Eastern Airways-3
Join Date: Nov 2000
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Not sure how they can blame that. Only 18 of their 65 strong fleet uses the new engine. The others are on the tried and tested cf34 which has been around for 40 years. Plus it seems like the 195E2 was brought in to largely replace the 737-700 at mainline so shouldn’t be affecting performance on long standing regional routes. I suspect it’s more a crewing issue or over stretching themselves. Always surprises me to see the the likes of HUY and MME with 4 flights a day.
News Article
Until the PW engine issues are sorted out, the ACMI operations are having a bumper year. Prices are high and demand far outstrips availability.
Last edited by Downwind_Left; 5th Apr 2024 at 15:04. Reason: Link
Add to the above with Eastern covering for KLM, other airlines suffering PW GTF engine woes on A321N fleets are JetBlue and Air Transat who both will see themselves this summer way short of aircraft that will be out of service for engine inspections that may take up to 2 months per aircraft to fix.
For Air Transat who have gunned everything on going A321Neo LR over the 'Pond' with a new fleet of 15, this will have huge financial impact on them, which could see up to 9 airframes 'parked' for the engine repairs.
The groundings are due to mandated inspections of PW1100G engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney. The engine inspections are likely to see aircraft out of action for two months at a time, disrupting the busy Transatlantic high season summer flight operation, and it is noted that the problem affects all Carriers operating the type with the same engine.
Air Transat A330's are redeploying onto routes usually operated by the out-of-service A321Neo and has secured the lease of three additional A330-200s to support its network needs and will offset A321-200NX(LR) groundings.
Canada's Air Transat is also due to add the A321NX (XLR) with 4 new aircraft from next year.
For Air Transat who have gunned everything on going A321Neo LR over the 'Pond' with a new fleet of 15, this will have huge financial impact on them, which could see up to 9 airframes 'parked' for the engine repairs.
The groundings are due to mandated inspections of PW1100G engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney. The engine inspections are likely to see aircraft out of action for two months at a time, disrupting the busy Transatlantic high season summer flight operation, and it is noted that the problem affects all Carriers operating the type with the same engine.
Air Transat A330's are redeploying onto routes usually operated by the out-of-service A321Neo and has secured the lease of three additional A330-200s to support its network needs and will offset A321-200NX(LR) groundings.
Canada's Air Transat is also due to add the A321NX (XLR) with 4 new aircraft from next year.
Join Date: Mar 2004
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I see the stellar performance has continued on the KLM wetlease. The only day that the evening MME-AMS has been within an hour of time in the last week was yesterday when KLM flew it themselves. It's about two hours adrift this evening already. The evening HUY-AMS seems to be almost as bad, averaging a 90 minute delay.
Both aircraft seem to be starting off the day generally OK but lose big chunks of time in Amsterdam at lunchtime before the AMS-GLA and AMS-NCL sectors. It doesn't look to be a KLM or a Schiphol thing - their own performance around that time of day isn't noteworthy one way or the other. Are Eastern changing crews or doing daily checks in Amsterdam and that's where it's all going off track, never to recover before the end of the day? I dread to think how many missed connections this must be causing on the evening flights through AMS.
Both aircraft seem to be starting off the day generally OK but lose big chunks of time in Amsterdam at lunchtime before the AMS-GLA and AMS-NCL sectors. It doesn't look to be a KLM or a Schiphol thing - their own performance around that time of day isn't noteworthy one way or the other. Are Eastern changing crews or doing daily checks in Amsterdam and that's where it's all going off track, never to recover before the end of the day? I dread to think how many missed connections this must be causing on the evening flights through AMS.
Join Date: Oct 2009
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It truly is horrendous. I have some flights coming up and I am regretting booking from Teesside. I agree completely with your analysis.
Today, even the 6am is late - still not departed nearly 3 hours late with the mid-morning rotation switched to KLM metal.
Today, even the 6am is late - still not departed nearly 3 hours late with the mid-morning rotation switched to KLM metal.
I’ve had a concern since we learned Eastern would take this on, that KLM are employing a managed decline on their U.K. regions. If they could offload that segment, their slot concerns at AMS would be alleviated somewhat. If that is the case (and at the moment it is a big IF) then that would be a massive shame for all the regional airports in the U.K., and the markets they serve, to lose such a vital link to the world via the local airport.
Join Date: Aug 2009
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I think Eastern genuinely want to make it work, just wonder what the source of the delays actually is. Is it aircraft unreliability? Optimistic scheduling? Issues at AMS?
I’ve had a concern since we learned Eastern would take this on, that KLM are employing a managed decline on their U.K. regions. If they could offload that segment, their slot concerns at AMS would be alleviated somewhat. If that is the case (and at the moment it is a big IF) then that would be a massive shame for all the regional airports in the U.K., and the markets they serve, to lose such a vital link to the world via the local airport.
I’ve had a concern since we learned Eastern would take this on, that KLM are employing a managed decline on their U.K. regions. If they could offload that segment, their slot concerns at AMS would be alleviated somewhat. If that is the case (and at the moment it is a big IF) then that would be a massive shame for all the regional airports in the U.K., and the markets they serve, to lose such a vital link to the world via the local airport.
Join Date: Apr 2013
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Did Eastern not say that the next CDG slot that became available would go to CWL as they started CWL, EMA & SOU to Paris all the same time and only secured x2 slots stating they’d return to CWL once they gain an extra slot
Join Date: Mar 2013
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I hope you’re right, but subbing the flights, that you suggest are a massive strength, out to a third party with questionable OTP and reliability appears to be a strange decision if they value the UK regional feeder flights that much. I appreciate the fleet issues there having.
At the moment the on KLM site the HUY and MME have Eastern until 31st May then back on to KLM aircraft, perhaps it’s not been updated yet? Or…?