Old Timer's Airline Quiz and Discussion.
Apr 6, 2020, 8:32 pm
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41. Eastern's Moonlight Special? Of course, IAH (Houston Intercontinental). That was before it was re-named Bush Houston Intercontinental. Airbus A300B4. Carry on luggage only. Arrive at IAH around 2 am. Depart for your city around 3:45 am.
At one time, Eastern had a small hub at IAH Terminal A. It then was reduced but the Moonlight Special came in effect roughly around 1985.
At one time, Eastern had a small hub at IAH Terminal A. It then was reduced but the Moonlight Special came in effect roughly around 1985.
Apr 6, 2020, 8:58 pm
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The charters I alluded to were a way used by Canadian airlines to get around the limitations on where they could fly to the U.S. in the pre open skies days. They were operated by the vacation arms of the airlines, and were pretty much "regular" flights that had fixed schedules. I'm curious to know if your schedule/timetable source shows the flights from YVR/YYC (among other western Canada origins) to RNO and LAS. These ran regularly on Thursdays and Sundays evenings (turning around the same night) and were usually operated by CP and PW. I'm not sure if one could buy a seat only or if a package (including accommodation) was required.
Apr 7, 2020, 8:41 am
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41. Eastern's Moonlight Special? Of course, IAH (Houston Intercontinental). That was before it was re-named Bush Houston Intercontinental. Airbus A300B4. Carry on luggage only. Arrive at IAH around 2 am. Depart for your city around 3:45 am.
At one time, Eastern had a small hub at IAH Terminal A. It then was reduced but the Moonlight Special came in effect roughly around 1985.
At one time, Eastern had a small hub at IAH Terminal A. It then was reduced but the Moonlight Special came in effect roughly around 1985.
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Apr 7, 2020, 8:45 am
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But I will say that you are on the right track with regard to the short distance between the second stop and Ontario (ONT).
Apr 7, 2020, 9:09 am
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The charters I alluded to were a way used by Canadian airlines to get around the limitations on where they could fly to the U.S. in the pre open skies days. They were operated by the vacation arms of the airlines, and were pretty much "regular" flights that had fixed schedules. I'm curious to know if your schedule/timetable source shows the flights from YVR/YYC (among other western Canada origins) to RNO and LAS. These ran regularly on Thursdays and Sundays evenings (turning around the same night) and were usually operated by CP and PW. I'm not sure if one could buy a seat only or if a package (including accommodation) was required.
Here's the AC sched from the OAG....
RSW89p2
Interestingly, I distinctly recall seeing a sched in the OAG many years ago concerning weekend nonstop service flown during the winter months between Vancouver and Palm Springs by CP Air with a DC-10. Unfortunately, I no longer have that OAG so I do not recall just what year that was.
Apr 7, 2020, 10:10 am
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43- if I recall correctly, Continental had a (late night?) tag from LAX to ONT, probably to position the jet for a sunrise departure; we have already ruled out DEN as a stop, so that would suggest Houston (IAH)
Apr 7, 2020, 10:13 am
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43. Yep, LAX was the second stop....however, the airline wasn't Continental and the first stop wasn't Houston (IAH).
Apr 7, 2020, 10:29 am
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43. Now you are in Indianapolis and are off to southern California. You've got a meeting to attend in Rancho Cucamonga and are surprised to find a direct flight to the closest airport to the office you are heading to in that interesting little city (which just happens to have a lovely view of Mt. Baldy which at 10,064 feet is the highest peak in the San Gabriel mountain range). The flight you will be on operates daily, makes two stops, and you have a seat in first class. Identify the air carrier, both stops, the airport you will arrive into in southern California and the aircraft. PARTIALLY ANSWERED - the second stop was Los Angeles (LAX), the arrival airport is Ontario (ONT) and the equipment was a B727-100. Still looking for the airline which wasn't United, American, TWA or Continental and the first stop which wasn't DEN, SFO, DFW, PSP, STL, BUR or IAH.
Back to the EA Moonlight Special...
41. Yep, it was Houston Intercontinental (IAH). Here's the Eastern print ad concerning its "Moonlight Special" service.....
EAmiracleofflight85
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...379-story.html
I definitely remember these Moonlight Special flights being advertised in the SFO market in the mid 1980s. I didn't realize that the connect point was originally IAH instead of the regular EA mini-hub at MCI.
