Aviators seems a Plus
 

I have not traveled on TWA in years, but I got an offer from Radisson Hotels to join, and get 5,000 miles to start -- just for joining.

I have not joined because TWA flies too many DC-9s, but I might in the future. Their website has a lot of good information, and the Aviators program offers 1 mile for every $1 on a full-fare ticket, so that adds a few thousand miles each month.

I will keep my eye on TWA. It seems they are doing a lot of good things, but for now, I prefer a larger aircraft, and better connections on the east coast.

John

Don't miss the offer - even if you don't fly with them 5000 TWA miles can be later converted to 10,000 Hilton points.

I am not aware of any DC9's still in the fleet... I fly TWA two / three times per month and it appears to be all new / refurbished MD-80's and late model Boeing aircraft.

I think I saw a press release last year where all of the DC9 and L1011 aircraft were sold, but I may be mistaken.

By the way, TWA has a decent promotion where if you book four flights on the web, you'll pick up 15000 bonus miles (there's more information at www.twa.com). With the 5,000 Radisson miles, in four trips, you'll have a free ticket.

I have found things at TWA pretty good lately. Thankfully I did not travel at Christmas time, but other than that, it's been on time (early actually) and on the two occassions I did have delays, they were authentic weather ones (meaning everyone was delayed).

Of course, having said all that, bad things will start to happen to my flight schedules.

As I read their schedule, most all flights to/from Norfolk / STL and Milwaukee / STL are DC-9.

There press releases indicate they have plans to replace the DC-9s, but are still the "largest user of DC-9s in the world."

John

I think that NW is the larger user of the DC9, and got slammed recently in the WallStreet Journal for deferring maintenance (front page, maybe 4 months ago) in CONTRAST to TWA which wasn't doing the same.

What TW got rid of were the L1011s and the 747s. They now have DC9s (all series), MD80s, 727s, 757s and 767s. By ridding themselves of the big planes they took their average age down significantly (much less than NW)

From TPA they seem only to fly MD80s.

Ooops (spelling?). I'll take back my comment about the DC-9.

I don't fly to Milwaukee or Norfolk, so I haven't been on or seen a TWA DC-9 recently. I fly mostly STL to the Northeast corridor where they must keep the vast majority of their other aircraft.

Last time I went to Milwaukee was this past summer to go see Mark McGwire have one home run taken away and then hit another one out against the Brewers. Seven of us drove in an extended van, which although a bit tight, was comfortable.

TWA still flies the DC-9-51 series; a couple of the STL-SAT flights are on that type equipment.

Splitting hairs, though, but the FAA considers the MD-80 series a DC-9 (Series 81 through 88), since it was originally certificated as a variant of the DC-9. (The MD-90 and the MD-11 were certificated under the MD-XX moniker.)