I agree with Lucy.
They have just started a new service from Belfast - Newark on an old 757 that looks like it has seen better days. By all accounts it is not much better inside
I was looking at using the service later in the year to go to New York, which might not be too bad as is only 5-6 hr flight.
Dominic & Melanie Graham
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:As I have stated many times on here before I have operated the UK-New York route on a 767, 757 and Concorde. I can tell you that the 757 is just not the right aircraft for that route, any thing over 3-4 hours should be wide bodied in my view. The passengers don't like it, for the crew its very difficult as it only has a single aisle and even on an extend range you can't go much further, and the inflight entertainment is far from adequate.
Sorry to be frank but its about time these airlines got their act together, BMI are using a 757 on the Washington route at the moment and it has lost them money and passengers. Its really like going to Florida on a bus!
[/quote]
As I have posted before, I fly by choice on the AA 757 from Manchester to Boston and on to Orlando, instead of the AA 767 from Manchester to Chicago; and I know several other people who do the same. I can see Lucy’s point but it is a matter of choice; although I wouldn’t have thought that the cabin staff’s preference would cut much ice with hard headed airline executives!!
I hadn’t heard about BMI losing money and passengers using the 757 on transatlantic routes; however I suggest that is not the case with other airlines.
I shared a bus between terminals at Boston in May with the captain of the 757 I had just flown on. He told me that using this aircraft was a great commercial success and AA were extending it from a summer only service, to cover most of the year. I am using it this month, in September and December. He explained that its operating costs were considerably lower and they achieved a very high passenger loading.
The flyer forums have had several articles about airlines introducing new services using the 757 from the East Coast of USA to secondary airports in Europe. Some have already started.
Again I wouldn’t think those hard headed airline executives would be using the 757 if was going to lose them money.
Incidentally the last time I was in a Concorde that had a single aisle; and it was in a different league when it came to losing money!! Seem to think the 757 has a longer range and payload as well!
Concorde did have a single aisle, with a 2 x 2 seat config but it only took 2 hours 55 mins, flew to the edge of space, at 60,000 feet at 1420 miles per hour!!
No comparison really, its like comparing a Ford Escort with a Ferrari Testarossa Robert!![msnwink]
Getting back to the 757 going accross the pond, the reason airlines use it is because has lower operating costs compared to more comfy wide bodied aircraft on transatlantic east coast routes, however as BMI are finding passengers numbers have been hit very badly and so has their reputation for using the newer more spacious and comfortable Airbus[msnsmile2]
Don't get me wrong I love the 757, I worked on it for over 15 years on UK domstic and European routes and on the occasional New York (when our 767 was on an engineering check once a month), and on some longer European routes like the Larnaca and Athens it was not great either, its much more suited to flights under 3-4 hours, which is exactly the type of flights Boeing designed it for!
However Robert if you like it then thats great, just don't expect the rest of us to be converts[msnwink][msnwink][msnwink]
[quote][ Concorde did have a single aisle, with a 2 x 2 seat config but it only took 2 hours 55 mins, flew to the edge of space, at 60,000 feet at 1420 miles per hour!!
No comparison really, its like comparing a Ford Escort with a Ferrari Testarossa Robert!!
Getting back to the 757 going accross the pond, the reason airlines use it is because has lower operating costs compared to more comfy wide bodied aircraft on transatlantic east coast routes, however as BMI are finding passengers numbers have been hit very badly and so has their reputation for using the newer more spacious and comfortable Airbus
Don't get me wrong I love the 757, I worked on it for over 15 years on UK domstic and European routes and on the occasional New York (when our 767 was on an engineering check once a month), and on some longer European routes like the Larnaca and Athens it was not great either, its much more suited to flights under 3-4 hours, which is exactly the type of flights Boeing designed it for!
However Robert if you like it then thats great, just don't expect the rest of us to be converts/quote]
Lucy,
I leave the ‘converting’ to Billy Graham(and on aircraft matters to yourself)!
I merely questioned your statement that the “passengers don’t like it”. – some might but not all; and pointed out that it has been introduced because of its lower operating costs(which you have graciously conceded) and is not losing money for other airlines.
The 757 with ETOPS has a range, with a full payload, of 4,500 miles which perhaps suggests it is suited for flights over 3-4 hours.
