LITAAD

I was disappointed to discover tomorrow's flight #266 scheduled to depart at 0915 to LAX has been downgraded from a 777 to a 757. I would presume the reason to be either weather related or the aircraft may be being used to deploy American troops.

BSL

Be careful it may actually be a MD-80. Mrs. BSL was to fly LAX-IAH and they downgraded from a 777 to a MD-80. She loved not having a bassinet and now having to hold our child for the entire trip.

BSL

socref

Same thing Tuesday, Feb. 11, flight 294, LAX-IAH. Was supposed to be a 777 (yay) but changed at last minute to 737 (ugh). Gate agent said plane was pulled by government for possible troop deployment.

jspatchwork

I have a hard time believing that ... we aren't transporting 20000 troops in a day or anything. I have an easier time believing that the flights ended up being undersold and didn't need the space a 777 required.

I don't think the gate agent would lie, but sounds like just like a rumor to me.

nyupika

This is a likely explanation. There was a recent press release saying that the government is making use of several airlines' aircraft for this purpose. Occasionally on the flight trackers (ie Flytecomm) you will see a 777 arriving IAH from Frankfurt or Milan with a 3*** flight number, indicating a charter.

LITAAD

The flight I was on returning from LAX on Sunday was also downgraded to a 737-800 and was still undersold. I spoke with a captain who was communting snd he said Continental had assigned six 777s to fly military charters.

Euroflyer

How convenient for the airlines to have troop deployments scheduled for the off-peak season!!

I guess if it was summer they might actually have to put some mothballed planes back into service.

SFnFlaGuy

Oh well, I guess I have nothing to worry about in this scenario.

I'm flying SFO-IAH-TPA in a couple of days and am on MD80's and 733's the whole way and on the return also. (They couldn't possibly downgrade this any further.....unless they become jungle jets!)

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SFnFlaGuy

coplatlrd

I too was downgraded on flt. 51 from ewr to iah to a 757 domestic from 777. I wish they would have told me before arriving at the gate and I would have made sure my lap top was fully charged so that I could watch a decent movie (Stuart Little 2 is horrible and I can not believe that they would show a kid movie to the whole plane. Plus, why do humans have a mouse as a child? I asked my 9 year old, and she could not reply). I was really disappointed and almost pissed that they downgraded because I had just completed a 4.5 hour in a 738 and was looking forward to a foot rest, personal IFE, and airshow. IN fact as I walked up to the gate, I remember looking and thinking that either I am really tired and seeing things, or I have flown so much that I am no longer impressed by the size of a 777. Then figuring out as I walked down the jet way that it was a 757, and then being really disappointed when I boarded and it was not even an international 757. The flight sucked due to my false expectations, and the lack of grooming habits of some of the international passengers sitting next and around me in a tight(er)first class cabin.

I stated to the FA sarcastically that this sure did not look like a 777. The FA said that because of troop deployment CO was pulling all 777 from domestic service. I assumed that these 777 on domestic flights were continuing or going to international destinations, but maybe they are purely domestic, irregardless of the flight numbers.

I do not think that CO would pull a plane type based on the load. They may need that plane type for the return or the continuation load factor, plus it would mess up scheduling of crew, meals (meals are loaded into the specific carts for airplane type), etc..

Plus, when Gordon was being interviewed on money line (I think) the reporter asked him Why airlines on purpose will cancel a flight or down grade equipment. The reporter was inferring that it was because of passenger loads. Gordon said that CO would not do it and the other airlines should not do it because of the headache it causes with scheduling, crew, etc..

Until then I believed the reporter's inference. Now Gordon's response makes more sense.

Does anyone know the truth or care to speculate about whether or not it is prudent for an airline to downgrade or cancell based on loads and Whether the 777, 764, and 762's flying domestically, stay domesitically while on the domestic assignment?

As a footnote to the use of Gordon instead of Gordo, and by the way, I finally met him as he was sitting next to me on the flight up to ewr on a 777. He was very nice and I commented breifly and constructively on the ground crew from my home airport, one pass, and some other things. He satisfactorily answered my questions, basically asked for patience/understanding, and thanked me for my continued patronage. He seemed very busy editing a report of somekind, I could not see the heading as he covered it up. He ate his lunch, drank some white wine, and then disappeared until landing. As we were pulling up to the gate, he said goodbye, nice meeting you, shook my hand, and was on his way. Because he was polite and down to earth, I will no longer refer to him as "Gordo." Plus, the crew genuinely liked him and approached him often with comments. He was attentive and seemed very hands on with the crew. I know a lot of very very wealthy CEO types and he does not fit the stero type, that was refreshing. The added bonus, was that I have never had such good service by the FAs on a domestic U.S. flight in my life.

Please excuse any typos or sp, I hate typing.

CODC10

I too had the privilege of meeting Gordon on an EWR-LGW just a year or so ago. He came across as a very down-to-earth, friendly guy, so much that you will never see me bash him or speak disparagingly of him on these forums. The people who do obviously have never met him and do not know what a classy guy he can be. After the conversation I had with him (at least an hour, probably more), I am positive that the moves he is making, while perhaps unpopular with some, are the moves necessary for survival, and we as CO frequent flyers should be happy to have such a competent, knowledgeable CEO leading us through these rough times.

Now all I'm waiting for is a whiny rant from our friend NJDavid...

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Dave

coplatlrd

IN addition, it was very wierd to be sitting by him and have the video come on with his welcome to co speach. He was even dressed the same and seemed a lot thinner in person. For his self proclaimed sex, scotch, and speed persona, he seemed to be in very good shape.

domirule

does anybody know if the 767's are being used by the government as well?

the equipment downgrade happened to me in january from LAX-IAH. i'm about to book a ticket for travel in march and was wondering if i should choose the 767's instead of the 777's, not taking the chance of getting disappointed on the day of travel...

AndrewNYC

I cannot stop laughing at this comment. I thought the same exact thing last month.

But it will get better with TNT made for TV movies..woohoo

coplatlrd

At least the made for tv movie about the mob boss Paul what ever his last name is was a good story, although cheap production. It kept me entertained. Paul broke the cardinal rule in my part of the woods, don't ever sleep with the help. That was his down fall in the movie.

coplatlrd

Co upgraded my flight to Orlando on 3-10-03 from a 757 to a 767-400. Cool! (But I am not optimistic it will hold)