Q400 is AWEFUL!
Feb 25, 2008, 3:43 am
#76
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: MUC (home), DUS (office), XXX (customer)
Programs: LH, AB, SPG, CC, Sixt, EC
Posts: 6,334
Sorry, the article is in German but there was another incident in Austria with a Dash 8. An Austrian Airlines plane had problems on the approach into VIE (coming from NUE) with the landing gear.
They apparently made is safely to the ground, nobody got hurt but all passengers had to leave the aircrafts with use of the emergency slides.
Not that this was horribly dangerous or anything, all I wanted to say is that the problems with the Dash 8s are not solved! Back in times when SAS grounded theirs, OS and LH had theirs send back to maintenance to double check if their birds are OK.
I guess the story will be continued....
They apparently made is safely to the ground, nobody got hurt but all passengers had to leave the aircrafts with use of the emergency slides.
Not that this was horribly dangerous or anything, all I wanted to say is that the problems with the Dash 8s are not solved! Back in times when SAS grounded theirs, OS and LH had theirs send back to maintenance to double check if their birds are OK.
I guess the story will be continued....
Feb 25, 2008, 9:31 am
#78
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,613
Flew a Q400 EWR-ROC this morning. They may be quieter than ERJs on a pure decibel reading, but the noise is a lot more noticeable since on the jet, it's close to a constant volume, while on the Q400 (as on all props), the beat of the propeller blades is harder to tune out.
The lack of a single-seat side also sucks, and the aircraft feels more cramped to me (more like a CRJ). As noted above, row 12 is not an exit row.
On the other hand, the view is better from the lower cruising altitude, and the Colgan FAs were good, with the only irritation being that deplaning, even onto a jetbridge, was stopped to wait for the gate-checked baggage to be brought, which I've never seen on an ERJ.
Summary: worse than an ERJ, not much better than a CRJ if at all, but it's going to get you there.
The lack of a single-seat side also sucks, and the aircraft feels more cramped to me (more like a CRJ). As noted above, row 12 is not an exit row.
On the other hand, the view is better from the lower cruising altitude, and the Colgan FAs were good, with the only irritation being that deplaning, even onto a jetbridge, was stopped to wait for the gate-checked baggage to be brought, which I've never seen on an ERJ.
Summary: worse than an ERJ, not much better than a CRJ if at all, but it's going to get you there.
Feb 25, 2008, 9:45 am
#79
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: CO gold
Posts: 101
uodate
Sorry, the article is in German but there was another incident in Austria with a Dash 8. An Austrian Airlines plane had problems on the approach into VIE (coming from NUE) with the landing gear.
They apparently made is safely to the ground, nobody got hurt but all passengers had to leave the aircrafts with use of the emergency slides.
Not that this was horribly dangerous or anything, all I wanted to say is that the problems with the Dash 8s are not solved! Back in times when SAS grounded theirs, OS and LH had theirs send back to maintenance to double check if their birds are OK.
I guess the story will be continued....
They apparently made is safely to the ground, nobody got hurt but all passengers had to leave the aircrafts with use of the emergency slides.
Not that this was horribly dangerous or anything, all I wanted to say is that the problems with the Dash 8s are not solved! Back in times when SAS grounded theirs, OS and LH had theirs send back to maintenance to double check if their birds are OK.
I guess the story will be continued....
Feb 25, 2008, 9:45 am
#80
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Half the distance to EWR than PHL.
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Waiting to deplane until the gate-checked bags are unloaded is standard procedure at SYR with the ERJ's w/ or w/o the jetway.
Mar 10, 2008, 9:04 pm
#81
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: HKG
Programs: Priority Club Plat
Posts: 12,311
Apparently, with enough cash compensation, even SAS will buy more Q400s!
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/...Bombardier.php
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/...Bombardier.php
Sep 12, 2008, 10:38 pm
#82
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: 36,000'
Posts: 1,206
Well I've thought about it again, and then I've flown out of EWR a few times and I've never seen the Q take off of 11/29 when the jets weren't. And the significantly approach pattern probably doesn't matter much these days with NY approach as far as I can tell.
Sep 13, 2008, 10:16 am
#83
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: San Diego (SAN)
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 939
Surprisingly to most people, this is not the case. I don't know whether Colgan is authorized to fly VFR - my understanding is that very, very few 121 operators are anymore - but at Piedmont, we are. I've never departed VFR from LGA, but it's not all that unusual to return VFR to avoid a ground delay program or ground stop. In all the times I've done that, I've never once gotten a delay upon arrival... always just called up approach and been brought in for landing. The main reason for that, of course, is that I don't do it unless conditions are such that I expect to be able to get in without much delay upon arrival.
Sep 14, 2008, 11:23 am
#84
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 55
bathroom and AC broken on q400 - FAs make it bearable
just flew in a Q400 from PVD to EWR
The bathroom was out of order, and the air conditioning, or just any air at all, was broken. Add a 45 minute wait on the ground in the sweltering heat and it was not fun.
However, the FAs were extremely courteous and professional when dealing with a situation they had little control over.
The bathroom was out of order, and the air conditioning, or just any air at all, was broken. Add a 45 minute wait on the ground in the sweltering heat and it was not fun.
