International travel questions

Here is an interesting question? Why does it take so long for international flights to leave. At most large international airports, international flights are on the ground for hours. There is daily British Airways 747-400 (Speedbird) flight from PHX-LHR that arrives at 3pm and leaves at 8pm.

Why does it take 4+ hours from touchdown for the flight to depart? Just an intersting question I'm not thinking that they could do a 20 min SWA turn but I think they could load the plane in 90 mins to 2 hours and be ready to go. I'm sure that there are other factors in play but I'm unaware of them. Someone care to inform me?
 
Maximillian_Jenius said:
Why does it take 4+ hours from touchdown for the flight to depart? Just an intersting question I'm not thinking that they could do a 20 min SWA turn but I think they could load the plane in 90 mins to 2 hours and be ready to go. I'm sure that there are other factors in play but I'm unaware of them. Someone care to inform me?
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It's probably since PHX-LGW is such a long flight, they couldn't really do much with the 747 if they only had a 1:30-2:00 layover, so they keep it on the ground a little longer to make the arrival time in LGW a little more palatable? Also, it gives them a little more time to clean up the plane, bring in 400 meals, extra buffer for delays, etc.
 
Maximillian_Jenius said:
Here is an interesting question? Why does it take so long for international flights to leave. At most large international airports, international flights are on the ground for hours. There is daily British Airways 747-400 (Speedbird) flight from PHX-LHR that arrives at 3pm and leaves at 8pm./QUOTE]

Track times, crew availability, gate availability, marketing, maintenance, etc.

Plus, many pax don't want to depart the US at a time when they'd arrive in a foreign country at 0400 or 2330.
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Maximillian_Jenius said:
Why does it take 4+ hours from touchdown for the flight to depart? Just an intersting question I'm not thinking that they could do a 20 min SWA turn but I think they could load the plane in 90 mins to 2 hours and be ready to go. I'm sure that there are other factors in play but I'm unaware of them. Someone care to inform me?
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In addition to what Doug just said, there are curfews at some airports. I'm not familiar with how many arrivals a particular airline is able to land before the curfew and how that works, but at LHR for example, if you can't land before, say 6AM you go into a holding pattern and wait with everyone else.

If the airline can only land ten planes before 6AM then the PHX flight is probably not one of them. That's just a made up number of flights but 6AM is not.
 
alphaone said:
BTW, back to the old topic of non-reving, is it worth attempting to non-rev CVG-FRA and back during June? A German buddy wants me to come for the world cup so we figured why not so the traveling crew is headed over, but of course we're all poor college students and it is all up to us to get over and all.....Should I just buy ticket?
Thanks, A1
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depends...if you really want to get there, buy a ticket... if it doesn't matter "that much" if you don't make it, then non-rev

June's pretty tricky because that's when a lot of families start their vacations.
 
The summer is when Europe fills with people from the states that stand around complaining because the restaurant doesn't have iced tea, mad because no one re-filled their coca cola and frustrated with the waiter because he doesn't understand what "Ranch" dressing is.
 
Doug Taylor said:
The summer is when Europe fills with people from the states that stand around complaining because the restaurant doesn't have iced tea, mad because no one re-filled their coca cola and frustrated with the waiter because he doesn't understand what "Ranch" dressing is.
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When would be a good time to visit? My girlfriend is just sending in for her passport now and I want to take her over to Paris come April/May. Don't want to get stuck there with a bunch of "tourists" though. I know now that it's probably not a good idea to go around Christmas... haha
 
best time is dead winter! jan/feb... march - may start getting a little more busy and a little harder to get over there, but still an opportunity.. jun-aug we call a "no go" just because everyone one else is... sept-beg nov are good and nov-dec forgetaboutit!
 
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