DL295 NRT-BKK : Why so much time?
 

Longtime UA transpacific flyer here, looking to try DL for a change.

I couldn't help but notice that DL 295 NRT-BKK (6:30pm departure, 11:45pm arrival) is scheduled for a noticeably longer travel time than UA 881 NRT-BKK (6:35pm departure, 11:10pm arrival).

What gives? They depart out of the same terminal 1 at NRT, so there's presumably none of the schlepping across airport property. Does DL 295 (an A330-200) typically taxi out to runway B whereas UA 881 (747-400) does not? Or is it just a difference in sandbagging policies on the timetable?

This would be my guess... Then Del-duh will announce how the flight got in ahead of schedule...

The A330 is also slightly slower than the 744s.

The cruise speed of the A330-200 is slower than the 747-400.

Using Great Circle Mapper
NRT (35°45'53"N 140°23'11"E) to BKK (13°40'52"N 100°44'50"E)
Distance: 2889 mi (2511 nm)

A332 @ Mach 0.83
Flight time: 5:20

744 @ Mach 0.85
Flight time: 5:09

Also, IIRC the 744 has a better rate of climb and descent rate.

:rolleyes: of course.

Last friday ( Mar 26), I took the flight, it was over 7 hours of flying time because of strong headwind. We left the gate around 6:05 pm and arrived in BKK around 11:30 pm.

Thanks everyone. While I hadn't thought to consider the cruising speed (or takeoff/descent rates), it doesn't seem commonplace that aircrafts on the same route overtake one another. (The DL flight shows a scheduled departure earlier than UA; with a later scheduled arrival time.) I've certainly not experienced it on, say, SFO-NRT.

Am I at least correct in assuming that both flights typically use the same runway A in departing NRT (the one closer to terminal 1)?

on the 757
 

hey forum, im a stew for NW and worked on the NRT-BKK flt and nonrev quite a few times, recently that flt has bounced between our 757-J and A330-200 changing a few times a year. on the 757 we always had to taxi 15-20 min out to the long runway in NRT and it did take a long time to get out there! so that could contribute to the long flight time in addition to the slower aircraft 757/A330 vs. 747. I think on the A330 we are still going out to that far runway. the last time i worked the BKK trip it was on a 757-J and in the van to the hotel the pilots said we almost had to divert cause we were so low on fuel and had not calculated enough or had enough for the strong headwinds. they said we had just made it, that the decision was very close to a divert for fuel.

Welcome to FT! Thanks for your input and please don't be a stranger on the board. We love crew updates.

Welcome to FlyerTalk ngeo!

Come on, we know flight schedules and publications have a great deal of fluff built into them. One airline wants to look like a shorter flight. The other want to look more like they are ontime.

Just airline b.s.

Absolutely true, at my home airport SAN several airline schedules have takeoffs "scheduled" between 0600-0630. Nothing actually takes off till 0630 because of noise abatement rules. There are still landings after 2300 mostly cargo.

Aircraft. Back when NW operated NRT-BKK with a B744, the block time was comparable with UA. The A332 is slower. (Don't know what Airbus is thinking, with increased crew costs. Are they more efficient than Boeing?)

- Pat

Welcome to FT! Doesn't that B757 drive you crazy? :mad: I bet it's hostile from a crew perspective for a long flight as well as from a pax perspective.