The emptiest flight you've ever been on
Dec 30, 2009, 9:37 am
#92
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: North Eastern Pennsylvania
Programs: CO Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 71
empty flight
About 10 years ago, USAir announced a FA strike effective midnight on some date.
My wife and I were flying home from Munich the next morning. Since we were on vacation and these were before the always-on, always-connected cell phone days, I didn't even know about it until we got to the airport.
Turns out the plane had come in the previous night, the strike began, but international returning flights were still in operation for the extra 12-18 hours or so.
Nearly everyone else had rebooked, though, so we had a wide body jet with about 50 people on board. I was USAir gold in those days, so we both got upgrades. We were the only 2 in first.
FA crew was pretty nice, too, even though they were going home to a strike.
My wife and I were flying home from Munich the next morning. Since we were on vacation and these were before the always-on, always-connected cell phone days, I didn't even know about it until we got to the airport.
Turns out the plane had come in the previous night, the strike began, but international returning flights were still in operation for the extra 12-18 hours or so.
Nearly everyone else had rebooked, though, so we had a wide body jet with about 50 people on board. I was USAir gold in those days, so we both got upgrades. We were the only 2 in first.
FA crew was pretty nice, too, even though they were going home to a strike.
Dec 30, 2009, 10:12 am
#93
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Tristram
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Priority Club, Emerald Club, Amtrak
Posts: 902
Similar time frame, my wife (the beloved Harpo) and I were the only passengers on a TWA 727. Not only did the two FAs who were on board decidedly not ignore us, we all had a nice party in the first class cabin because the cabin was stocked for a full complement of PAX. The GA told us we were lucky because our flight had been rescheduled and had left already without us, "so sorry we tried to call you." But TWA needed to shuttle another plane from RDU to STL for maintenance, and knowing we were traveling to a funeral they held that plane a few hours just for us. Or so they said. Hard to imagine such thoughtfulness today (not to mention the wastefulness of shuttling an empty plane halfway across the country just for maintenance and to move a few FAs).
Dec 30, 2009, 10:43 am
#94
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Downers Grove, IL - UA 1P, AA Plat
Posts: 32
The Emptiest Flight I've Ever Been On
The emptiest flight I've ever been on was in the early 1990s, flying from LAX to ORD. I think there were six passengers on the flight, and it was on a UA 747-400. I'm not sure why they didn't cancel the flight; I think they had to get the equipment to ORD for the next day.
In those days, I would frequently make a round trip to and from LAX in a day. I'd leave at 7:00 AM CT and be able to make a late morning - early afternoon presentation or meeting, and then hop on a 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM flight to ORD. Flights were hourly both ways, and if you missed one, no big deal. There was always room on the next one!
In those days, I would frequently make a round trip to and from LAX in a day. I'd leave at 7:00 AM CT and be able to make a late morning - early afternoon presentation or meeting, and then hop on a 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM flight to ORD. Flights were hourly both ways, and if you missed one, no big deal. There was always room on the next one!
Dec 30, 2009, 11:43 am
#95
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: TEXAS
Programs: UA Silver, AA
Posts: 140
I was on a UX (Skywest) Dash8-200 from CPR to DEN and was the only passenger. I had to sit in the last row with the FA. I asked the FA if the pilot could do a Full Power Take Off and she relayed the request and the answer came back "yes."
A Full Power Take Off is where the pilot stands on the brakes and runs up the engines to full power before releasing the brakes. I love them as they are exciting for me to feel the acceleration.
However, this is not what the pilot did. CPR has VERY long runways since it was an airbase for bomber training in WWII. The runway is over 10k feet long! This pilot ran down the runway for an eternity then very slowly lifted off with a minimum of rotation (seemingly none). This continued for a bit and then he pitched the plane up into a climb attitude.
That's my story! If there is a pilot out there who can tell me the significance of what the pilot did on this flight I would love to hear it! Or, you can shoot holes in my story if I didn't quite get it right.
A Full Power Take Off is where the pilot stands on the brakes and runs up the engines to full power before releasing the brakes. I love them as they are exciting for me to feel the acceleration.
However, this is not what the pilot did. CPR has VERY long runways since it was an airbase for bomber training in WWII. The runway is over 10k feet long! This pilot ran down the runway for an eternity then very slowly lifted off with a minimum of rotation (seemingly none). This continued for a bit and then he pitched the plane up into a climb attitude.
That's my story! If there is a pilot out there who can tell me the significance of what the pilot did on this flight I would love to hear it! Or, you can shoot holes in my story if I didn't quite get it right.
