Dedicated CO Aircraft Spares/Backup A/C
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Central SC
Programs: Former Co Plat, current Premier Platinum, former US CP
Posts: 196
Dedicated CO Aircraft Spares/Backup A/C
Hi, all. Do any FTers know, does CO keep any "spares" at their major hubs, as replacement aircraft should a scheduled service aircraft go out of service? For example, say a B777 at EWR, or a B737 at IAH?
#2
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Denver,CO (Duh)
Programs: UA, AA, CO
Posts: 1,172
No, they don't make it a practice for a 777 to sit 24 hours a day "just in case" it's needed. They may, however, substitute one 777 that is scheduled to sit in 1 spot for 5 hours, for one that has gone mechanical.
ETA: A search for utilization threads...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/conti...ilization.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/conti...ilization.html
ETA: A search for utilization threads...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/conti...ilization.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/conti...ilization.html
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Central SC
Programs: Former Co Plat, current Premier Platinum, former US CP
Posts: 196
A nice article over at Cranky Flier today indicates US actually had 13 "spares" spread throughout its system today, and gives a breakdown of aircraft types.
#4
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: No. California
Programs: UA MP HH LTD
Posts: 2,030
Can we define "spares"? As mentioned, rotating a 777, for example, on a daily - or near daily- basis to cover regular expected maintenance would be understandable. But having one just sitting for 24 or more hours, "just in case", would be a totally different story.
#5
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Seattle
Programs: exUA, WN
Posts: 203
Think only the freight airlines do that. (And go so far as to keep the spares airborne at certain times.)