I've heard that it happens quite a few times in order to beat the DCA curfew, but I've only experienced the DCA-IAD jet flight once.
It was at least a dozen years ago on a New York Air DC-9 scheduled to leave DCA about 6PM. The flight was held up on the runway for well more than two hours and then the announcement came that since this jet was needed at EWR the next day, they were going over to IAD to wait out the ATC delays into the New York area. We were permitted to debark at IAD for more than an hour and get dinner (at a hot dog stand out near the gate area). Arrival at EWR was around midnight but as I remember, we were quite happy to have gotten home at all that same night.

[This message has been edited by monitor (edited 11-19-2000).]

On a flight between OAK and SFO, I wonder if the jet has to circle if there is a delay at SFO?

And are they cleared to land before they even take off?

I would think the biggest jet with the smallest flight leg would have to have been the SJC - NRT with a refuel stop in OAK this was on an AA 777 with the leg of SJC - OAK of 34 miles because SJC's runways are not long enough for Intl flights to Asia.


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Cheers Scott

The AA SJC-NRT isn't nonstop? Really? I didn't know that. I'm surprised AA is adding so many int'l flights to SJC (NRT/CDG/Taiwan) if the airport can't handle them.

Shortest jet flight? I think the shortest prop plane (I know it is not a jet but still) would be UA's IAD-BWI. Less than 50 miles and still going on today. The shortest jet however I have been on lately was an Airbus 319 or 320 on USAir from DCA to PHL at 6am. The plane is brand new, 2 classes of service and great for a flight to say Chicago or Dallas, but not the 4+ hours to San Diego afterwards!

And yes, I do remember the last flight out at night from ATL-MIA that would then continue to FLL. It was July 1993 and only 8 minutes flight time, no beverage service and seat belts on all time. Took off South into the Everglades and then turned around to head north. Don't want to overshoot your target right?

Now here is my question, what is the longest commerical flight? I believe it may be New York - Cape Town on South African Airways. Whaddya think?

I believe the longest flight today is ORD-HKG, but starting in March, it will be JFK-HKG. EWR-HKG (a few miles shorter) will also begin then.

Bruce

A little bit off topic but...

Will the longest flight be more expensive?
e.g. Will the price HKG-ORD more expensive than HKG-LAX-ORD?

Also, the flight is so long, will the meal service be compromised b'cos of space limitation?

Thanks!

So, did we reach any conclusion on the shortest flight?

Wait....there's a regular flight not yet mentioned, LAX to SNA which has got to be less than 50 miles, although I don't know what type of plane.

I've seen it a few times come up a few times when checking flights from SJC to SNA on aa.com (and if memory is right, the LAX to SNA leg is on United). I've never tried SJC-LAX-SNA, but seeing all the mileage related posts could inspire me to go for the extra miles if some day there's no time constraints for me to get to SNA.

In the early 90s, UA used to fly a DC-10 ORD-MKE and back, about 80 miles each way.

It would come into ORD on a red-eye at 5am and not be needed back at a gate until 9:15am to start boarding for a 10am flight back to the West Coast. Since they didn't want it sitting around for four hours, they had it put it to use. But where?

The MKE flight was the only one where the plane could get out and back in time to a destination with a big enough runway to handle the DC-10. If the redeye was late getting in, they'd just cancel the MKE run or swap in a smaller plane.

British Midland fly daily from GLA - EDI and vice versa on a Fokker 100 or Fokker 70 jet aircraft as part of their service through to Copenhagen. This is around 40 miles, flight time (in the air) around 12-15 minutes. No service offered (Even the hard working British Midland cabin crew up in Scotland couldn't serve a hot breakfast in that short a time!!!)

That said, does BM hold the record for full meal service on the shortest flight? If you define 'Full Meal Service' as a hot meal, then BM offers a hot breakfast (with beverages and tea and coffee) in both C and Y class on the LHR - MAN route - just 151 miles. Unless you count the mileage for all that holding pattern flying coming into Heathrow of course!

Samuel

[This message has been edited by SamuelS (edited 11-26-2000).]

Aloha flys OGG Maui to KOA Kona with about 40 miles - 16 minutes flight time several times a day.

Actually, the KOA-OGG run is 83 miles.

There is an AWESOME website that gives very accurate mileage info for you to check out:
http://www.chicago.com/airliners/gc.html

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Addicted to airline miles? Check out: The Airline Mileage Workshop

Some years ago DL use to fly OAK-DFW via SJC 29 miles.
BWIA flies POS-TAB very many times a day 51 miles.
Interesting side-note on this flight is that the $48 rt fare has no (read $0) taxes, fees, airport charges, etc., etc.