Grinstein talks about DCI in Q&A

[Russ]

General

Do yo have evidence of this weight problem in the RJ, only being able to carry 45 pax? I took 50 out of Denver in a 200 series a few days ago. It was a flaps 8 T/O but considering we were at 5400 MSL that's okay. Took 50 in and out of SNA recently. On occasion if theres an alternate we may take a hit if its a lot of extra gas.

 

[General Lee]

Russ,


How about to Phoenix from SLC on a Summer day? Or the reverse? My Skywest buddy out there said he was limited to 40 (out of 50) due to hot temps in SLC going to PHX. I bet a 757 doesn't leave anyone behind in PHX, or SLC. What about when you have fuel needs during thunderstorm season? Do you leave anyone behind to compensate for extra gas? I think you do. The 757 does NOT. I bet the 737-200 doesn't either. The extra weight limits have limited your plane in more than one instance. How many thunderstorms are out here in the SE lately? Many. Probably lots of extra expensive gas for everyone.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Russ]

Easy there Admiral.

I won't tell you how to fly yours, extend me the same.

The area the new weights have affected the RJ is that we can close in on ZFW.

I cant begin to tell you about what your little buddy tells you about the RJ. Perhaps he senses a receptive audience in you. Perhaps you have been listening to Boyd too much. All I can tell you is from experiences I have had, not a buddy, but me flying the plane. I have to take your word for what you say about the 737/757 as I have not flown either. Something to be said about sticking to what you know about operational characteristics of aircraft you have never flown. I have had no problems with the new weights other than having to put ballast on for businessman flights that pack little normal baggage, to counter a forward CG.

"In more than one instance"

I'm sure it has on occasion but its not cropping up with the freqency to make sweeping drama queen statements that that the RJ is only a 45 seat plane. I have been hauling pax in and out of mountainous airports to DEN and SLC this summer dodging T storms just like everyone else with a full boat. I did a bleeds open T/O out of DEN last week with all seats filled. The last time I can remember any limits was before the new weights. OAK to SLC needing an alternate plus enroute WX required extra contingency gas. By the time the incompetent D station personnel finally got us on our way the other folks had been acomadated.

I'm not saying the CRJ 200 is a steller performer, its not but its is up to the task almost all the time.

Now the 700....sweet plane

By the way. A RJ will carry more pax out of SNA than your 737-200 you tout everyday, any wx, any temps.I'm sure thesame can be said of a growing number of airports. Also find it funny you should be hinting at fuel efficiency and talking about the 737-200 in the same sentance.

 

[InclusiveScope]

Russ,


How about to Phoenix from SLC on a Summer day? Or the reverse? My Skywest buddy out there said he was limited to 40 (out of 50) due to hot temps in SLC going to PHX. I bet a 757 doesn't leave anyone behind in PHX, or SLC. What about when you have fuel needs during thunderstorm season? Do you leave anyone behind to compensate for extra gas? I think you do. The 757 does NOT. I bet the 737-200 doesn't either. The extra weight limits have limited your plane in more than one instance. How many thunderstorms are out here in the SE lately? Many. Probably lots of extra expensive gas for everyone.

Bye Bye--General Lee

General,
Let me guess. Your Skywest "buddy" is a actually a Skywest flight attendant who heard a Skywest pilot in the crew lounge talk about only taking 40 people. Are you actually advocating replacing 50 seat jets with 757s? Are you nuts? Of course they won't leave anyone behind - there will be 100 empty seats. It will be great for non-reving until we shut the doors.

 

[InclusiveScope]

I wish somebody could dig up a timetable from about the 2000 era and compare some of the old services to SYR, BUF, ROC, MLU, SHV, JAN, and BTR to the services now. Even with the RJ explosion over the last few years, I would bet that all those cities have the same amount of net seats per day as they used to with the 727.

Well here is a comparison of the BUF-ATL market.

In Dec 2000, there were 4 727 flights with a total of 596 seats.
In July 2004 there are 8 RJ flights with a total of 520 seats.

I can't wait to hear the Generals analysis of this. It will probably go something like "but the overhead bins are smaller and there is no first class". Forget the fact that we doubled the frequency, therefor improving revenue, at less expense. Maybe we can replace the 8 RJs in this market with 2 777s - that way the passengers in first can watch TV.

 

[MedFlyer]

I wish somebody could dig up a timetable from about the 2000 era and compare some of the old services to SYR, BUF, ROC, MLU, SHV, JAN, and BTR to the services now. Even with the RJ explosion over the last few years, I would bet that all those cities have the same amount of net seats per day as they used to with the 727.

Most of these markets have lost some capacity during the past four years. However, keep in mind that most of these markets never had very high loadfactors to start with. SYR, JAN and BTR still have some mainline presence to ATL.

The RJ's have also allowed DL to do more nonstop flights from these cities. Places like BTR and MLU used to have 727's that would fly crazy routings like BTR-PNS-ATL or MLU-BHM-ATL. The reason DL did this was because they couldn't fill the mainline planes. Imagine how much money DL wasted flying a more than half empty 727 from BTR to PNS??

Personally, I do believe DL should be flying at least some mainline to BUF and ROC. DL has lost some marketshare to FL in these markets. The 727's were too big, but a decent 100 seater would probably help.

 

[XRMEFLYER]

General,
Let me guess. Your Skywest "buddy" is a actually a Skywest flight attendant who heard a Skywest pilot in the crew lounge talk about only taking 40 people. Are you actually advocating replacing 50 seat jets with 757s? Are you nuts? Of course they won't leave anyone behind - there will be 100 empty seats. It will be great for non-reving until we shut the doors.

Doh!!