Delta flying to OGG with the hurricane
Aug 24, 2018, 5:25 pm
#1
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Delta flying to OGG with the hurricane
I see that Delta is flying the two LAX flights to OGG while everyone else cancelled their flights. Flying to ATL in thunderstorms is good practice for a hurricane I guess.
Aug 24, 2018, 10:43 pm
#3
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This is pretty par for the course at Delta. Their weather team is usually spot on with their predictions which is why they "continue flying when everyone else has cancelled". This happens with major snow storms, and other weather events. If they know they can safely operate that flight, it will be going barring some other issue like mechanical, FAA restrictions, or crew problems.
Aug 24, 2018, 10:53 pm
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This is pretty par for the course at Delta. Their weather team is usually spot on with their predictions which is why they "continue flying when everyone else has cancelled". This happens with major snow storms, and other weather events. If they know they can safely operate that flight, it will be going barring some other issue like mechanical, FAA restrictions, or crew problems.
Aug 24, 2018, 10:56 pm
#5
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Related to having an in house weather department, I also feel pretty strongly I encounter less turbulence on DL flights than other carriers. It of course isn’t a 100% guarantee, but the difference is pretty noticeable on long international flights between DL and other carriers. (Some of this could be due to different operating procedures though, of course, or to better onboard equipment of some sort DL has chosen to invest in.)
Aug 25, 2018, 7:48 am
#6
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Related to having an in house weather department, I also feel pretty strongly I encounter less turbulence on DL flights than other carriers. It of course isn’t a 100% guarantee, but the difference is pretty noticeable on long international flights between DL and other carriers. (Some of this could be due to different operating procedures though, of course, or to better onboard equipment of some sort DL has chosen to invest in.)
I can't say whether I've experienced less or more turbulence on Delta planes on average. Keep in mind there may be a built in bias if you usually snag a C+ or F seat on Delta planes and you're back in Y- on a competitor's plane - the further back you are the worse the turbulence on average (excluding over the wing).
Aug 25, 2018, 8:04 am
#7
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I don't know if it's a weather forecast thing or more a choice of aircraft. DL is flying 757s with more range than the 738s of AS, the A321s of AA, or the 7M9 and 738 of United. They must be confident they have fuel to divert to an island with satisfactory weather if necessary. Hawaiian operated their flights with A332 and A321.
Aug 25, 2018, 8:38 am
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Aug 25, 2018, 8:49 am
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I remember reading about this app that they started using in 2016. Not sure if is a Delta exclusive or is being commonly used in industry these days (or how effective it really is).
I can't say whether I've experienced less or more turbulence on Delta planes on average. Keep in mind there may be a built in bias if you usually snag a C+ or F seat on Delta planes and you're back in Y- on a competitor's plane - the further back you are the worse the turbulence on average (excluding over the wing).
I can't say whether I've experienced less or more turbulence on Delta planes on average. Keep in mind there may be a built in bias if you usually snag a C+ or F seat on Delta planes and you're back in Y- on a competitor's plane - the further back you are the worse the turbulence on average (excluding over the wing).
Aug 25, 2018, 8:51 am
#10
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Outside of one of the Hawaiian Islands where are they going to go? -- French Frigate Shoals, Johnston, or Midway? (well not really; those first two are not operational anymore). Midway is a diversion point. Is there any such thing as a point of no return in airline operations any more? Note flights to HNL have not had any cancellations yet.
Aug 25, 2018, 10:34 am
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Outside of one of the Hawaiian Islands where are they going to go? -- French Frigate Shoals, Johnston, or Midway? (well not really; those first two are not operational anymore). Midway is a diversion point. Is there any such thing as a point of no return in airline operations any more? Note flights to HNL have not had any cancellations yet.
Hawaii dodges this sort of restriction because it at least has tons of airports, so if something goes wrong on one island you can easily divert to another. But if you look at a map of the west coast to Hawaii routing, once you’re past the halfway point, your aircraft is *going* to land somewhere in Hawaii - there really aren’t any other options...
Aug 25, 2018, 10:47 am
#12
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There is definitely a “point of no return” concept for airline ops. The most extreme case is IPC, where the airport on Easter Island is the only diversion point for inbound flights - particularly from PPT-IPC. If an aircraft were to have a runway-blocking incident, there would be no option for other inbound flights - so the Chilean government only allows one aircraft to be within the “point of no return” range of Easter Island at any one time. (E.g. the previous flight to SCL must be past the halfway point before a new inbound flight to IPC may take off).
Hawaii dodges this sort of restriction because it at least has tons of airports, so if something goes wrong on one island you can easily divert to another. But if you look at a map of the west coast to Hawaii routing, once you’re past the halfway point, your aircraft is *going* to land somewhere in Hawaii - there really aren’t any other options...
Heck, with ETOPS-330 certification, a 787 could make it the whole trip within ETOPS range (or at least close to it).
edit - incidentally it does look like LATAM flies this route with a 787. Not sure if LATAM is ETOPS-330 certified though (and/or impacted by the issues with the RR engines)
Aug 25, 2018, 10:48 am
#13
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Delta also had an impressive flight into SJU just before the latest hurricane hit and got people out right in time......if you Google the flight path it’s amazing how they pulled it off.
Aug 25, 2018, 10:49 am
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Outside of one of the Hawaiian Islands where are they going to go? -- French Frigate Shoals, Johnston, or Midway? (well not really; those first two are not operational anymore). Midway is a diversion point. Is there any such thing as a point of no return in airline operations any more? Note flights to HNL have not had any cancellations yet.
Aug 25, 2018, 10:54 am
#15
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Understand that ETOPS is probably the issue but wouldn't the first be mitigated simply by having an aircraft with plenty of fuel? Nothing would stop an aircraft from reaching IPC and then returning back to SCL airport assuming it has fuel.
Heck, with ETOPS-330 certification, a 787 could make it the whole trip within ETOPS range (or at least close to it).
edit - incidentally it does look like LATAM flies this route with a 787. Not sure if LATAM is ETOPS-330 certified though.
Heck, with ETOPS-330 certification, a 787 could make it the whole trip within ETOPS range (or at least close to it).
edit - incidentally it does look like LATAM flies this route with a 787. Not sure if LATAM is ETOPS-330 certified though.