Ask the staffer
Oct 30, 2019, 1:00 pm
#391
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Heathrow
Posts: 218
How is a specific aircraft assigned to a flight?
Who says G-XLEC is going to Hong Kong tonight?
Does the system just auto populate the schedule with available aircraft and changes made manually?
Would just seem a lot of work if each aircraft has to be assigned to every flight it has that night.
Who says G-XLEC is going to Hong Kong tonight?
Does the system just auto populate the schedule with available aircraft and changes made manually?
Would just seem a lot of work if each aircraft has to be assigned to every flight it has that night.
Then shortly before the flying program starts (there is an official time but I can’t remember it, I think it’s 1800 the day before when tacplan go home...) the plan is handed over to network operations controllers - separate ones for LH/SH/LGW and even different fleets of A320 family. Normally about 6-8 of them in total and maybe as few as 2 overnight. They then react to things happening on the network eg weather, slots, diversions, tech issues etc and try to make the best plan for the operation.
Hope that sort of answers the question!
Oct 30, 2019, 1:02 pm
#392
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Heathrow
Posts: 218
Also ref the above - some flights are ‘fixed linked’ e.g. where crew are rostered to operate successive flights with the same aircraft. Those are populated automatically and network ops don’t normally break them if they can avoid it. Fixed links are normally programmed in to the schedule and follow the same pattern week-in, week-out.
Oct 30, 2019, 1:35 pm
#393
Join Date: May 2017
Location: ORD
Posts: 369
If you intend to have him occupying a seat, please don't book him as an infant online and then try to convert it over the phone (it'll get messy, and you'll end up with baby on a separate PNR); just make the whole booking over the phone and request to book an 'infant occupying a seat' - you'll pay 2 adult fares and 1 child fare. The agent will need to manually enter the INFT keyword to allow seating, since he'll not be booked as an INF anymore (lap), but as a CHD.
Either wait for the INFT keyword to be added to your booking, then select your seats online, or have the agent book them at the same time they're making your reservation.
Oct 30, 2019, 4:23 pm
#394
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,061
Oct 30, 2019, 4:35 pm
#395
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: Mucci des Hommes Magiques et Magnifiques
Posts: 19,094
Oct 30, 2019, 5:46 pm
#396
Join Date: May 2017
Location: ORD
Posts: 369
We will probably bring our CARES restraint - Little Meathead hates car seats with the fury of a thousand white-hot suns.
Oct 30, 2019, 5:51 pm
#397
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
For the most part - yes it’s automatic. From about a week out the plan is owned by tactical planning in network operations. They make decisions about aircraft swaps etc and generally try to smooth things out. They might ask engineering, for example, if they think there might be a need to change an aircraft on a particular flight - a long haul type can be handled by a short haul station for example.
Then shortly before the flying program starts (there is an official time but I can’t remember it, I think it’s 1800 the day before when tacplan go home...) the plan is handed over to network operations controllers - separate ones for LH/SH/LGW and even different fleets of A320 family. Normally about 6-8 of them in total and maybe as few as 2 overnight. They then react to things happening on the network eg weather, slots, diversions, tech issues etc and try to make the best plan for the operation.
Hope that sort of answers the question!
Then shortly before the flying program starts (there is an official time but I can’t remember it, I think it’s 1800 the day before when tacplan go home...) the plan is handed over to network operations controllers - separate ones for LH/SH/LGW and even different fleets of A320 family. Normally about 6-8 of them in total and maybe as few as 2 overnight. They then react to things happening on the network eg weather, slots, diversions, tech issues etc and try to make the best plan for the operation.
Hope that sort of answers the question!
rb211.
Oct 31, 2019, 5:27 am
#399
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 587
If an incident occurs downroute, and the operating SCCM cannot return to base then the second in charge will work up. On long haul, this will be the CSL or WCC. However, on shorthaul (or longhaul where the CSL/WCC can also not operate) it will simply be the main crew member who is most senior and doesn’t have to be SCCM trained, provided minimum crew complements can be met.
Oct 31, 2019, 9:01 am
#400
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 243
Ex-base there must always be a SCCM trained crew member rostered in charge. Usually, this is a CSM/CSD/PSR. However, during disruption this may be a World Class Crew Member (on MF) or a Cabin Service Leader (on WW). WCC and CSLs have undergone the SCCM course and are trained to work up if required. During normal operations, they’re rostered to long haul flights as second in charge. Main Crew cannot be the rostered SCCM from base, even during disruption.
If an incident occurs downroute, and the operating SCCM cannot return to base then the second in charge will work up. On long haul, this will be the CSL or WCC. However, on shorthaul (or longhaul where the CSL/WCC can also not operate) it will simply be the main crew member who is most senior and doesn’t have to be SCCM trained, provided minimum crew complements can be met.
If an incident occurs downroute, and the operating SCCM cannot return to base then the second in charge will work up. On long haul, this will be the CSL or WCC. However, on shorthaul (or longhaul where the CSL/WCC can also not operate) it will simply be the main crew member who is most senior and doesn’t have to be SCCM trained, provided minimum crew complements can be met.
