Bristol to Banjul - B 733 non stop?

[MerchantVenturer]

I checked the Bristol Airport ‘Mayfly’ working timetable (available from their apron website) and was surprised to see that this week’s Bristol-Banjul service is to be operated by an Astraeus B 737-300, as are these flights for the whole winter season I presume.

I believe the route was operated by an Air 2000 B 757 during the past two winters, commencing at GLA with a ‘pick-up’ at BRS on the way. This year it appears the flight will start at MAN.

I then visited the Astraeus website which confirmed that they are to operate the Banjul flights from BRS, GLA, MAN and LGW for a particular travel company this winter. I believe Astraeus only operates B 737-300s and B 737-700s.

My question is this. Have these aircraft the range to fly from these UK airports all the way to the Gambia without the need for a refuelling stop? If they cannot, where are they most likely to refuel en route?

[GW76]

737-700 has enough range for the route, hence the reason they got the contract.

[KAT TOO]

Went some years back on a Brit:757 it was three day before i could walk with out my knuckels dragging in the sand the seats were so cramded. Just when my legs started to work again got the Banjul belly, then some poor sod on the way back had a heart attack over portugal and we ended up in Madrid.

Worth a trip but if your over 6 foot i would go via some where else rather than 6 hour on a 737 in tight y class seats

[MerchantVenturer]

GW 76

Information re 737-700 noted, thank you.

This coming week's flight Bristol-Banjul is shown as being operated by a 737-300. That couldn't go all the way without refuelling could it?

[Hamrah]

Irrespective of what is "shown", the flight will be operated by a 737-700. The 737-300 does not have the range to opeate to BJL with a full load.

H

[MerchantVenturer]

Hamrah

Many thanks for that.

[Neo]

Expect a tech stop in TFS or LPA if any more than on third load.

[codeco]

Hi,

As the handling agent i can confirm that all the flights are due to be operated by an AEU 737-700 routing MAN-BRS-BJL-BRS-MAN. Looks like its going to be a popular one again, the first flight out last week only had a couple of empty seats. Flight time BRS-BJL was 5:40 i think.

regards

[Stampe]

Just been looking in my logbook and see that back in 2001 I flew a NG B738 fitted with 27k. engines Las Palmas to Bergen in Norway with a full load of 189 pax block time 6hours and 5minutes.I imagine the 73-700 has the same tankage as the 738 and being much smaller and lighter (thinner wing skinning) will have much lower fuel burns than the 738 hence it must have a pretty potent range capability.The long range and field capability of the 738 were the reasons my company selected the NG73 over the bus and the 700 series must be even more potent.We have farmed our NG,s off to a sister company but I remember their leg room was far superior and much more consistent throughout than the 757.I reckon I could have stretched 7 hours out of a -800 with a full load of 189 pax and of course the breed is ETOP,s certifiable.Altogether a very capable commercial aeroplane although for sheer ease of operation and piloting pleasure the dear old 757 is much nicer and simpler to fly.Very good to see both Astraeus and Excel demonstrating the great potential of the NG 73 on some of the more unusual routes..:ok:

[Tom the Tenor]

Very interesting contribution you have there, Stampe. The more and more I hear about the good range of 737NGs the more I think a service from Cork to New York EWR with Continental 737-700s would be just the job! OK, maybe not next year but maybe sometime soon!

If it comes to it I will just have to buy a 737-700 myself for the route! The take off capability is marvellous though on the NGs when I think about. Watching the Futuras going off at Cork throughout the summer you can see and be amazed at the difference between the 734s and the NG aircraft.

[Herod]

Neo. Wrong, the flight is non-stop.

[TightSlot]

Anyone know how they crew these? Do crew ops MAN-BRS-BJL with a week in the sun, or do they have some form of alleviation/dispensation that enables BRS-BJL-BRS round trip? Alternatively, maybe Cabin & Flight Crew operate different patterns?

[redfield]

TightSlot - there's no crew change on the outbound flight at BRS so I guess the crew operate at least MAN-BRS-BJL. No tech stops so far...

[TightSlot]

Thanks redfield - I assume that 3 and certainly 4 sectors would exceed permitted FDP even with CAA turning a blind eye, so it must be a 7 day layover for the crew in BJL - lucky them, but an expensive route to operate!

:cool:

[Localiser Green]

When I went to BJL (as self-loading freight) in Winter 1999 on BY the crew stayed in our hotel after the flight (LGW-BJL). They had 2 weekly flights at the time on 757s so the crew either got 3 or 4 days in the sun.

Return crew joined us at our hotel at the weekend then flew us home a few days later.

I think watching those pilots drinking beer by the pool partly influenced my decision to train to be an airline pilot!

Still seems a long way off though...

[Hamrah]

Tightslot,

Because we were running 2 Banjuls a week ( the second from Gatwick), we changed crew in BJL, giving the crew either a 3 day or 4 day stopover.

H

[Woodman]

UK-Banjul cannot be done as a return flight by crew within hours on a regular basis. It is technically within flight times but it demands on time departures with minimum turnround at Banjul and the handling agents and ATC slots just aren't that good. Most airlines have tried by dispensations but the CAA won't wear it more than a few times. Some airlines slip, some fly a spare crew down the day before on someone else and some have a tech stop to swop crews.

[No comment]

Re: Long flights...

Futura are operating 738 on LGW-BJL. XLA do the 738 on Malabo I think. Best one I heard was Skyservice wanting to operate Halifax-LGW with a 319....
Flyjet also to LGW-Amritsar although they "schedule" a possible stop in Belgium for the return leg... just in case!!!