Sep 22, 2015, 6:57 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Pope Francis Flying AA9420 Chartered 772 WAS-JFK-PHL-CIA
The Pope flies in a normal commercial airliner chartered for his flights. Normally the outbound airline is Alitalia, the return an airline selected as much as possible to be the national or "flag" carrier of the country returning from.
On this trip, an Alitalia Airbus A330-202 (EI-EJG, c/n 1123, "Raffaello Sanzio" (painter of late Renaissance Popes) was used FCO-HAV-HOG-SCU-ADW, an American Airlines Boeing 777-223ER will supply the onward/return aircraft (probably selected because it has the first class Flagship Suite for the overnight flight) for ADW-JFK-PHL-FCO, with a USMC helicopter providing JFK-JRB-JFK service.
The AA aircraft used, at least WAS/ADW-JFK-PHL, is Boeing 777-223ER N776AN (c/n 29582) a pre-CIP 77A. The flight number AA9420 is being used throughout. See tracking here.
Francis is to be accompanied by approximately thirty staff in his seguito, typically consisting of "the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin; one or two other cardinals and bishops; ~10 priests, most of them officials of the Secretariat of State; and ~20 laity, most employees of the Vatican Press Office as well as plainclothes agents of the Vatican security service and the Swiss Guard."
The passengers and crew will number about 110 during this trip. The Pope and his seguito take up F and C. The accompanying ~70 journalists pay the cost of the charter by paying for their fares, and sit in Economy class. The seventy reporters must fly the entire trip, FCO-HAV-HOG-SCU-ADW-JFK-PHL-FCO are said to be paying $5,500 each, $385,000 total. (From cruxnow.com); only the Pope and select company will do the portion of the JFK-JRB-JFK portion of the trip which is being conducted by USMC helicopters.
Though he rode a Fiat into the city of Washington, according to Business Journal International Limousine Service will be providing transportation for His Holiness and his entourage in all U.S. three cities.
Though "goody bags" are no longer handed out, it is said the members of the VAMP, Vatican press corps, do get to keep the Papal seat headers covers used for the charter flights.
Papal emblem seat head rest cover
Pope Francis' flight schedule
Saturday, September 19, 2015
www.popefrancisvisit.com
Saturday, September 19, 2015
10:35 a.m. Pope Francis departs FCO AZ A330-202 EI-EJB to HAV
3:51 pm.m. Papal aircraft lands at HAV / José Martí international airport
Monday, September 21, 20153:51 pm.m. Papal aircraft lands at HAV / José Martí international airport
8 a.m. Departure by air for Holguin, Cuba.
9.20 a.m. Arrival at HOG / Holguin Frank País International Airport
4.40p.m. Departure by air for Santiago de Cuba.
5.30 p.m. Arrival at SCU / Santiago de Cuba’s Antonio Maceo International Airport
Tuesday, September 22, 20159.20 a.m. Arrival at HOG / Holguin Frank País International Airport
4.40p.m. Departure by air for Santiago de Cuba.
5.30 p.m. Arrival at SCU / Santiago de Cuba’s Antonio Maceo International Airport
12:30 p.m. Leaves SCU / Santiago de Cuba aboard Alitalia charter A330-202
4 p.m. Pope Francis arrives in D.C. at Joint Base Andrews at 4 p.m.
Thursday, September 24, 2015 AA9420 4 p.m. Pope Francis arrives in D.C. at Joint Base Andrews at 4 p.m.
4 p.m Departure for New York from Joint Base Andrews (D.C.)
5 p.m. Arrival at JFK / John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)
Saturday, September 26, 2015 AA9420 5 p.m. Arrival at JFK / John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)
8:40 a.m Departure for PHL / Philadelphia from JFK / John F. Kennedy International Airport
9:30 a.m Arrival in Atlantic Aviation hangar at PHL / Philadelphia International Airport Philadelphia
8 p.m Departure for return to Rome CIA
Sunday, September 27, 2015 AA94209:30 a.m Arrival in Atlantic Aviation hangar at PHL / Philadelphia International Airport Philadelphia
8 p.m Departure for return to Rome CIA
09:57 a.m. Arrival CIA / Ciampino international airport
All times local time; subject to changewww.popefrancisvisit.com
Pope Francis to Fly AA charter WAS (ADW)-JFK, JFK-PHL, PHL-CIA
Sep 23, 2015, 1:10 am
#16
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Also, he is being ferried around in a tiny Fiat as apparently he doesn't like ostentatious vehicles?
So it sounds like the Pope would have a heart attack if you gave him an international F seat on a Gulf carrier plane (or Singapore suites). Hardly the type of person to complain about paper vs cloth liners
Sep 23, 2015, 1:11 am
#17
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Well, he did elect to skip a fancy lunch with Congress officials and instead is eating with the homeless in DC.
Also, he is being ferried around in a tiny Fiat as apparently he doesn't like ostentatious vehicles?