Oct 31, 2019, 4:29 pm
#401
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: BA Gold, VS Gold, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hertz Presidents Circle.
Posts: 1,448
Food, loading and waste
Don't know if this has been asked before...
I'm sat in the Irish bar at PHL and figured I may as well eat something as I have time and then can just sleep on the plane (AA to MAN in BC)
That got me thinking.... I know they don't load enough food for everyone to get their first choice (I'm excl pre selection from this) but I assume number of meals is equal to number of PX at a high level.
Given the nature of overnight PX there's always bound to be some who skip dinner and sleep, do they guess at that in loading the food so say load enough for 75% of PX or, if they load 1 meal per PX and 25% don't eat is the food then wasted?
Not such an issue on an AA767 but on a high J 747 that could be a lot of wasted food.....
I'm sat in the Irish bar at PHL and figured I may as well eat something as I have time and then can just sleep on the plane (AA to MAN in BC)
That got me thinking.... I know they don't load enough food for everyone to get their first choice (I'm excl pre selection from this) but I assume number of meals is equal to number of PX at a high level.
Given the nature of overnight PX there's always bound to be some who skip dinner and sleep, do they guess at that in loading the food so say load enough for 75% of PX or, if they load 1 meal per PX and 25% don't eat is the food then wasted?
Not such an issue on an AA767 but on a high J 747 that could be a lot of wasted food.....
Oct 31, 2019, 4:57 pm
#402
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 587
Don't know if this has been asked before...
I'm sat in the Irish bar at PHL and figured I may as well eat something as I have time and then can just sleep on the plane (AA to MAN in BC)
That got me thinking.... I know they don't load enough food for everyone to get their first choice (I'm excl pre selection from this) but I assume number of meals is equal to number of PX at a high level.
Given the nature of overnight PX there's always bound to be some who skip dinner and sleep, do they guess at that in loading the food so say load enough for 75% of PX or, if they load 1 meal per PX and 25% don't eat is the food then wasted?
Not such an issue on an AA767 but on a high J 747 that could be a lot of wasted food.....
I'm sat in the Irish bar at PHL and figured I may as well eat something as I have time and then can just sleep on the plane (AA to MAN in BC)
That got me thinking.... I know they don't load enough food for everyone to get their first choice (I'm excl pre selection from this) but I assume number of meals is equal to number of PX at a high level.
Given the nature of overnight PX there's always bound to be some who skip dinner and sleep, do they guess at that in loading the food so say load enough for 75% of PX or, if they load 1 meal per PX and 25% don't eat is the food then wasted?
Not such an issue on an AA767 but on a high J 747 that could be a lot of wasted food.....
Night flights, especially short ones are often catered to less than 100% in CW (and maybe F but haven’t done one of these for a long time...). I can remember coming back from YYZ not too long ago and the caterer telling me we were catered to 40% (which also had to include CC meals), which turned out to be more than sufficient for the demand onboard.
I believe WT and WTP are always fully catered.
Oct 31, 2019, 9:10 pm
#403
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,929
Daylight flights are all fully catered. CW is over catered in relation to the number of passengers; and what’s left that isn’t consumed by pax is for Cabin Crew meals.
Night flights, especially short ones are often catered to less than 100% in CW (and maybe F but haven’t done one of these for a long time...). I can remember coming back from YYZ not too long ago and the caterer telling me we were catered to 40% (which also had to include CC meals), which turned out to be more than sufficient for the demand onboard.
I believe WT and WTP are always fully catered.
Night flights, especially short ones are often catered to less than 100% in CW (and maybe F but haven’t done one of these for a long time...). I can remember coming back from YYZ not too long ago and the caterer telling me we were catered to 40% (which also had to include CC meals), which turned out to be more than sufficient for the demand onboard.
I believe WT and WTP are always fully catered.
Oct 31, 2019, 10:06 pm
#404
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Taif, KSA
Programs: BA GGL, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,908
Another question for the excellent Heathrow Tower, do aircraft departing from the Royal Suite get ATC priority and if so, how easy/difficult is it to shuffle them past the other outbound aircraft.
A side question came to me when typing the above, does the VIP fitted RAF Voyager come to LHR to pick up the royals, PM etc or do they start the trip at Brize? Can’t say I’ve seen any photos of the RAF plane at LHR.
A side question came to me when typing the above, does the VIP fitted RAF Voyager come to LHR to pick up the royals, PM etc or do they start the trip at Brize? Can’t say I’ve seen any photos of the RAF plane at LHR.
Oct 31, 2019, 10:19 pm
#405
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: UK - Hampshire & London
Programs: Mucci de Guardian des Celliers des Grands Crus 1e Classé, plus BAEC.
Posts: 2,734
I wasn’t conscious of seeing any, but a quick google moments after posting the above turned up a fair few. Even a short clip of the current PM boarding from the Royal Suite when off to the UN.
“our Voyagers”, are you outing yourself? 😁
“our Voyagers”, are you outing yourself? 😁