Loved your Escort v Testarossa analogy.[msnsmile2]
One was a practical 4/5 seater bread and butter model, with low running costs and made its manufacturer a fortune.
The other a totally impractical 2 seater flagship, with horrendous running costs and lost its manufacturer a fortune.(as it had no government subsidy to defray costs)[msnwink]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
LOL!!!![msnwink][msnwink][msnwink][ Concorde did have a single aisle, with a 2 x 2 seat config but it only took 2 hours 55 mins, flew to the edge of space, at 60,000 feet at 1420 miles per hour!!
No comparison really, its like comparing a Ford Escort with a Ferrari Testarossa Robert!!
Getting back to the 757 going accross the pond, the reason airlines use it is because has lower operating costs compared to more comfy wide bodied aircraft on transatlantic east coast routes, however as BMI are finding passengers numbers have been hit very badly and so has their reputation for using the newer more spacious and comfortable Airbus
Don't get me wrong I love the 757, I worked on it for over 15 years on UK domstic and European routes and on the occasional New York (when our 767 was on an engineering check once a month), and on some longer European routes like the Larnaca and Athens it was not great either, its much more suited to flights under 3-4 hours, which is exactly the type of flights Boeing designed it for!
However Robert if you like it then thats great, just don't expect the rest of us to be converts/quote]
Lucy,
I leave the ‘converting’ to Billy Graham(and on aircraft matters to yourself)!
I merely questioned your statement that the “passengers don’t like it”. – some might but not all; and pointed out that it has been introduced because of its lower operating costs(which you have graciously conceded) and is not losing money for other airlines.
The 757 with ETOPS has a range, with a full payload, of 4,500 miles which perhaps suggests it is suited for flights over 3-4 hours.
Loved your Escort v Testarossa analogy.[msnsmile2]
One was a practical 4/5 seater bread and butter model, with low running costs and made its manufacturer a fortune.
The other a totally impractical 2 seater flagship, with horrendous running costs and lost its manufacturer a fortune.(as it had no government subsidy to defray costs)[msnwink]
I shall ignore your comments about one of the engineering wonders of the world Robert[msnwink][msnwink][msnwink]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:LOL!!!!
I shall ignore your comments about one of the engineering wonders of the world Robert[/quote]
Well certainly the most beautiful plane ever made - its easy to see why you fell in love!
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:LOL!!!!
I shall ignore your comments about one of the engineering wonders of the world Robert[/quote]
Well certainly the most beautiful plane ever made - its easy to see why you fell in love!
[/quote]
Oh I did big time, I must have as I did over 2000 flights on her[msnsmile2]
Back to the thread -
I have flown with Continental as my main carrier for several years, as we live a long way from Gatwick, have flown a mix of Gatwick and Birmingham, and more recently the Bristol - Orlando route.
If I have to go to Gatwick I would always prefer Virgin, unless I waas travelling via Houston to another destination for business before going to Orlando.
The great thing about connecting in Newark is that there are fewer crying children en-route to Disney, and more people travelling to NYC.
I have heard Lucy's comments about 757s and while I agree, they are also tolerable on the short transatlantic crossings to NY. My main gripe is that they do not have laptop power even in Business First, which is a big No No. The big 777s from Gatwick have laptop power in every seat in economy[clap][clap][clap]
Once you get to elite level there are perks like internal first class upgrades, priority boarding etc.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:I have heard Lucy's comments about 757s and while I agree, they are also tolerable on the short transatlantic crossings to NY. My main gripe is that they do not have laptop power even in Business First, which is a big No No. The big 777s from Gatwick have laptop power in every seat in economy
Once you get to elite level there are perks like internal first class upgrades, priority boarding etc.
[/quote]
ChrisFlowers,
It is surprising that Continental have a lower spec 757 than AA(with regard to lap top power)
The 757s American Airlines operate to Manchester and Ireland are single class(coach class) however they retain the USA Domestic First Class seating for the front 6 rows. These are nothing like as roomy as the 767/777 but they still offer a lot more leg room and are 2 x 2 configuration instead of 3 x 3 further back. These seats all have lap top power.
There are also 46 power points in the rear cabin.
With AA, elite levels can reserve the front 6 rows for International travel without it being classified as an upgrade.
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