thegirth,

I was not doubting your ability to read! Yes, if you go to the totaljobs website there is indeed an advert for ACE for Europe-based crews.

It SAYS Europe because Air Atlanta is a European-based company, and they require European licences. Despite the fact that it SAYS Europe, Air Atlanta are currently only looking for crews to fly the Haj between Jan and Mar 2002. The main base for these flights is Jeddah - they do not have any European bases for the Haj.

Perhaps you would like to contact ACE and confirm the details for yourself? On the other hand perhaps you are just convinced that you are right and do not wish to listen to anyone else. If that is the case I can only hope that I never have to fly with you.

Whatever!

I might be able to read but do not have the insight to make the conclusions you have come to Noddy. Without your Worldly knowledge one can only take things at face value as you read them. Too bad for us eh?

I'm sure we won't fly together, so relax.

When does the Hadj flying begin? Would the 767s be used, or are they still contracted out to Excel for the Winter?


Everyone talks about how crappy the Hadj flying can be - can someone elaborate for me about the "unpleasantries" related to this type of flying? I can only imagine - but I'd appreciate some confirmation...


Cheers

FREDA
I am not so sure that BA will be invited to undercut established Hajj carriers. British and US carriers are currently considered somewhat undesirable to carry Muslim pilgrims (for obvious reasons)! As regards AAI, to my knowlegde their entire fleet is heading to JED in January. Good luck to them.


MUTT
For what it’s worth, Hajj flights commence on 23rd Jan, not 10th Jan !!

We are still looking for aircraft to carry some 850 hajj pax per day on 7 hour sectors.
Anybody know of some available aircraft ? Minimum config 300 pax / max ACMI rate of $4,750 per block hour plus crew expenses (hotac and per diem).
:confused:

LAVDUMPER

With a name like LAVDUMPER I would have thought you would know the main problem. Muslims use a different type of toilet (stand up - hole on the ground versions !), which is why they tend to have a slight problem with standard aircraft lavs. To make matters worse, their religion does not allow them to use toilet paper. And that's all I will say about that !

Many aircraft are ready for a total refurb after the hajj season.

One of the other problems can be ground handling at JED.
You are promised a 1-2 hour turnround, and it ends up taking 6 hours.
I guess it can’t be easy to match up millions of pilgrims with their aircraft, especially when almost all of them share similar names like Mohammed, Abdullah etc.

Charterguy,

Are you talking about a start date for Air Atlanta or for Hadj flights in particular?

Mutt :)

Charterguy - drop me an email. Addy is in my profile - can offer two/three aircraft in 393Y configuration.

Well, the good news is that I'm back off to work on Wednesday. Should be there until around the end of March I guess.
Only hassle is, that I'm off to Jeddah ... Ah well, at least it's work. ;)

18-Wheeler,

Glad to hear that you are heading back to work, I'm sure that you will survive Jeddah and Indonesia.

Charterguy, I was pretty sure that I read the that Air India were looking for aircraft for a 35 day contract. Counting backwards from the 5th day of Dhu-Al Hajjah brought me back to the 10th. Anyway, our 1st crews are positioning to Asia on the 15th with the 1st flight back on the night of the 18th.


Mutt. :)

[ 16 December 2001: Message edited by: mutt ]

Firstly I think you will find that CC own part or all of ACE.

Secondly, majority of crew are on contract, agency etc and a/c are paid for. Very flexible operation and I have seen things change 180deg every 40mins. There is always another contract coming up and there will always be room for CC in the WORLD market as they can operate cheaper than carriers can operate themselves (apart from union probs).

Totally agree, Moodsy.
I very confident that we're going to do a booming trade in the next year or three at least.

Hi folks,

just a note concerning the two Air Atlanta 767's TF-ATO amd TF-ATR: They both came to LUX for maintenance in November, wearing full Excel Airways colors. The titles were stripped off in LUX so that they oviously don't fly for Excel anymore in the winter.

One of the 767s left shortly afterwards (I think TF-ATR), but TF-ATO is still sitting on the Cargolux apron in LUX, with some kind of "tents" built around the engine pylons.

Best regards,

Tom

TF-ATO has a pylon problem which should be sorted before Christmas. The 767s are or will be in Africa for the winter, though I heard talk of one in South America, but they will be back in UK for the summer. Since European bought some ex-BA 747s I doubt that Atlanta's 747s will get much further into UK than Manston this summer.
I also hear that some Swedish outfit is currently offering 747s at ridiculous rates.