SWA considers Europe

[thor2j]

It could take about 8 people and their two carry ons.

 

[Tanker Clown]

I wonder what the European equivalent of the LBB overnight is? The patriotic flag will probably be a hit.

 

[HalinTexas]

ATA goes to HI from OAK and LAX at or near gross weight with the tanks almost completely topped off. That's over 39k lbs. It takes about 5-5.5 hours depending on winds. Usually less than 5 for the return trip.

The B737 is not a suitable ETOPS aircraft.

 

[General Lee]

I wonder what the European equivalent of the LBB overnight is? The patriotic flag will probably be a hit.

Bucharest, Romania?

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Patriot328]

I wonder what the European equivalent of the LBB overnight is? The patriotic flag will probably be a hit.

Well if it involves crews hanging around the hotel gettin schnockerd on "cheap" drinks from the hotel bar along with associated debauchery, then the equivalent of a LBB overnight would be LGW......

 

[atafan]

The patriotic flag will probably be a hit.

We fly it all over the world. The world doesn't hate the USA as much as the liberal press including MoveOn.org would like you to believe.

Of course if one hangs out with the same left wing groups in Europe, the same anti-American sentiment is felt, you know, like a Berkley convention.:nuts:

 

[HalinTexas]

Well if it involves crews hanging around the hotel gettin schnockerd on "cheap" drinks from the hotel bar along with associated debauchery, then the equivalent of a LBB overnight would be LGW......

Where we stayed in LGW was pretty lame. Not much around. Cheap drinks were in very short supply. MAN on the other hand......:beer: FRA wasn't bad either. LCA was really, really cool. CTA and Biao Verde (sp) hotel was awsome. Of course HI ain't so bad either. Haven't been to BUD yet.

 

[Big Slick]

Islip eyes are smilin' over international flight plans

Islip Town officials have entered into talks with a European airline in the hopes of adding international flights at Long Island MacArthur, town Supervisor Phil Nolan said yesterday.

If a deal with Dublin-based Ryanair is approved, flights to Dublin and other European destinations could leave from the town-owned airport, located in Ronkonkoma, next year, officials said.

"Ryanair has indicated interest, and we'll be pursuing this very aggressively," he said.
International flights out of MacArthur were not possible in the past because the runways were too short to accommodate the larger planes needed for overseas travel, said Martin Holley, executive director of the national Aviation Technology Center at Dowling College.

But a new generation of smaller, quieter aircraft capable of traveling greater distances makes it "a serious opportunity," he said.

Islip is a particularly attractive location for Ryanair, Nolan said, because of its proximity to New York and its connections to other cities through Southwest Airlines, the airport's primary carrier.

Speaking a news conference at the airport yesterday, Nolan also announced the retirement of longtime airport manager Al Werner, who is leaving Nov. 16.

Werner, 78, began his career as an air traffic controller at MacArthur in 1952. He oversaw its growth from a small country airport to a regional transportation hub handling 2.3 million passengers a year. He'll remain on contract with the town as a consultant.

Werner said the biggest change he has seen at the airport occurred when Southwest, a Dallas-based airline, built two terminals. Although both US Airways and Delta also operate at MacArthur, Southwest carries 92 percent of passengers.

Southwest embarked on its $82-million expansion in 2003. Then, last year, cracks appeared in the newly installed concrete apron, the area where planes pull up to the terminal. Other problems, including fire hazards and financial irregularities, prompted investigations. But officials said passengers were never endangered. Repair work has begun on the cracks, and new sprinklers have been installed.

Nolan said the town recently won a five-year, $1.02-million grant from the Transportation Security Administration that former Supervisor Pete McGowan rejected. The grant will be used to reimburse the Suffolk County Police Department for costs it has incurred at the airport.

In addition, the town recently received $200,000 from the Suffolk County district attorney's office - unclaimed funds from a McGowan campaign fund seized by District Attorney Thomas Spota before McGowan pleaded guilty to felony charges last year stemming from his misuse of the fund.

The $200,000 will be supplemented by a $300,000 grant from the state Transportation Department and will be used to install security cameras.

 

[JJET44]

I'm gonna put in my 2 cents.
I'll bet a code share with Global Aero Logistics, parent company of ATA, World, and North American.
North American will initially do the flying with their 757's and 767's out of BWI starting in 09. Eventually SWA will purchase 787's and slowly transition the contract out. This transition may take 10-20 years.

JUST MY TWO BITS

 

[HalinTexas]

I'm gonna put in my 2 cents.
I'll bet a code share with Global Aero Logistics, parent company of ATA, World, and North American.
North American will initially do the flying with their 757's and 767's out of BWI starting in 09. Eventually SWA will purchase 787's and slowly transition the contract out. This transition may take 10-20 years.

JUST MY TWO BITS

Possibly, but it would be cheaper and quicker to just buy NAA out from under GAL.