Dec 30, 2009, 11:46 am
#96
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: West of CLE
Programs: Delta DM/3 MM; Hertz PC; National EE; Amtrak GR; Bonvoy Silver; Via Rail Préférence
Posts: 5,384
Mid-1980s, 4 Pax and 4 FAs
I can't remember the year, possibly 1987, I was flying home on DL from California via DFW. The DFW-IAD segment had exactly four passengers; what was really funny was that the DL computer seated the two F passengers (who weren't related) in 2A and 2B, and the two Y passengers in 18A and 18B (and they were'nt related either). I think I was on a 737-300 that DL had acquired in the merger with Western.
The FAs offered the two guys in coach seating in F, but they declined, choosing to stake out separate rows of 3 and sack out. This was at a time when DL had more than the mininum number of FAs on their flights; after serving me a beer and learning that I was an attorney, the FA then spent the next three hours telling me her life story.
The captain on this flight told me that DL had sold most of the seats on the plane the next morning, and so this flight went as a positioning flight.
The FAs offered the two guys in coach seating in F, but they declined, choosing to stake out separate rows of 3 and sack out. This was at a time when DL had more than the mininum number of FAs on their flights; after serving me a beer and learning that I was an attorney, the FA then spent the next three hours telling me her life story.
The captain on this flight told me that DL had sold most of the seats on the plane the next morning, and so this flight went as a positioning flight.
Dec 30, 2009, 12:43 pm
#97
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Ellicott City MD
Programs: Avis PC Hilton Gold Marriott Gold
Posts: 3
Empty flight
In February of 2009 on a Southwest 7 am from BWI to MHT only 10 passengers.
Plane was on the tarmac for two hours waiting to deice. The 9am flight beat us to MHT.
Southwest sent all ten passengers a $100 voucher.
Plane was on the tarmac for two hours waiting to deice. The 9am flight beat us to MHT.
Southwest sent all ten passengers a $100 voucher.
Dec 30, 2009, 1:58 pm
#100
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,575
I've flown a couple short segments on small planes with <10 other pax.
But the eeriest one I ever flew was about 10-12 years ago - ORD-LHR on Christmas night. I think it was a 767...maybe 30-40 total pax onboard. I still remember buying that ticket using a voucher at a CTO in Schaumburg, IL for about $300 R/T all in.
But the eeriest one I ever flew was about 10-12 years ago - ORD-LHR on Christmas night. I think it was a 767...maybe 30-40 total pax onboard. I still remember buying that ticket using a voucher at a CTO in Schaumburg, IL for about $300 R/T all in.
Dec 30, 2009, 6:11 pm
#103
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DCA
Programs: ex-NW, now DL FO, AA, AC
Posts: 82
On an RJ, fewest for including me was 3 on an Embraer 135 on AA last January, DCA-BNA. It was kinda fun when the GA, instead of going through the whole boarding spiel just called the three of us up by name.
On a mainline, I think the fewest was about 20, about three years ago, MEM-SAT on an NW Airbus. 2 of us in FC, the rest in Y.
On a mainline, I think the fewest was about 20, about three years ago, MEM-SAT on an NW Airbus. 2 of us in FC, the rest in Y.
Dec 30, 2009, 8:06 pm
#104
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 622
In 2000, my DL flight from SFO to SLC was late and I was about 45 minutes late for the last flight from SLC to DEN on UA that I was sure I missed. I decided to head over to the UA counter and found that DEN had been closed much of the day and there were tons of passengers stuck in DEN trying to get to SLC. UA was running a 737 back and forth between SLC and DEN. It would be completely full on the way to SLC and then completely empty on the flight back to DEN.
I jumped on the next flight headed to DEN and had a private 737. I sat in F, did the boarding announcement, had unlimited free drinks and think I even went into the got a cockpit tour. The FA's stationed in the back really never came forward and I enjoyed my own private 737. When I landed in DEN everyone waiting to go to SLC had a pretty curious look on their face when I was the only person to get off the plane.
(Thought about trying to sit in every seat on the plane during the flight, but decided that might be a little too much for the FA's, now kind of regretted that I did not.)
I jumped on the next flight headed to DEN and had a private 737. I sat in F, did the boarding announcement, had unlimited free drinks and think I even went into the got a cockpit tour. The FA's stationed in the back really never came forward and I enjoyed my own private 737. When I landed in DEN everyone waiting to go to SLC had a pretty curious look on their face when I was the only person to get off the plane.
(Thought about trying to sit in every seat on the plane during the flight, but decided that might be a little too much for the FA's, now kind of regretted that I did not.)