Cargo > People?!
Jun 3, 2015, 3:29 pm
#93
Join Date: May 2013
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Right. But it's a lot cheaper per unit to take thousands of packages from Amazon than one from random Joe.
That's not how it works. Also, depending on a number of factors UPS and FedEx pricing can be as good or better than the USPS.
The Lower 48 is served by UPS and FedEX, and they can truck from their air locations for time-sensitive shipments that can't wait to be trucked and plopped on a Z-train where that's possible.
The USPS is also much better now that they track packages.
I'm not at all surprised, since when's the last time you've seen a USPS plane? I see FedEX and UPS jets all the time, but not USPS. Somebody's air shipping that stuff.
Quite the opposite - before I retired, GE would often scour the planet for critical replacement parts for our MRI, CT, and PET scanners. We had a power unit fail one morning and the replacement came from France in about 18 hours - unfortunately it was bad so GE found another in SE Asia and got it to us within 24 hours. These were the only two PUs that would match our system. And they were massive, all told the weight was probably 8 tons.
Then why wouldn't they just have scheduled a fuel stop at MSP?
Jun 3, 2015, 3:37 pm
#94
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MSP closes down in the late evening. What would the timing have been for the fuel stop?
Jun 3, 2015, 3:52 pm
#95
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Jun 3, 2015, 5:27 pm
#96
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I am with the group calling fuel and weather.
Jun 3, 2015, 6:03 pm
#97
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Yeah, actually it is. Their prices are several times what USPS is for individual shippers. If they wanted to compete, they would. They have obviously decided that competing for individuals' and small businesses isn't as profitable as they would like, so they will bleed that business off to the USPS and focus on where they think they can get the best returns on their investments with large shippers.
Ironic since UPS and FedEX drop ship to USPS for local delivery sometimes. Which is annoying, since the package is delivered to USPS in a day or two to the post office a few miles away, and then takes two or three or more days to get to me. Much better when UPS or FedEX ships all the way and ensures a speedy delivery.
Jun 3, 2015, 6:08 pm
#98
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: LAS
Posts: 52
If I had to place a bet on what the reason for booting 18 passengers off the plane along with 90% of the luggage, it was cargo related in which the federal government was involved which took priority over anything else. I doubt it was the extra fuel to compensate for bad weather theory otherwise this would be an everyday occurrence.
Airlines have a protocol when it comes to prioritizing payload. Passenger bags, first class mail, perishable cargo, priority cargo and general cargo. You would have to have some juice in order to bump all of the above.
Airlines have a protocol when it comes to prioritizing payload. Passenger bags, first class mail, perishable cargo, priority cargo and general cargo. You would have to have some juice in order to bump all of the above.
Jun 3, 2015, 6:37 pm
#99
Join Date: Dec 2002
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Jun 3, 2015, 11:37 pm
#100
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: MSP
Programs: None that I am proud of anymore
Posts: 571
If I had to place a bet on what the reason for booting 18 passengers off the plane along with 90% of the luggage, it was cargo related in which the federal government was involved which took priority over anything else. I doubt it was the extra fuel to compensate for bad weather theory otherwise this would be an everyday occurrence.
Airlines have a protocol when it comes to prioritizing payload. Passenger bags, first class mail, perishable cargo, priority cargo and general cargo. You would have to have some juice in order to bump all of the above.
Airlines have a protocol when it comes to prioritizing payload. Passenger bags, first class mail, perishable cargo, priority cargo and general cargo. You would have to have some juice in order to bump all of the above.
is classified to the highest levels - how high ? Well if you had the need to
know you would need to know that you no longer have the need to know
and therefore would no longer need the need to know !
Regarding the enroute fuel stop at MSP or DTW both these airports are
staffed by Delta personnel into the wee hours but the MAC (Metropolitan
Airports Commission MSP) might have something to say about the noise
abatement complaints albeit the next day ! Most all of the air freight airlines
try to leave before midnite to avoid the restless sleepless natives from causing
a log jam on the MAC phone lines and other political types the next day.
Strangely the airport was built out on farm land in the early previous century
and then folks came and built houses right up to the runway edge and holler
about the noise - dah - dumb de dumb da !
So this flight did not stop here for fuel and went non-stop with something
precious - so why are we having the Twilight Zone thread trying to figure
it out ? Because it is the thing to do - it is just not human to leave Pandora's
Box left locked and closed ! For all I know it could well be that someone had
a budget to spend expiring like Cinderella's coach at midnight requiring the
wish list item to be paid for and shipped before the clock strikes midnight !
No matter what happens enroute - rain hail lightening slings and pains of
outrageous fortune etc. non-stop service was required !
And those bumpee passengers they were expendables !
