A330 Dtw-msp-dtw
Jun 21, 2007, 1:18 am
#1
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A330 Dtw-msp-dtw
Just noticed an equipment substitution for tomorrow (Friday, June 22).
NW 863 at 12:03pm will now operate with A330-300 aircraft.
Return flight for that aircraft will be NW 756 at 3:10pm that afternoon.
Not sure exactly what is going on in Detroit, but every flight this Friday from DTW to MSP is currently seriously overbooked!! The usual FC seats are being held back for BF upgrades, but Coach is way overbooked on every single flight. Or maybe there is something happening in MSP this weekend??? The flights the other direction (MSP-DTW) still have some decent availability on Friday.
NW 863 at 12:03pm will now operate with A330-300 aircraft.
Return flight for that aircraft will be NW 756 at 3:10pm that afternoon.
Not sure exactly what is going on in Detroit, but every flight this Friday from DTW to MSP is currently seriously overbooked!! The usual FC seats are being held back for BF upgrades, but Coach is way overbooked on every single flight. Or maybe there is something happening in MSP this weekend??? The flights the other direction (MSP-DTW) still have some decent availability on Friday.
Jun 21, 2007, 6:00 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2004
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Cool, domestic 330 sightings are always exciting!
Jun 21, 2007, 6:13 am
#3
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Don't forget to post your bump success... 
Steve B.
Steve B.
Jun 21, 2007, 10:09 am
#4
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Ahhhhhh, brings back good memories of daily 744s between DTW-MSP.
Jun 21, 2007, 11:06 am
#5
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With so many flights (16 at my last count) between MSP and DTW, I've often wondered why NW doesn't take an A330 that sits in DTW for 6-8 hours and send it to MSP and back. There are 3 flights that depart within 15 minutes of each other on both DTW-MSP and MSP-DTW in the early afternoon.
I know that crew issues, particularly with the pilots (would be the only segments they could likely operate without timing out), are an issue, but seems as if it would be made up by running 1 flight rather than 3.
It could free up an aircraft or two to use on other routes.
Something along the lines of:
A. NW67 AMS-DTW arrives at 12:50, goes DTW-MSP at 3pm eliminating the need for 3 flights DTW-MSP between 3:00-3:30. Arrives in MSP at 5pm, and goes then to AMS or LGW at 7pm.
B. The early AMS-MSP arrives at 11:45. This could go to DTW at 1:15, replacing the 3 flights between 1:00 and 1:30, arriving in DTW at 4:15, then to AMS at either 5:45 or 7:10.
C. The early AMS-DTW arrives at 10:30, goes to MSP and back, then to AMS at 7:10.
The average turnaround for the Europe bound 330's in MSP is about 4 hours now and is similar in DTW. 1.5-2 hours for a domestic turn is more than enough.
I know that crew issues, particularly with the pilots (would be the only segments they could likely operate without timing out), are an issue, but seems as if it would be made up by running 1 flight rather than 3.
It could free up an aircraft or two to use on other routes.
Something along the lines of:
A. NW67 AMS-DTW arrives at 12:50, goes DTW-MSP at 3pm eliminating the need for 3 flights DTW-MSP between 3:00-3:30. Arrives in MSP at 5pm, and goes then to AMS or LGW at 7pm.
B. The early AMS-MSP arrives at 11:45. This could go to DTW at 1:15, replacing the 3 flights between 1:00 and 1:30, arriving in DTW at 4:15, then to AMS at either 5:45 or 7:10.
C. The early AMS-DTW arrives at 10:30, goes to MSP and back, then to AMS at 7:10.
The average turnaround for the Europe bound 330's in MSP is about 4 hours now and is similar in DTW. 1.5-2 hours for a domestic turn is more than enough.
