Originally Posted by Reply1984 (Post 34845357)

I think their bottleneck is crew, not the aircraft.

Originally Posted by brunos (Post 34845458)

As mentioned by Reply1984, the main issue is crew not plane. Of course, they would like to optimize aircraft usage, but with 2 flights weekly that is not easy.
My main concern is about crew rotation. Crew landing Thursday morning could staff CX372 departing MAD Saturday (or Sunday). But what about the crew from CX315 landing MAD on Saturday morning. WOuld they staf a flight on Sunday?
Or is there another nearby European airport involved?

Originally Posted by ernestnywang (Post 34845707)

I believe you meant twice weekly.
This arrangement is similar to the one for AKL. The plane to AKL sits at the airport for 25 hours before flying back to HKG.

Originally Posted by csycsycsy (Post 34846041)

Is 24hrs enough for crew rest? If so for twice weekly schedule why not do Wed night HK->Thu morning MAD. Rest 24hrs. Fri morning Mad -> HK Sat morning. 2nd set of crew HK Sat night -> Mad Sun morning. Same rest 24 hrs then Mon morning Mad -> HK Tue morning. Aircraft then not needed, but in home base, till Wed night. If there's just one set of MAD crew then like previous but after returning to HK Sat morning, they rest 36hrs before doing Sun night HK -> Mad Mon morning, rest, Mad Tue morning -> HK Wed morning, then we have a problem as they would not have rested before that night's Wed flight. So one needs two sets of crew to do twice weekly? And if crew rest needs more than 24 hours?


My bad! Corrected =)

Originally Posted by csycsycsy (Post 34845062)

Hello, it appears starting in Jan CX will increase flights to/from MAD to twice daily weekly (thank you ernestnywang):
CX315 to MAD Thursdays and Saturdays 0020-0820
CX372 from MAD Saturday and Sundays 1125-0705

Doesn't this require two planes, the first departs "Wednesday night" from HK and arrives Thursday morning in MAD and then sits there waiting. The second departs "Friday night" from HK and arrives Saturday morning in MAD, both planes are in MAD between 0820-1125, the first heads back to HK and the second a day later...1st sits in MAD for two days and 2nd for a day, why not schedule it more "B2B" style?

Originally Posted by brunos (Post 34849800)

According to EF seating plan, CX315 is very full on sat 7.. Same for CX372 on 7 or 8.

CNY is later; public holiday is from 21st to 27th.

Originally Posted by csycsycsy (Post 34862461)

Ah, I forgot about Spanish folks heading back from Asian destinations via CX, in time for restarting work on 9th, makes sense the CX315 HK-MAD on Sat 7th is very full.

Maybe some Chinese/HK "expats" living here in Spain are flying back for CNY for the first time since 2020, maybe that's why the CX372 on 7th 8th are also very full...

Great seeing CX doing good biz!

Originally Posted by trvlr70 (Post 34896385)

Please resume ORD!! I’m honestly shocked BOS is back before ORD.

Originally Posted by csycsycsy (Post 34845062)

Hello, it appears starting in Jan CX will increase flights to/from MAD to twice daily weekly (thank you ernestnywang):
CX315 to MAD Thursdays and Saturdays 0020-0820
CX372 from MAD Saturday and Sundays 1125-0705

Doesn't this require two planes, the first departs "Wednesday night" from HK and arrives Thursday morning in MAD and then sits there waiting. The second departs "Friday night" from HK and arrives Saturday morning in MAD, both planes are in MAD between 0820-1125, the first heads back to HK and the second a day later...1st sits in MAD for two days and 2nd for a day, why not schedule it more "B2B" style?

Originally Posted by moondog (Post 34896404)

I'm guessing United will give you ORD before CX does.

Originally Posted by Reply1984 (Post 34897030)

I think UA's ORD/EWR-HKG will be suspended for quite a long time due to the Russian airspace restrictions.

Originally Posted by bart simpson (Post 34894569)

Not sure why you have to add quotation marks to expats but yes it is good to see this route works so well!
Funny how SQ has better business in BCN while for CX it is MAD