jpdx

I flew MEX-PBC on an ATR-42 the other day, and there were only two passengers total. Very surprising that there wasn't a weather-related cancellation, or someething like that.

Has anyone ever been the only passenger on a scheduled flight? What was the lowest load you ever encountered?

pdx42

I haven't - but remember reading a story 20 years ago about a guy who ended up as the only passenger - plus crew - to fly on an Air France 747 - and yes, they did upgrade him. It was a funny story but even with a full crew he said the service was a bit slack. C'est la vie.

traveler18

A few years back I was in Mexico City and called Delta to move my next day's flight to LAX from the afternoon to early morning. The agent told me, How about tonight at 10 PM? They were moving a jet from Atlanta to LAX and they just made the flight available. I was the only passenger and I already had a FC ticket. When we landed - the plane was at Delta who's customs had close, they took me in a private car to the International terminal.

rankourabu

I have twice now, MIA-TCB and FLL-TCB on a Gulfstream B1900

Fun times when its you and the two pilots in one of them small planes

They always pick up people from the island to take back to Florida, so they still end up sending the plane anyway even if noone is going the other way

EdisonCarter

I know there was a thread earlier this year asking the same question, but I was unable to find it. I did find this one, though: Lowest Load Factor / Fewest Paying Passengers

I was the only passenger this year on an AA ERJ from MQT to TVC (Marquette to Traverse City, MI), which then filled every seat for the continuation to ORD. I guess I didn't take full advantage of the service since I sat down and fell asleep after the FA handed me a full bottle of water. The weirdest part was walking up to the checkin counter and being greeted by name before I said anything, and then having several TSA screeners and two cops come from somewhere to open the checkpoint - just for me.

abmj-jr

Several times. Before UX (Skywest) canceled their service to/from VIS, I connected there to/from FAT as the only pax on an EMB-120. As the previous poster mentioned, it is strange to have them open the screening point and then call you by name to go through.

JR

jonesing

Many years ago on a trip to see granny. Connection in MEM was cancelled and while they were setting me up on a new connection later that evening, the TA saw that a new flight was being prepped to take some supplies or equipment or something to GTR. So there was me, another pax and the crew of 3 on a NW Express RJ.

SirFlysALot

Many years ago I was on a UA flight from ORD to SFO. It was a red eye and as far as I could tell it was really just an equipment move they were trying to sell some seats on. The pilots had a blast and we were pinned to the seat on takeoff! He did some amazing sweeping turns on the trip!

The next time was the first Gulf War. Spouse person planned a trip to DC on UA way in advance. We were the only passengers on the plane along with with pundit Clarance Page. They refused to even let us sit in FC!

Aviatrix

Twice - both a long time ago.

First time was AMS-IPW (RIP) in a DO228. They had just increased frequency from two a day to three a day, and the new (mid-day) rotation hadn't yet caught on.

Second time was BRE-STN on the short-lived Air Bremen. The pilots decided to keep their solitary passenger entertained my making frequent announcements ("Ladies and gentlemen, if you are sitting on the left you can see..." - "On our right you can now see..."). After I had moved back and forth between 1A and 1D a few times the FA came up to me me with a message from the captain inviting me to sit in the cockpit to get a better view (this was in the good old days when cockpits visits were still allowed), and I was able to stay in the cockpit for the landing. It was one of those special flights that I'll never forget - and I was quite sad to read about the demise of Air Bremen a year or so later.

Skylink USA

I was one of two on a 757. I was also the only one on a Mesaba/Northwest Airlink plane.

CPRich

Just a couple of months ago I was the only person on a US 737 from BWI to CLT. One of the tropical storms, I don't remember which, was working its way up the coast and things were a mess. I was supposed to go to PIT - the flight was cancelled and they routed me via CLT on a flight that was running a few hours late. I can't imagine there were no scheduled pax - maybe they found other ways to CLT earlier.

It was just me, two FA's and two in the cockpit. Plus a fabulous light show all the way down the coast. I still have pictures on my phone of a completely empty cabin.

wr_schwab

Most recently I was on a US CRJ PHL->ABE there were 4 passengers on the plane. Then there was when I flew Black Friday 2001 PIT->ABE on a US MD80. F was empty and there were 3 people in Y, including a FA that appeared to be commuting.

alanh

Back in the early 90s, I was flying PHX-MCO via AA's old hub in BNA. At the stopover in Nashville, I was the only through passenger. Not only did all the passengers get off, so did the crew! I was completely alone on the plane, with the cockpit door open, until the next crew arrived.

I never took it (and hardly anyone else did either) but HP's PHX-NGO 747 was infamous for low loads.

Zarf4

About three days after flights resumed after 9/11 I was on a UA 737 from SFO > SNA -- three of us onboard. TA was unamused when I requested a center seat. FAs not very friendly either - only one pass for beverage service & one pack of peanuts.

goingsomewhere

I was once on board to I forgot where. Total of 5 passengers, including myself, but not including crew.

It felt very, very odd.