Jun 21, 2007, 11:52 am
#7
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Besides the fact that NW does so many flights between DTW & MSP for aircraft positioning, I don't see an A330 being a smart move between DTW & MSP. If that A330 were to get stuck in MSP, for whatever reason, you now have a (probably) fully loaded European flight that can't leave because NW doesn't have extra A330's laying around. It's a lot smarter for it to sit in DTW than try to make MSP & back. That one time it gets stuck in MSP, all hell breaks loose in DTW.
-RM
-RM
Jun 21, 2007, 12:03 pm
#8
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Plus it take a lot more time to turn around a 330, any delays in MSP would be magnified in DTW making for a lot of upset people. But then again, it would be nice
I just wish I could have gotten on the 330 at MKE to fly to MSP
I just wish I could have gotten on the 330 at MKE to fly to MSP
Jun 21, 2007, 12:07 pm
#9
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It'd just be nice to have a widebody or two in domestic, non HNL service. Seems like most of the other legacy carriers do... I wouldn't mind NWA doing it as well.
Yeah, I know we don't have all that many wide-body jets sitting around, plus the crew to fly them.
Yeah, I know we don't have all that many wide-body jets sitting around, plus the crew to fly them.
Jun 21, 2007, 12:41 pm
#10
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agreed, I think they could cycle some wide bodies in on the large routes with airports that can handle it.... Oh to dream.
Jun 21, 2007, 12:57 pm
#11
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I completely understand the need for "aircraft positioning", but, for example, if you have one A320 going MSP-DTW and one A320 going DTW-MSP, there is one less plane to reposition - which could be used to add frequency to an existing route, open another, or [gasp] retire a DC9.
There is usually a spare A333 in the system, though not sure that is the case during the summer (peak) season.
With 7 330 arrivals in DTW (4 in MSP, not counting HNL), there is wiggle room for aircraft swaps for weather, maintenance, or whatever reason.
CO does this all the time, shuttling the 76's and the occasional 777 between IAH and EWR. AA runs 777's DFW-ORD, ORD-DFW, ORD-MIA, etc, DL runs international 763's between JFK and ATL.
The occasional and inevitible delay/inconvenience would be made up for by utilizing 1 out of 11 $140mil aircraft that would otherwise sit parked for 4-8 hours more effectively.
There is usually a spare A333 in the system, though not sure that is the case during the summer (peak) season.
With 7 330 arrivals in DTW (4 in MSP, not counting HNL), there is wiggle room for aircraft swaps for weather, maintenance, or whatever reason.
CO does this all the time, shuttling the 76's and the occasional 777 between IAH and EWR. AA runs 777's DFW-ORD, ORD-DFW, ORD-MIA, etc, DL runs international 763's between JFK and ATL.
The occasional and inevitible delay/inconvenience would be made up for by utilizing 1 out of 11 $140mil aircraft that would otherwise sit parked for 4-8 hours more effectively.
Jun 21, 2007, 1:01 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,884
Just noticed a sub today. DTW-LAX, NW333 is normally a 756, but it's operated today by a A330-300. Probably more flight crew issues.
That'd be a nice OP up for some unknowing elite flying DTW-LAX today...
That'd be a nice OP up for some unknowing elite flying DTW-LAX today...
Jun 21, 2007, 1:07 pm
#13
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Let's see if it actually gets dispatched to LAX. Last month, one of the MSP-LAX was tenatively swapped to an A333, but was changed when dispatch learned that LAX staff was unfamiliar with ground ops for the 333 to SEA. I hurried to get back to LAX that day because I was flying back through MSP and was hoping to standby for the A330.
Jun 21, 2007, 1:12 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Let's see if it actually gets dispatched to LAX. Last month, one of the MSP-LAX was tenatively swapped to an A333, but was changed when dispatch learned that LAX staff was unfamiliar with ground ops for the 333 to SEA. I hurried to get back to LAX that day because I was flying back through MSP and was hoping to standby for the A330.
Tomorrow, MSP-SEA as NW171 is also upgraded to a A330-300. It returns as NW212.