V-Flyer

I've always wondered if there was a market for a seasonal weekly LGW-HNL flight.

Here's my plan [:I]

--

LGW-HNL

Depart: 23.30
Arrive: 05.20 (next day)


HNL-LGW

Depart: 09.10
Arrive: 11.00 (next day)


According to Great Circle Mapper, LGW-HNL is 7,262miles.
This means either a 346 or 343 could do the job.
Flight times are based on flights being 15hrs 50mins

They could also codeshare with Aloha Airlines and pax could fly onto the other islands.

Probably would never happen, but we can all dream [|)]

LHR - AKL would float my boat

Milliemoo

A 343 couldn't do that route - it's max range is 7,200nm (and I'm not sure that includes reserves... [?])


Even the A346 might struggle - max range = 7,500nm

Originally posted by preiffer
A 343 couldn't do that route - it's max range is 7,200nm (and I'm not sure that includes reserves... [?])


Even the A346 might struggle - max range = 7,500nm

I've had it wrong for ages then, on wikipedia (which is where i got my basic aviation knowledge from [:#] ) has their ranges at much higher! [?]


Well if VS don't have the metal to do it then here's my second idea, make a 2nd daily to SFO from LGW which continues on to HNL

...or team up to link the VS19/7/23 with a Virgin America flight to HNL.


Bear in mind those Airbus figures are based on max. number of passengers, but I'd be tempted to trust them over wikipedia.

Originally posted by preiffer
...or team up to link the VS19/7/23 with a Virgin America flight to HNL.


Bear in mind those Airbus figures are based on max. number of passengers, but I'd be tempted to trust them over wikipedia.

But it'd be great to have VS metal in HNL [:X]

Does anyone know what loads are like on VS19/20?

Originally posted by preiffer
...or team up to link the VS19/7/23 with a Virgin America flight to HNL.


Bear in mind those Airbus figures are based on max. number of passengers, but I'd be tempted to trust them over wikipedia.

And from HNL have an outward codeshare with VBlue to Oz.

Tommy,It's good to see great minds think alike [y].

Im still kind of amazed that no airline has tried to open up a LHR-HNL service,even if it is via say SFO,though with flight and turn around times it couldn't be done with one aircraft [:#] going LHR-SFO-HNL-SFO-LHR

Im still kind of amazed that no airline has tried to open up a LHR-HNL service,even if it is via say SFO,

Erm, I was checking the BAA Arrivals website the other day and I noticed that UA had an incoming flight from HNL via LAX [?]

Originally posted by jetwet1
Tommy,It's good to see great minds think alike [y].

Im still kind of amazed that no airline has tried to open up a LHR-HNL service,even if it is via say SFO,though with flight and turn around times it couldn't be done with one aircraft [:#] going LHR-SFO-HNL-SFO-LHR

We need more planes and more slots

Answer -> SRB buys BD!

Originally posted by honey lamb

Im still kind of amazed that no airline has tried to open up a LHR-HNL service,even if it is via say SFO,

Erm, I was checking the BAA Arrivals website the other day and I noticed that UA had an incoming flight from HNL via LAX [?]

The HNL-LAX leg comes under the same flight number, but it's a different aircraft.

So it's just like 2 flights, sharing one number.

Originally posted by tommy212

Originally posted by honey lamb

Im still kind of amazed that no airline has tried to open up a LHR-HNL service,even if it is via say SFO,

Erm, I was checking the BAA Arrivals website the other day and I noticed that UA had an incoming flight from HNL via LAX [?]

The HNL-LAX leg comes under the same flight number, but it's a different aircraft.

So it's just like 2 flights, sharing one number.

Beat me to it,it's a 76? to a 772,same flight number though,sooooo hooking up with VS-A on a SFO-HNL flight would be [y],though of course earning miles on VS-A would be a whole lot better.

Originally posted by jetwet1
Tommy,It's good to see great minds think alike [y].

Im still kind of amazed that no airline has tried to open up a LHR-HNL service,even if it is via say SFO,though with flight and turn around times it couldn't be done with one aircraft [:#] going LHR-SFO-HNL-SFO-LHR

Couldn't this be done with a 345 or a 773ER, the 345 that Singapore has does a 17 hr flight from JFK to SIA ... have to say if someone could offer it from London I'd be on it too.

Originally posted by jetwet1

Beat me to it,it's a 76? to a 772,same flight number though,sooooo hooking up with VS-A on a SFO-HNL flight would be [y],though of course earning miles on VS-A would be a whole lot better.

763

Originally posted by slinky09

Originally posted by jetwet1
Tommy,It's good to see great minds think alike [y].

