FlyerTalk Forums - Is this the Pope's flight?

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Is this the Pope's flight?

Interesting flight -- just 2 booking classes and almost-empty seat maps:

[KVS Availability Tool 3.1.0/Platinum - Apollo: ITN/US-ARL]

Code:

JFK  New York John F Kennedy Int'l NY US [KJFK]

CIA  Rome Ciampino IT [LIRA]

SUN  20 Apr 2008



Carrier   Flight From Depart    To   Arrive    A/C  St   Availability

--------- ------ ---- --------- ---- --------- ---- ---- ------------- 

AZ        609    JFK  16:05     FCO  06:15 +1       0    PAST SCHEDULE

AZ        643    EWR  17:40     FCO  08:00 +1       0    PAST SCHEDULE

AZ        4001   JFK  20:30     CIA  10:45 +1  772  0    J0 Y0

AZ        611    JFK  21:05     FCO  11:30 +1       0    PAST SCHEDULE

[KVS Availability Tool 3.1.0/Platinum - Amadeus Seat Map: 20 Apr 2008/AZ 4001/JFK-CIA/772/J]

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[+] Available   [-] Unavailable   [W] Wing   [E] Exit Row

[KVS Availability Tool 3.1.0/Platinum - Amadeus Seat Map: 20 Apr 2008/AZ 4001/JFK-CIA/772/Y]

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[+] Available   [-] Unavailable   [W] Wing   [E] Exit Row

Quote:

Originally Posted by boycruz (Post 9606272)

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AZA4001

I'm pretty sure it is! I've never seen an commerical intercontinental flight land at CIA before! I find it quite weird that it appears as a scheduled flight. I guess it must be because it's operated by Alitalia (ie a commercial carrier) and it was easiest for them to put it on their system like a regular flight.

I wonder if also the flight the pope took to the US appeared as a scheduled flight. It landed at some military base outside of DC, though. Do military bases have airport codes?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aelx2k (Post 9606821)

I wonder if also the flight the pope took to the US appeared as a scheduled flight. It landed at some military base outside of DC, though. Do military bases have airport codes?

The one he landed at does:

http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?id=US29095

So I'm starting to question the integrity of all this Pope stuff...I mean, shouldn't a higher power have told him NOT to fly on Alitalia? :D

Doesn't the pope traditionally fly on an Alitalia plane from Rome to his international destination and then return to Rome on a plane from the country he visited?

Don't know how I know this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by schwarm (Post 9607554)

Doesn't the pope traditionally fly on an Alitalia plane from Rome to his international destination and then return to Rome on a plane from the country he visited?

Don't know how I know this.

I was also under the impression that the pope always flies on the national airline (or equivalent) of the country from which he's departing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chgoeditor (Post 9608280)

I was also under the impression that the pope always flies on the national airline (or equivalent) of the country from which he's departing.

Do you really want the pope flying US Air? :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by UNITED959 (Post 9607344)

So I'm starting to question the integrity of all this Pope stuff...I mean, shouldn't a higher power have told him NOT to fly on Alitalia? :D

One of the Pope's primary concerns is the afterlife. So it's fair for him to be travelling on AZ. :)

Besides which, I don't think anyone would have the gall to shut down AZ while the Pope is flying. Even if it's not your faith, there are certain things which shouldn't be done if for no other reason than the risk for Eternal Bad Karma! :p

Quote:

Originally Posted by bitburgr (Post 9608288)

Do you really want the pope flying US Air? :)

Wouldn't that be American Airlines? :p

Quote:

Originally Posted by schwarm (Post 9607554)

Doesn't the pope traditionally fly on an Alitalia plane from Rome to his international destination and then return to Rome on a plane from the country he visited?

Don't know how I know this.

It indeed is usually the case. This press release will explain it all

Maybe he has been reading up on FT and decided to stick with one alliance for both legs of the journey...although if thats the case, he'd be going back JFK-ATL-MIA-MXP-AMS-PRG-CIA not direct to maximize mileage :p

Quote:

Originally Posted by rankourabu (Post 9609731)

Haha... the pope on a MR :D

By the way, the press release doesnt explain anything ! It's just usual PR bla bla

Quote:

Originally Posted by skywalkerLAX (Post 9610918)

Haha... the pope on a MR :D

By the way, the press release doesnt explain anything ! It's just usual PR bla bla

I thought it stated quite a lot. Being an Italian by Act of State I am proud of the National Airline. American Airlines are in and out of bankruptcy as often as the Papal Tours.

Apparently no airline in the US was willing to fly the Pope back to Rome.

The rumour for his trip to Sydney for World Youth Day is a non-stop flight Rome to Sydney, which at 10,155nm will be something like the very first 747-400 flight of QF from LHR to SYD with only a few people on board.
I had heard QF will be providing both legs for that journey. The return journey will be interesting because of the prevailing winds, though the jetstream should be fairly to the north (in the northern hemisphere) at that time of year.
I very much doubt that CIA will be the departing airport as the runway there would not be long enough for a fully fuel laden widebody, so my bet would be FCO. I'm assuming that QF will use a 747-400ER which has the longest legs in the QF fleet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lonely Flyer (Post 9611188)

American Airlines are in and out of bankruptcy as often as the Papal Tours.

Not to get OT, but American Airlines is the only legacy carrier in the US that's never filed for bankruptcy. Now, if you're actually referring to airlines in America, as opposed to American Airlines, that's a different story.