CAL pilots... 757 question re: BCN-EWR

[aa73]

Hi CAL pilots,

AA just switched to 757ERs on JFK-BCN on 11/18 from the 763.... So far, AA151 (BCN-JFK) has diverted 3 (three!) days in a row for fuel. Once to Gander, twice to Bangor. Question to you guys, I know you've been using the 757 to BCN for a few years now... about how many times do youse guys divert westbound to EWR?

Everyone knew this would happen, we figured the geniuses at HDQ figured it was cheaper to divert a bunch of times than keep a 763 on that route. Meanwhile our pilots are raking in a bunch of extra $$$ with each divert. Ssshhh!

Thanks,
73

 

[145BOSS]

BCN and TXL are both flown by a 767-200 during the winter months.

 

[RocketRob]

I don't have any figures for you (I wish I did) however, we have recently switched back to a 767 for both BCN and TXL, which are the most divert prone 757 trips. I'm sure this is just for the winter winds coming home and will go back to the 757 in March. I'm sure your management feels the same way as ours, they'll do anything to save a buck. They obviously don't care about selling non-stops from BCN to Goose Bay, but as you mentioned its just extra $ for the crew. I did hear a few winters ago that CAL was getting into big trouble with Germany over the # of TXL diverts we were having on a regular basis and they were going to revoke our route authority (hence 767 in winter).

 

[aa73]

Funnily enough, AMR is using the 757 on BCN only during the winter, it switches back to a 763 for the summer. Weird!

 

[100/hour/5y]

What is AA's crew rest seat like on the 757? At Cal it is 3 seats in coach with no curtain or next to some fat guy stuffing his face in 1st class that get up every 15 mins to use the rest room...

 

[aa73]

I believe they are 5A with 5B blocked off, the last row in First. No curtain either...

I thought CAL put you guys in First unless it was sold out?

 

[HalinTexas]

I loved tech-stops in Gander. I stocked my bar in that place. Free booze in duty-free if you buy gas.

 

[Patriot328]

Yo aa73!

I diverted so many times coming back from BCN/TXL a few years ago I had all the freqs for SWF memorized. Newburgh, NY could have advertised it had international service from about 5 European destinations for a while.

Landing in EWR with 8-9k isn't unusual for those flights. Flying CI at 0 for the whole flight and begging EGGX/CZQX for alt changes on the tracks is the norm, as well.

Switching to the 767 takes care of the prob for the most part, but BCN can still be difficult in the summer.

 

[thor2j]

I have done BCN-EWR 20+ times in the 757, diverted once. As for the first class seats, if they are not sold out from paying customers we get one, otherwise we get the 3 seats in coach which is BS. Fortunetly, only been in coach twice in two years.

 

[100/hour/5y]

I have been in coach 5 times going to HNL and about a dozens of times to Europe in 3 years on the 756... What sucks is they never blocked the seat next to us in 1st... I have been in 1B and had some a-hole in 1A who got up every 15mins while other open seats in 1st were available, the agent didn't want to move him... Who cares about the pilot's rest??? Not Cal

 

[SFR]

I never diverted on those flights. Got close, but never did. Parked with 6.1 once.

 

[aa73]

Yeah, the seat block next to us was something we fought hard for. Lord only knows what we gave up to get it, though.

I've only done one crossing with a 757, that was CDG-JFK last month, parked with 8.5 and I was plenty nervous about that (I'm used to the 767 big #s...)

 

[Patriot328]

8.5? Hah, maybe someone can post the correct number that a lead line check airman pulled into CLE with....

 

[SFR]

it be the good

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Yeah, but if I had a dollar for every CAL bird telling Moncton "priority Fuel"...I'd be Oprah rich!!

 

[RSRVWINDSURFR]

Yeah, the seat block next to us was something we fought hard for.

So AA get's TWO first class seats blocked for the pilots, and we at CAL get zero. What a friggin joke 58% of this pilot group is.

 

[100/hour/5y]

yep AA, DL... two 1st class seats and a IRO on every crossing!

Cal... 3 rows of coach if you have a IRO otherwise crossings 8hrs or less you are SOL..

CAL SUCKS

 

[aa73]

yep AA, DL... two 1st class seats and a IRO on every crossing!

Cal... 3 rows of coach if you have a IRO otherwise crossings 8hrs or less you are SOL..

CAL SUCKS

Not quite.... if ours are less than 8hrs, it's a 2 man deal. BOS-LHR is a two man deal I believe.... and back when we had JFK-STN it was also 2 man. Many of our JFK-LHR 777 trips are also with only 2.

 

[OTpilot]

Yes but the 3rd pilot 'works' the redeye over, which IMHO is the harder of the 2 legs to keep the eyeballs exposed from the eyelids. Not the DH in a coach seat BS. I'd rather take the paycut and fly, rather than get stuffed in the back.

 

[Patriot328]

Yes but the 3rd pilot 'works' the redeye over, which IMHO is the harder of the 2 legs to keep the eyeballs exposed from the eyelids. Not the DH in a coach seat BS. I'd rather take the paycut and fly, rather than get stuffed in the back.

I flew with a senior FO on the 756 who was PlSSSED that the DH/IRO stuff had been reduced at CAL. Didn't care that it was actually safer to run three man crews eastbound, he wanted to stack up his month to 120hrs and couldn't do it or was stuck doing MAN and LHR, a couple of the few DH/IRO trips left in the system.

Heard the same complaints from 777 guys, too. Amazing.