And, a new guess...
UA served MID for a while as part of round-robin services also serving either CUN or CZM. I believe both ORD and JFK were gateways for these flights. So, I will guess JFK-CUN-MID-(JFK) on a UAL DC-8.
Last edited by Herb687; Apr 7, 2020 at 10:45 am Reason: multi-quote
Apr 7, 2020, 10:46 am
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43- I can't associate the -100 with either Braniff or Northwest on their hub-to-LAX flights, so that leaves Eastern ... the stop would have likely been Kansas City (MCI)
Last edited by jrl767; Apr 7, 2020 at 10:49 am Reason: spent too much time figuring out how to say it, while Herb687 didn't
Apr 7, 2020, 11:05 am
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43. We're rapidly running out of 727 operators here. Maybe now is the time for the EA hub at MCI? I will guess it's an Eastern 727 operating IND-MCI-LAX-ONT.
And, a new guess...
30. UA served MID for a while as part of round-robin services also serving either CUN or CZM. I believe both ORD and JFK were gateways for these flights. So, I will guess JFK-CUN-MID-(JFK) on a UAL DC-8.
And, a new guess...
30. UA served MID for a while as part of round-robin services also serving either CUN or CZM. I believe both ORD and JFK were gateways for these flights. So, I will guess JFK-CUN-MID-(JFK) on a UAL DC-8.
EA 315: Indianapolis (IND) 5:59p - 6:20p Kansas City (MCI) 7:00p - 8:18p Los Angeles (LAX) 8:50p - 9:22p Ontario (ONT)
Freq: Daily
Service classes: F/Y
Meal service: Dinner MCI-LAX
Equip: 727
30. Well, that's a great guess....and I would think United would have operated the flight with a Super DC8.
However, it wasn't United, the flight in question did not depart from JFK, the stop wasn't made in Cancun or Cozumel and the equipment wasn't a DC8 or D8S.
Please guess again, sir!
Apr 7, 2020, 11:08 am
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45. You are back in San Francisco and are off to Grand Rapids on business with a meeting scheduled with a potential new client. You'll be up in the front cabin on board a daily direct flight which makes only one stop en route between SFO and GRR with dinner being served. Identify the air carrier, the stop and the aircraft.
Apr 7, 2020, 11:32 am
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45. Correct! Here's the sched....
PI 8: San Francisco (SFO) 2:10p - 9:10p Dayton (DAY) 9:57p - 10:42p Grand Rapids (GRR)
Freq: Daily
Service classes: F/Y
Meal service: Dinner SFO-DAY
Equip: B727-200
Apr 7, 2020, 12:15 pm
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27. It's still 1976 and you are in Valdez, Alaska where you have just completed a consulting project concerning the Trans-Alaska Pipeline marine terminal located at the Port of Valdez. Now it's time to take a break and you are off to Honolulu in order to rendezvous with a sailboat for a journey to the north shore of Kauai. You will be traveling on two airlines with each air carrier operating a nonstop flight and you will have a leisurely three hours and forty five minutes to make your connection. Identify both airlines, the connecting airport and the equipment operated by each air carrier.
Apr 7, 2020, 12:31 pm
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44- okay, who else might have run a D9S into YUL? Delta would have gone thru ATL, so it's either Republic or US Air
RC wasn't known for many flights that made a ~90-degree change of direction at Detroit (DTW-YUL would have more likely been the continuation of an eastbound trip across the upper midwest than one coming up from MEM); US from Pittsburgh (PIT) doesn't seem unreasonable (since my first thought of MEM-PIT-PHL-YUL is no longer viable), and since I vaguely remember they operated MEM-PIT via Nashville (BNA) at one point, I'll offer that as the first stop
RC wasn't known for many flights that made a ~90-degree change of direction at Detroit (DTW-YUL would have more likely been the continuation of an eastbound trip across the upper midwest than one coming up from MEM); US from Pittsburgh (PIT) doesn't seem unreasonable (since my first thought of MEM-PIT-PHL-YUL is no longer viable), and since I vaguely remember they operated MEM-PIT via Nashville (BNA) at one point, I'll offer that as the first stop
Last edited by jrl767; Apr 7, 2020 at 12:43 pm