However, the FAs were extremely courteous and professional when dealing with a situation they had little control over.
Sep 15, 2008, 3:44 am
#85
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: DFW
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hmmm GA just announced that the lav is broken on my 6:10 BDL-EWR flight. You stay classy Colgan.
Feb 15, 2009, 2:03 am
#86
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1
legroom???
An Alaska Airlines turboprop.
Get'n beat up in turbulence on my way to Reno...
-Well, they still have free beer and wine. Beats the competition, but what happened to first class?
Last edited by freak-vent flyer; Feb 15, 2009 at 2:12 am
Feb 15, 2009, 10:18 am
#87
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Manchester, NH
Programs: UA 1k 1MM, National Exec Elite, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, AMTRAK
Posts: 513
I flew the Q400 last week from PIT to EWR. I was really disappointed in the airplane. Everyone talks about the airplane, but I was not impressed. It was loud, we flew low (12000 feet, this should be great in the summer storms), service was awful and the flight took 30 minutes longer than the jet. I heard the flight attendants talking. They said the was shorter going back, so they were only going to do a water service. That is all they did... water! Gave everyone a glass of water. Other than being a nice, new airplane, I have nothing good to add. The crews seem miserable and it showed in their service. We never heard from the flight crew in flight or on the ground. The airplanes did not seem to have oxygen masks. Nothing in the overheads and the flight attendants didn't demonstrate how to use them which leads me to believe there aren't any.
The landing on 11/29 in EWR scared the siht out of me. I have landed several times on that runway in the embraer, but that was by far the CLOSEST I have ever been to the tops of the hotel roof and even more scary was the closeness the the high tension power lines near the train station. The plane skidded down the runway with the props in reverse and the pilots obviously standing on the brakes. We BARELY got stopped before 22R. I am also concerned about the maintenance on the airplane since Colgan has a less than stellar maintenance reputation. Colgan had the Beech nosedive into the ocean (Hyannis I think) a few years ago when maintenance messed up the flight control cables.
My suggestion... avoid at all costs.
The landing on 11/29 in EWR scared the siht out of me. I have landed several times on that runway in the embraer, but that was by far the CLOSEST I have ever been to the tops of the hotel roof and even more scary was the closeness the the high tension power lines near the train station. The plane skidded down the runway with the props in reverse and the pilots obviously standing on the brakes. We BARELY got stopped before 22R. I am also concerned about the maintenance on the airplane since Colgan has a less than stellar maintenance reputation. Colgan had the Beech nosedive into the ocean (Hyannis I think) a few years ago when maintenance messed up the flight control cables.
My suggestion... avoid at all costs.
I did have a upsetting experience with a Q400 on Saturday, but it was due to the Tug operator damaging the nose gear on pushback.... I was onboard a Q400 Saturday with a Colgan flight EWR-MHT flight 3248 -- the Tug more or less severed the nosegear (it was still attached but severly damaged) on pushback and the aircraft became unoperable and we had to deplane -- but this was due to the tug operator, not the aircraft per-se or crew at fault here. Anyone interested, I've posted a trip report in the www.ffocus.org trip reports (need to request a free membership to access the forum boards).
The cabin alone is larger, more comfortable and the seating is about 100% more comfortable than the squished down seat cushions on a ERJ. That said, these are very new aircraft so I guess in time it's possible that the seating comfort declines -- but for now it is very nice and comfortable.
In MHT, we have both Q400 and ERJ, if possible, I usually book the route on Q400 if it meets my schedule needs. In most cases since I'm early out of MHT, I'm on a ERJ, but I like the Q400.
I will be on a Colgan flight to EWR on Wednesday.
Last edited by mht_flyer; Feb 15, 2009 at 10:34 am Reason: addition+ clarifications
Feb 15, 2009, 10:58 am
#88
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,432
I also hate them
I flew on one to PIT when they first changed from the ERJs on most of the flts. I hated it. I then had to fly, due to schedule, on another up to ROC. AFter being in what sounded like the inside of a washing machine for an hour while we tarmaced we finally took off. We heard a loud noise by the starboard engine and then we returned to EWR. I got off the plane and went home. No way am I getting in one of those again. I did this weeks trip to DCA based on aircraft type. I have a 737 and and ER. If they substitute equipment I will take Amtrak.
Feb 15, 2009, 11:11 am
#89
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Half the distance to EWR than PHL.
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I'm not a fan of the Q400 myself and that's compared to a dash 8-300 I've been on. They are cramped (narrow seats for some reason) and the way they pitch and roll on approach in light wind is abit unnerving and it feels like the fusalage is swinging on a single pin connection to the wing. I don't remember the ATR's doing that. The noise isn't an issue for me as it really isn't that load. It's just a different noise that people find aggravating. I much prefere the ERJ's . I will likely pick a Q400 over a CRJ if that means anything.
Feb 15, 2009, 2:18 pm
#90
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Ive been on both the Q4 & Q2
I had no problems with the Q4 what so ever, I will do all I can never to set foot onto the Q2 again. The Q2 were old and showed it while the Q4 was new.
I had no problems with the Q4 what so ever, I will do all I can never to set foot onto the Q2 again. The Q2 were old and showed it while the Q4 was new.