I was bored and decided to investigate some things coming up with the international schedules for the red tail. Some key dates appeared and while I know none of this is new news, the schedule adjustments might yield some one off equipment subs etc... I'll start with the Pacific, where most the changes are occuring.

July 1 -

3rd daily HNL-NRT starts and using 330 equipment. The interesting thing is that this a/c originates in NRT with the flight 84 on July 1. This means that the 333 will need to be brought over to NRT which will likely involve routing a 333 MSP-SEA-NRT on the 30th June... so be on the look out for this equipment substitution. This is likely due to a new 333 being delivred, which may or may not be utilized for this new service. A likely schedule for the sub could be:

MSP-SEA #171 920am-1059am
SEA-NRT #085 355pm-610pm
NRT-HNL #084 925pm-950am

Also on July 1, HNL-KIX becomes a 333. When looking at the downloadable timetable it appears that this new service comences from HNL and not from Japan as the new NRT flight. Also, looking at the schedule timings, it appears this will be facilitated by using the inbound MSP flight (#809). The likely schedule will look like this:

MSP-HNL #809 1130am-242pm
HNL-KIX #015 440pm-830pm

By using the inbound 333 from MSP, that leaves two 333s on the ground in HNL, but 3 flights to launch with a 333! Oh, but there is a remedy for this! It isn't reflected in the timetable, nor on nwa.com, but if I was to wager an educated guess this is what I think will happen. July 1 also sees the last 744 KIX-HNL service. Upon arrival in HNL, the 744 has nowhere to go and with MSP not having an a/c assigned to it, it's highly likely they'll use the 744 for the HNL-MSP segment. Once in MSP they can do what they need with it. A likely routing could be as follows:

KIX-HNL #016 1030pm-1115am
HNL-MSP #808 520pm-555am

Yet another important change on July 1, is when the first of the last two remaining 742s will be withdrawn from service. Upon arrival of #73 GUM-NRT, that 742 will be ferried back or routed back via scheduled service. THis means on July 1, NRT-GUM-NRT becomes a 744.

The next change comes on September 1 when the seasonal 3rd NRT flight (a 333) ends and flight 22 NRT-HNL switches from a 744 to a 333. So on August 31, when #83 gets into NRT, it will turn around to HNL as flight 22 and become a 333 like this:

HNL-NRT #083 240pm-600pm departs 8/31, arrives 9/1
NRT-HNL #022 855pm-905pm departs 9/1

Also on September 1, the last 742s ends passenger scheduled service out of NRT. This means on September 2, NRT-SPN will become a 333. This will probably mean another new delivery and will likely require another equipment subsitution as described above (MSP-SEA-NRT) and would likely occur on August 31 arriving in the evening of September 1, so as to position to operate the #76 at 1035am on September 2. All of this means that there could be a 742 subbing for its return to the states on any number of sectors.

On September 28, the same sort of thing happens for the NRT-GUM service when it switches from 744 to 333. I haven't been able to figure out where all these 744s are going because by the end of September I can only count 13 in rotation with probably a spare in DTW as is scheduled now. Could this mean the beginning of those a/c going to 744F conversion? Or does it mean something new for the fall?

As for Europe some key dates to remember are:

5/7 - The 2nd DTW-FRA launches using 752s. This is ends 10/26.
6/5 - DTW-DUS starts 5/week and goes daily on 6/17.
6/15 - DTW-BRU daily 752 starts
7/1 - BDL-AMS daily 752 commences
7/1 - DTW-AMS 5th daily flight #36 begins
7/15 - BOS-AMS 2nd daily innauguarates with the 752.

The key to 5/7 means that NWA has probably got an Atlantic configured 757 completed by now and is flying the system. Or, it could mean that they're not going to put it into revenue service until the flight leaves tomorrow night for FRA. Either way, as soon as someone flies it, a report on the WBC seat and ammenities in coach needs to be posted!

I hope this all makes sense. When I have time I'll try and figure out the comings and goings of the 333 fleet at the beginning of the fall schedule when the traditional Europe pulldown occurs.

AZJ