the 4th 772 flight out of EWR in the day. And CO57 is now 764. So, if there's so spare aircraft at EWR, then CO99 has to be operated by that aircraft coming back from LHR as CO29 at 1:30p.

In the best of scenario, that's only 2 hours to turn around a longhaul 772. Add another irregular operation, and this flight will be late.

On the other hand, CO stops flying the 772 on the EWR-IAH roundtrip during the day. Which is a good thing, as I have said many times on this board that they really need to have a 772 at EWR as spare to support the regular 772 flights. It was irresponsible to schedule that EWR-IAH roundtrip, even though those who get upgraded to (or pay to fly in) FC were happy.