Im still kind of amazed that no airline has tried to open up a LHR-HNL service,even if it is via say SFO,though with flight and turn around times it couldn't be done with one aircraft [:#] going LHR-SFO-HNL-SFO-LHR

Couldn't this be done with a 345 or a 773ER, the 345 that Singapore has does a 17 hr flight from JFK to SIA ... have to say if someone could offer it from London I'd be on it too.

I guess the 773ER could do it, definately the 772LR- but that throws the '4 Engines 4 Long Haul' out the window.

If SQ buy some 772LRs then maybe VS can buy 1 or 2 or their A345s

I think Virgin have been granted the rights to fly the Rio De Janeiro route, (not the charter service that they currently offer) so this could possibly be starting soon.

Thanks Tommy,last time I flew that route on UA metal it was a 742 [:0]

Since then it's been CO 764's a lot better place to be

Originally posted by djuluvmee
I think Virgin have been granted the rights to fly the Rio De Janeiro route, (not the charter service that they currently offer) so this could possibly be starting soon.

That would be fantastic ... and please please please Virgin add Buenos Aires (apparently UK visitors to BA in 2005 were up like 50%+ even though only BA fly twice a week - most people transfer in Europe).

Originally posted by jetwet1
Thanks Tommy,last time I flew that route on UA metal it was a 742 [:0]

Since then it's been CO 764's a lot better place to be

Yeah, they've outfitted them really nicely- unlike Delta [n]

Originally posted by slinky09

Originally posted by djuluvmee
I think Virgin have been granted the rights to fly the Rio De Janeiro route, (not the charter service that they currently offer) so this could possibly be starting soon.

That would be fantastic ... and please please please Virgin add Buenos Aires (apparently UK visitors to BA in 2005 were up like 50%+ even though only BA fly twice a week - most people transfer in Europe).

They would have to get the OK to fly to EZE,though saying that it would be great [y],though Rio is a beautiful city,it has major problems with crime so you have to be darn careful [:#],however once you get away from the city itself it is a fabulous country.

EZE is a city well worth visiting and some real bargins can be found for hotels,meals etc

A schedule for LHR-GIG-EZE-GIG-LHR like this would be nice:

LHR-GIG

Flying time: 12hrs 15mins

Depart: 22.15
Arrive: 08.30 (next day)


GIG-EZE

Flying time: 3hrs

Depart: 10.10
Arrive: 13.10


EZE-GIG

Flying time: 3hrs

Depart: 16.00
Arrive: 19.00


GIG-LHR

Flying time: 11hrs 30mins

Depart: 21.00
Arrive: 12.30 (next day)

LHR-HNL should be reachable with a 346. I read a few months ago that a CO or UA 777-200er did HNL-FRA and FRA-HNL non-stop with not many to no restrictions. It was a military charter for thoses who are interested

Originally posted by AerJohn
LHR-HNL should be reachable with a 346. I read a few months ago that a CO or UA 777-200er did HNL-FRA and FRA-HNL non-stop with not many to no restrictions. It was a military charter for thoses who are interested

Oh, sounds good. Maybe they could take some economy seats out, and give a few more inches extra pitch for the 15hr trip. Then it wouldn't be fully loaded either.

I can just imagine:

G-VHNL, 34" seat pitch through out, V:port, painted in a tropical livery!

They could do LHR-YVR-HNL

That adds two new routes to the network; and they'd be allowed to carry pax just for the YVR-HNL leg to make up for the ones that got off at YVR!

Just one of my bright ideas! [i]

I think the problem with HNL is getting enough pax or the correct yield to make it work.

We know it's possible to get equipment that can do it, but I guess there may be some payload limitations (so you can take enough fuel), which means you have to get your yields right.

For example, it's known that UA often carefully yield manage their SYD flights, sometimes preferring cargo over passengers and deliberately underselling the aircraft. Anything over about 5800nm seems to be the tipping point for equipment like the 744 or 346.

Also, I'd suspect HNL for an airline like VS would mostly be O&D (probably holidaying) pax. Maybe it could support one or two trips a week like some of the B&S destinations?

There is the option of flying HNL-HKG or HNL-SYD and linking up with existing VS service - hmm, maybe the planned second HKG frequency continues to HNL and on to LHR a couple of times a week?

It still doesn't really fix the O&D problem for HNL though, as any connecting there will probably involve having to clear US Immigration, even if you're in transit - this is already a pain for airlines like Air NZ (to the extent that they are rumoured to be looking at RTW options for NZ1 and NZ2 to add a non-US transit stop), and I'm sure VS would be no exception.

Cheers,
Mike