An after thought maybe the flight required max fuel to fly at a lower altitude
under the radar - it was terribly important for Cinderella's glass slipper to
arrive without further human intervention !
Now can I go back and throw blind folded darts at any otherwise new plots
to overthrow the UNgovernment !
Jun 4, 2015, 12:41 am
#101
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: LAS HNL
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I found a Forbes article from 2013. It states:
This is from UPS:
Most of those shipment are delivered by the USPS, and can take days.
As I said up thread. The USPS uses the airlines to ship mail everyday. It is big $$$ for the airlines. Delta Dash and cargo is also very profitable for DL.
I read an article a few years ago, where the airlines were fined by the USPS for not delivering mail to Hawaii during the peak Christmas Holidays, as it is written into contracts. I can not find the article now.
Bottom line - Cargo, Human Remains and Mail are very profitable for airlines.
A suggestion that often comes up is to just dismantle the Postal Service and have everyone switch to using private services like FedEx, UPS, and DHL. The people making these arguments are probably unaware that these companies are deeply reliant on the Postal Service for many of their everyday functions – comparatively, they do not come close to the Postal Service’s domestic infrastructure. One study estimated that in 2011, over 30% of FedEx Ground shipments were actually delivered by the Postal Service, and although they compete, these groups regularly partner with each other.
ARTICLE: http://www.forbes.com/sites/tarunwad...-anytime-soon/
ARTICLE: http://www.forbes.com/sites/tarunwad...-anytime-soon/
Extended Area and Remote Area Surcharges
Extended Area Surcharge
UPS provides service in extended areas as well as urban areas. An additional charge applies for each shipment that is picked up or delivered in an extended area.
Remote Area Surcharge
A charge applies for delivery to an area beyond UPS Extended Areas, which are less accessible for deliveries.
Extended Area Surcharge
UPS provides service in extended areas as well as urban areas. An additional charge applies for each shipment that is picked up or delivered in an extended area.
Remote Area Surcharge
A charge applies for delivery to an area beyond UPS Extended Areas, which are less accessible for deliveries.
As I said up thread. The USPS uses the airlines to ship mail everyday. It is big $$$ for the airlines. Delta Dash and cargo is also very profitable for DL.
I read an article a few years ago, where the airlines were fined by the USPS for not delivering mail to Hawaii during the peak Christmas Holidays, as it is written into contracts. I can not find the article now.
Bottom line - Cargo, Human Remains and Mail are very profitable for airlines.
Last edited by kettle1; Jun 4, 2015 at 1:01 am
Jun 4, 2015, 1:40 am
#102
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,151
As I said up thread. The USPS uses the airlines to ship mail everyday. It is big $$$ for the airlines. Delta Dash and cargo is also very profitable for DL.
I read an article a few years ago, where the airlines were fined by the USPS for not delivering mail to Hawaii during the peak Christmas Holidays, as it is written into contracts. I can not find the article now.
Bottom line - Cargo, Human Remains and Mail are very profitable for airlines.
I read an article a few years ago, where the airlines were fined by the USPS for not delivering mail to Hawaii during the peak Christmas Holidays, as it is written into contracts. I can not find the article now.
Bottom line - Cargo, Human Remains and Mail are very profitable for airlines.
Jun 4, 2015, 2:13 am
#103
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: LAS HNL
Programs: DL DM, 5.7 MM, UA 3.1 MM, MARRIOTT PLATINUM, AVIS FIRST, Amex Black Card
Posts: 4,479
I'm genuinely curious, as I know nothing about the cargo industry, why I keep hearing that air-cargo is a super competitive market. If it's so profitable, what's the tricky part in simply getting some planes and flying them with cargo. It seems a lot easier than starting an airline with PAX service.
I guess the reason the airlines like cargo shipments is simple. They have a plane going from A-B, they sell seats and try to fill the plane with PAX at the highest price possible. The cargo holds are not 100% full. So load cargo and mail to fill the gap. This is gravy for the commercial carriers.
Cargo is loaded first and unloaded last. Bags/Animals are a first priority.
A lot has changed since I was dealing with this stuff. We used to get a lot of inbound Asia shipments from (now Fed Ex):
My current company uses the USPS, Fed Ex, UPS, Delta Dash and UA QuickPak.
Jun 4, 2015, 8:29 am
#104
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: TPA
Programs: United - PG, Marriott Silver
Posts: 1,625
I'm genuinely curious, as I know nothing about the cargo industry, why I keep hearing that air-cargo is a super competitive market. If it's so profitable, what's the tricky part in simply getting some planes and flying them with cargo. It seems a lot easier than starting an airline with PAX service.
If you decide to start cargo service with one aircraft that flies from A-B and back, and you offer competitive rates on that route, companies are only going to use you if you can also get their stuff from A-C, B-D, C-D, etc. etc.