Originally Posted by
songsc
How long do pilots stay in TPE? I vaguely remember for AC FAs spend one night for long haul flights while pilots spend two nights. If it’s indeed the pilot being sick then can they use the pilot from the day before?
PS: @
24left I am back and I will write you an email very soon.
@
songsc
Hey, thanks!
To answer your question: 3 pilots on the TPE route and they stay either overnight if the return flight is the next day, or for the lucky few, they get 2 nights if the next day has no flight. I don't know the rules about what happens on this route or any other when a pilot gets sick or can't fly and how other crew are flown out. I've been on other flights with complete second sets of pilots and cabin crew due to a stranded bird, once at LAX when a catering truck hit her.
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You all know this, but still, from silly me who did 9 trips to and through TPE last year with AC......
The first of the 9 was the only one that was mostly on time for all 4 sectors.
The rest of the year was mayhem of varying degrees. Sometimes AC 17 had a late inbound from wherever. Other times, it was already on the ground at YVR but not ready to go. Getting into TPE a little late wasn't as big a problem - unless the transcon to YVR to get AC 17 goes mx, which happened too.
But..... the endless late departures of AC 18 seem strange. To me. Again, sometimes late inbound. And more than once, delay due to mechanical and you all remember the Sept flight where we were sitting in 35C+ heat for more than 3 hours, while moved to a remote stand with fire trucks and so on while they sorted issues.
In almost every case where my AC 18 was delayed, I missed my cnx back east. I never booked the 1 hour cnx and often try to avoid the 1hr50, but at certain times of the year, if I don't book that one, I'm stuck waiting for the red-eye . Also, I'm not the only one and there just aren't always seats to move us to on later flights. The YVR staff have been awesome in that respect and they will often meet the flight with new BPs.
I know others here work at YVR and know a lot more of the details behind these delays.
Maybe AC is messing themselves up with too few birds (even before the MAX mess), launching too many routes, and then there are the various planned or unplanned IROPS/mx kind of things. Just guessing.
I wonder if AC has a problem with the TPE route if they are cutting back another day per week of flights. Is it pricing? Is it the timing of their TPE slots? Is it cargo? No idea. I had quite a few AC 17s last year when almost half of J were non-revs. While I'm happy for them that they get to travel and used their passes, AC is not exactly earning money in those seats.
Anyway, just my experiences.