1 is a Lonely Number (Flights With Low Passenger Counts)
Dec 11, 2011, 12:11 pm
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Chicago, IL USA
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Everybody Gets An Upgrade!
I was (technically still am) on Flight 859 this morning from ORD to SFO. We had a mechanical issue that sent us back to the gate and caused a flurry of rebooking on to other flights (we were set to leave at 7:00 and the next flight at 8:00 was apparently very light). We took off about 8:45, but because of all the rebookings, there were five passengers on the entire flight. Once the doors were shut, the FAs upgraded the entire cabin. It's a good thing my upgrade cleared on a UDU. I'd have felt a wee bit cheated if I'd used an SWU or a CR1.
That said, it may have been the most surreal flight I've ever flown, one FA for every 1.25 passengers.
That said, it may have been the most surreal flight I've ever flown, one FA for every 1.25 passengers.
Dec 11, 2011, 12:19 pm
#2
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I've had that happen before on a badly-delayed widebody on LAX-IAD. I noticed the GA processed me as full C once we finally went (I was NF on my original 2-class flight and had stood by to get on this "earlier" one) and almost considered asking to use a CR1 to upgrade to F. 
Dec 11, 2011, 12:28 pm
#3
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Makes you remember the days when they would put on an extra aircraft if they oversold. ^ On one occasion, I was the only person on the extra plane — in Y!
Dec 11, 2011, 12:30 pm
#4
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I flew San Jose to LA one year after 9/11 - I was the only passenger on the plane. The FA came over, sat down next to me to do the pre-flight announcement.Bruce
Dec 11, 2011, 12:35 pm
#5
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An interesting similar event (3or so years ago), a MX caused delays -- many rebooked but those of us that stayed (we were WX delays anyways) ended up in 3 class aircraft.
All the elites & companions got F/C, not elites were in E- and E+ was empty.
All the elites & companions got F/C, not elites were in E- and E+ was empty.
Dec 11, 2011, 12:49 pm
#6
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Well about 2 years ago, I was going MSP-ORD-BOS to drive up to Manchester. ORD got really socked in with snow. I was looking at 5 hrs minimum delay, just to get to ORD. Operations decided the plane in MSP needed to be in MHT. Talked to the GA's and, they put me on the plane. It was me, two pilots, and 6 FA's on the flight Non stop. Lucked out on that one!
Dec 11, 2011, 12:51 pm
#7
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Well about 2 years ago, I was going MSP-ORD-BOS to drive up to Manchester. ORD got really socked in with snow. I was looking at 5 hrs minimum delay, just to get to ORD. Operations decided the plane in MSP needed to be in MHT. Talked to the GA's and, they put me on the plane. It was me, two pilots, and 6 FA's on the flight Non stop. Lucked out on that one!
Dec 11, 2011, 12:52 pm
#8
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Well about 2 years ago, I was going MSP-ORD-BOS to drive up to Manchester. ORD got really socked in with snow. I was looking at 5 hrs minimum delay, just to get to ORD. Operations decided the plane in MSP needed to be in MHT. Talked to the GA's and, they put me on the plane. It was me, two pilots, and 6 FA's on the flight Non stop. Lucked out on that one!
Dec 11, 2011, 2:45 pm
#9
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Well about 2 years ago, I was going MSP-ORD-BOS to drive up to Manchester. ORD got really socked in with snow. I was looking at 5 hrs minimum delay, just to get to ORD. Operations decided the plane in MSP needed to be in MHT. Talked to the GA's and, they put me on the plane. It was me, two pilots, and 6 FA's on the flight Non stop. Lucked out on that one!
Dec 11, 2011, 4:32 pm
#10
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So it left 1:46 late and arrived 1:11 late. That was hauling the mail 
Were you in 1A or 1F?
Were you in 1A or 1F?
Dec 11, 2011, 7:31 pm
#11
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Talk about being a day late and a dollar short!
That's my flight! Tomorrow. Missed it by that much.
Actually I hope to get back without too much drama (although something that caused me to get rebooked into Y in both directions would be very much worth a bit of trouble!). UA956 tonight, UA859 tomorrow morning.
Actually I hope to get back without too much drama (although something that caused me to get rebooked into Y in both directions would be very much worth a bit of trouble!). UA956 tonight, UA859 tomorrow morning.
Dec 11, 2011, 9:24 pm
#12
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Dec 11, 2011, 9:34 pm
#13
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Very light loads this weekend. Yesterday did IAH-ORD on a 752 and the amount of people in coach and first was even. Today I flew from IAD-CUN and had row 1 to myself and a few more empty seats up front on the A320.
Feb 19, 2012, 6:05 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 107
1 is a Lonely Number (Flights With Low Passenger Counts)
My flight from LHR UA959 yesterday (18 Feb 2012) had this passenger count:
F 0
C 22
E 14
I'm guessing we're all lucky UA didn't cancel on us. But this got me to wondering, of all the flights you've been on, what is the lowest passenger count you've experienced?
My lowest was a flight some years back (perhaps eight) DEN - LAX a 757 where all 12 of us got put in first class. The flight wasn't canceled because its cargo hold was filled with fresh flowers from the east coast. (With apologies I can't recall the flight number).
What about you - how lonely have you been?
F 0
C 22
E 14
I'm guessing we're all lucky UA didn't cancel on us. But this got me to wondering, of all the flights you've been on, what is the lowest passenger count you've experienced?
My lowest was a flight some years back (perhaps eight) DEN - LAX a 757 where all 12 of us got put in first class. The flight wasn't canceled because its cargo hold was filled with fresh flowers from the east coast. (With apologies I can't recall the flight number).
What about you - how lonely have you been?
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Feb 19, 2012 at 7:14 pm Reason: vague, ambiguous thread title
Feb 19, 2012, 6:32 pm
#15
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Search is always your friend. Quite a few instances, of only one passenger on a flight. See this thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...s-upgrade.html among others.
