Boeing starts 787s Trent 1000 engines, juggles Qantas deliveries
Boeing planned on starting the 787’s Trent 1000 engines on Sunday to get the aircraft ready to move to the flight line. It’s also working with Qantas to juggle deliveries.
Boeing has done some 11th hour juggling of its 787 production positions to satisfy a Qantas demand for better delivery of its order for 65. The deal will ensure that QF low-cost subsidiary Jetstar will get 15 787-8s over 18 months from May next year to spearhead a major expansion program to Europe.
QF had threatened to defer some early 787s, but Jetstar now will get aircraft originally destined for some Chinese carriers and Northwest Airlines.
Pilots’ lives defy glamorous stereotype
Pilots’ lives may not be as glamorous as people may think. Entry-level pilots with the commuter airlines are paid very low, often no better than what a person at McDonald’s get paid.
The details of that world have surprised many Americans — the strikingly low pay for new pilots; the rigors of flying multiple flights, at lower altitudes and thus often in worse weather than pilots on longer routes, while scrambling to get enough sleep; the relative inexperience of pilots at the smaller airlines, whose training standards are the same, but whose skills may not be.
A prediction: Airfare by the pound
Want to pay less airfare? Start exercising. Some industry analysts “predict that the cost of flying eventually could depend on your weight.”
It’s likely, they say, because of simple physics: the more weight you bring on the plane, the more fuel that is needed to get you to your destination. And when fuel prices rise again, it might be time to hit the gym.
Robert Mann, an industry analyst and consultant in Port Washington, N.Y., envisions passengers being charged based on body and baggage weight, rather than simply by the seat.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
As for the charges by the pound for travelers……If they start charging by the pound, the person that weighs 250 pounds better have a seat as comfortable as the person at 125 pounds.
Will they start offering a varying range of seat sizes to fit the various range of people sizes?
On May 19th, 2009 at 5:59 am Ron said
Will they start offering a varying range of seat sizes to fit the various range of people sizes?
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Simply solution, buy TWO SEATS or buy business or first class SEATS.
Will they have the passenger get on a scale with all his/her carry on and checked baggage to come up with the total weight and charge by that or will they just take the word of the passenger? It would mean that all tickets would be sold at the airport on the day of departure. One wouldn’t be able to purchase tickets in advance either online or via a travel agency because your weight could change and/or there wouldn’t be a meaningful way to verify a person’s weight.
Can you imagine the chaos? So you pre book your flight. They ask you “how much do you weigh?”. How many people will answer truthfully knowing that the fare they pay depends on the weight; they’re going to “bend the truth”. Even if you go and weigh yourself there and then and answer truthfully when we all get to the airport are they going to have us all step on scales? And if the weight is different, what then? A surcharge? A refund (yeah, right). Check in is slow enough now. OK, so just pay the fare on departure based on weight. Again, how long will that take and how many people will disrobe or hide clothes round the corner? If you pay the fare on departure the airline loses cash flow – big time.
Not going to happen.
It will be be a great idea for families with small children. As it stands now every child over 2 years old pays the same price as an adult. Now Mom and Dad can bring the whole family for very little.
If as a 250 pounder I pay twice as much as a 125 pounder, then I dang well better get two seats….without having to pay for another seat.
I am so sick of the imminent threat of pay-by-the-pound airfare. The airlines finally found a way to nickle and dime us, and nobody is going to complain because overweight people have only themselves to blame, right? Imagine what would happen if the airlines decided to charge, say, a handicapped person for requiring extra assitance. THAT would be an outrage, but when you are overweight, you no longer have the privelage of basic human rights.
What about the muscualr body builder, who despite his average sized frame, happens to weigh more because of his muscle mass? I weight the same as my muscle head co-worker, but he would not have to pay the extra fare because he appears to be of average weight, when in reality he is over 200 pounds. Is anyone going to ask him to get on a scale? No, because he doesn’t look like he weighs that much. Seems there are way too many variables for this to ever work, but human rights clearly isn’t one of them.
Another snide and simplistic comment from Frank. So, only the rich and/or skinny should get to fly?
I agree completely with Ron here–
If I (6′1″, 62″ shoulders, 44″ waist, 290 lbs) get charged double what Mr. Skinny over there (5′8″, 30″ waist, 145 lbs) gets charged, then I should be as comfortable in my seat as he is in his. Realize, too, that this is a double-whammy. My clothes are probably twice the weight of his, and I’ll end up having to pay for that as well…
Buying two seats or biz/first class seats is not an option, unless they’re going to _give_ me that seat for the double-fare that I’m paying.
Another snide and simplistic comment from Frank. So, only the rich and/or skinny should get to fly?
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I’m happy to see that I am not the only one to notice a pattern with Mr. Frank’s comments.
On May 19th, 2009 at 12:42 pm Paulette Baker said Another snide and simplistic comment from Frank. So, only the rich and/or skinny should get to fly?
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And, yours is condesending. Hit a nerve?
There ARE different seat sizes on aircraft.
And, I’m NOT snide, I’m realistic in my opinions in this industry. Disagree? Then debate it.
On May 19th, 2009 at 4:56 pm Ron said;
I’m happy to see that I am not the only one to notice a pattern with Mr. Frank’s comments.
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How so? You didnt know that different seat sizes exist? I DID NOT comment on you, I simply answered your question. Alternatives already exist:
Two seats, first and business (if you cant fit in a coach seat). That someone can NOT afford it is another issue.
Obese travelers have been discussed ad nauseum on the net. Trust me, I do whatever I can to make their flight less stressful. A 17 inch seat is torture, I know, I hear it daily. But, in REALITY, you do have choices when you travel, most however, choose price over comfort. (So I’m snide for offering choices) And, isnt that what the industry has evolved into? IMPROVED comfort would require an airline to remove seats, remove seats and yield goes down. Yikes, airfares must GO UP then. Airfares go UP, people either dont travel or worse, decide to drive. And, there you have it. Today’s industry that offers an abundance of cheap fares coast to coast and in many cases, cheaper then driving.
Financials were out a few weeks ago for the airline industry’s first quarter. Further PROOF that airfares are not covering costs.