So it sounds like the Pope would have a heart attack if you gave him an international F seat on a Gulf carrier plane (or Singapore suites). Hardly the type of person to complain about paper vs cloth liners
Also, he is being ferried around in a tiny Fiat as apparently he doesn't like ostentatious vehicles?
So it sounds like the Pope would have a heart attack if you gave him an international F seat on a Gulf carrier plane (or Singapore suites). Hardly the type of person to complain about paper vs cloth liners
Sep 23, 2015, 3:40 am
#18
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Well, he did elect to skip a fancy lunch with Congress officials and instead is eating with the homeless in DC.
So it sounds like the Pope would have a heart attack if you gave him an international F seat on a Gulf carrier plane (or Singapore suites). Hardly the type of person to complain about paper vs cloth liners...
So it sounds like the Pope would have a heart attack if you gave him an international F seat on a Gulf carrier plane (or Singapore suites). Hardly the type of person to complain about paper vs cloth liners...
Sep 23, 2015, 8:05 am
#19
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[A (THE) Pope's humility vs. flyers who want to be pampered is best suited for OMNI.]
Sep 23, 2015, 8:27 am
#20
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^^
Sep 23, 2015, 9:42 am
#21
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Might there soon be a new FT poster to the AA forum who registers under the name Pontifex?
Sep 23, 2015, 11:40 am
#22
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Does FEBO count on charter flights? Or do they use a specific serving order by request?
Will he bless the food in the galley, or does everyone wait until all meals are delivered before the blessing - in which case it's best to be served last? I'm honestly unsure of the etiquette for papal flight meals.
Will he bless the food in the galley, or does everyone wait until all meals are delivered before the blessing - in which case it's best to be served last? I'm honestly unsure of the etiquette for papal flight meals.
Sep 23, 2015, 11:59 am
#24
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Sep 23, 2015, 1:34 pm
#25
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Air Traffic call sign: "Shepherd 1"
Heard this morning on ABC.
I wonder if I can watch the arrival to PHL from the top of the F garage?
Heard this morning on ABC.
I wonder if I can watch the arrival to PHL from the top of the F garage?
Sep 23, 2015, 1:49 pm
#26
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So AA/TWA apparently have a long history of carrying the Pope:
Here is a list of other instances where a pope have traveled via American:
1999: TWA: STL-Rome (Pope John Paul II) – 767-300
1995: TWA: EWR-BWI-Rome (Pope John Paul II) – 767-300
1993: American Airlines: DEN-Rome (Pope John Paul II) – 767-300ER
This aircraft is still in service today. (Flying MIA-FRA this evening.)
1987: TWA: Eleven-day, nine-city tour (Pope John Paul II) – 727 & 747
1979: TWA: Six-day, six-city tour and ADW back to Rome (Pope John Paul II) – 727
1965: TWA: Rome-JFK-Rome (Pope Paul VI) – 707
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...le-in-the-u-s/
Here is a list of other instances where a pope have traveled via American:
1999: TWA: STL-Rome (Pope John Paul II) – 767-300
1995: TWA: EWR-BWI-Rome (Pope John Paul II) – 767-300
1993: American Airlines: DEN-Rome (Pope John Paul II) – 767-300ER
This aircraft is still in service today. (Flying MIA-FRA this evening.)
1987: TWA: Eleven-day, nine-city tour (Pope John Paul II) – 727 & 747
1979: TWA: Six-day, six-city tour and ADW back to Rome (Pope John Paul II) – 727
1965: TWA: Rome-JFK-Rome (Pope Paul VI) – 707
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...le-in-the-u-s/
Sep 23, 2015, 2:08 pm
#27
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Everything I've seen is the media is touting the flights as "Shepherd One", not ATC or the FAA. More likely "American 9xxx", possibly "American 9xxx heavy" AFAIK.
Sep 23, 2015, 7:18 pm
#28
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The plane is a 777-200 and its FAA-approved call sign will be Shepherd One. The plane was chartered by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Pope flew from Cuba to Joint Base Andrews aboard Alitlia, the national airline of Italy.
On the upside, that means PHL is seeing an AA 777.....
FDW
Sep 23, 2015, 7:20 pm
#29
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Is communion wine available as PDB?
Sep 23, 2015, 7:44 pm
#30
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Per the WashingtonPost article, the call sign is FAA approved...
This pope is supposedly about humility and frugality.. would have been awesome to see him take the train from WAS to NYP and then to PHL (or rather WAS to PHL to NYP would be better)... flying a 777 from Andrews to JFK, then JFK to PHL is kind of a waste...
On the upside, that means PHL is seeing an AA 777.....
FDW
This pope is supposedly about humility and frugality.. would have been awesome to see him take the train from WAS to NYP and then to PHL (or rather WAS to PHL to NYP would be better)... flying a 777 from Andrews to JFK, then JFK to PHL is kind of a waste...
On the upside, that means PHL is seeing an AA 777.....
FDW