American Airlines

[Dobbo]

Another delay on the ORD service today. This has early not gone well with the B788. From recollection the B767 and B757 are far from adequate so where to next?

I wonder whether the strategy of AA/BA is really working? You have a couple of alternative business models (*A and the VS/DL joint venture) and wonder whether One World and IAG may consider a change of tact (which may be a good or bad thing?)

 

[andyc941]

Im not sure,but i think the ORD flight today was canceled. They not having much luck at the moment with their B788s.
Dose anyone know if the ORD flight will be suspended from Jan to Mar next year, like it was this year?

 

[Chilly Dog]

Last flight AA55 ex MAN scheduled for 8th Jan, recommencing 26th Mar.

 

[Land23R]

Cancelled again today Monday!. It's becoming a joke of a service, and the writing's on the wall if/when business folk stop using it and travel agents become reluctant to book passengers on it. Outbound flights from MAN this past week have been very busy and, as it's peak season, re-booking pax on alternative flights will have been a nightmare. There will be some very angry passengers.

Needless to say, LHR flights are operating as are DUB & EDI (United) from ORD , so it's not a weather related issue apparently.

 

[ethanegcc]

Cancelled again today Monday!. It's becoming a joke of a service, and the writing's on the wall if/when business folk stop using it and travel agents become reluctant to book passengers on it. Outbound flights from MAN this past week have been very busy and, as it's peak season, re-booking pax on alternative flights will have been a nightmare. There will be some very angry passengers.

Needless to say, LHR flights are operating as are DUB & EDI (United) from ORD , so it's not a weather related issue apparently.

It is ridiculous - to think this flight offers onward connections from ORD as well
If it continues with this appalling level of reliability I think the majority of us on this forum would be reluctant to fly on it.

Does the fact that it is peak season and two flights have now been cancelled mean a larger aircraft may be rostered on the route tomorrow for examplr for rebookings or will they be rebooked via DUB/LHR.

It would be quite a dissappointment. The JFK and PHL flights - despite not having the best on time record - are doing okay and UA flights to ORD operate correctly so maybe UA or VS is the next step for the MAN-ORD route giving UA's growing hub there.

 

[Land23R]

ORD isn't a DL hub, more's the pity, and UA don't fly there from MAN if that's what you were implying. AA have done nothing with all the cancellations so far to put on another a/c (except maybe a B763 on a couple of occasions back in June) so I would suggest zero chance of a larger a/c being put on tomorrow. They probably don't have any a/c spare at this time of year anyway, and re-routing one of their other UK/European flights through MAN to pick up some of the pax is a non-starter when those flights are likely to be very busy. Cancelling one of their other flights and putting it on the MAN route doesn't seem to be on the agenda, although one wonders if the reverse is happening. And being a late flight out of ORD probably doesn't help either.

No, a total mess, and I hope Ken O'Toole, privately, is making his views known very strongly to AA senior management.

 

[Dobbo]

It is poor. I think the aircraft does the ORD-AKL-ORD run before ORD-MAN-ORDso that might have something to do with it.

Incidentally, I have seen elsewhere reference to DL building up a hub at ORD. It would be an odd thing to do (considering Minneapolis and Detroit are reasonably close by) but would likely be good news for MAN.

 

[ethanegcc]

No, I know. I meant UA fly from DUB and EDI to ORD without issue and they have a growing hub in ORD and that VS have a growing hub in MAN and could offer seasonal ORD flights like they do from LHR but surely Detroit is a better option for VS/DL.

DL having a base in ORD would be very odd considering the proximity of DTW, MSP, CVG etc.

Must be chaotic with two 788s cancelled on consecutive days. It is time AA got their act together.

ORD isn't a DL hub, more's the pity, and UA don't fly there from MAN if that's what you were implying.

Also Dobbo, I didn't think AA flew to Auckland from Chicago. They only just started from LAX with the 788.

The aircraft that was meant to operate todays flight - N814AA - did PVG-ORD yesterday and arrived in ORD on time and today will do the ORD-PVG AA289 which it wouldn't have been able to do had it came to MAN. If the 788s are being deployed transpacific from ORD, DFW etc and causing delays why isn't the 772 rostered on the MAN-ORD flight considering the majority have the same business class product and more relative in seating capacityto a 788?

 

[Dobbo]

I stand corrected if true - perhaps I was thinking the aircraft did ORD-LAX-AKL-LAX-ORD-MAN-ORD (or something similar).

Certainly a complicated pattern and routing through airports which may be prone to delays.

Perhaps UA will redeploy from IAD to ORD or add another? Who knows but the present situation is not tenable.

Personally, I think AA will get their house in order for 2017. They wouldn't be as big as they are without being ae to correct mistakes made!!

 

[ethanegcc]

I think if UA didn't return to the IAD route next summer it may well be a good option from ORD. Surely given this route has just been operated by a 788 if UA opened the route it would be a 763 atleast?

If AA scaled back ops from MAN could this be an issue for BA as this is there only way of getting into the transatlantic market from MAN unless it begins long haul flights itself which is unlikely? However I think AA are a well known brand and have been at MAN for a long time - the PHL and JFK routes are doing extremely well so they just need to sort the ORD issue out.

 

[Land23R]

Sorry, but BA / IAG are probably very happy to have pax fly via LHR or DUB, and may not be too concerned about dear old MAN. If, as you say, the scheduled MAN a/c was redeployed to do PVG, that's even more worrying in a way than tech. or weather issues.

A conspiracy theorist would have a field day about OW's attitude to MAN, as today's CX was also cancelled due apparently to a typhoon in HKK. (at least that's what one passenger I spoke to was told). I must look to see if other European flights were affected.

Edit: Yep, CX 255 landed at LHR 1 minute late, and the CX257 is due to arrive early just before 15.00

 

[Dobbo]

OW cancellations single handedly saving the MAN-LHR shuttle?!

 

[Land23R]

Apologies to all. The CX did arrive and it appears that it's a forecast typhoon, not one that's already happened.

 

[Jerry]

You have to wonder why OW bother flying out of MAN at all if they don't seem to be dedicated to making it a success?

 

[Dobbo]

I don't think they can't be bothered, but it might reflect that MAN is down the pecking order somewhat. I have no idea how justified that is.

 

[ethanegcc]

Today's ORD flight was back to a B763! I thought they had sorted it out given we had nearly a whole week of ontime flights with AA which is a rareity and then they send a B763! Unbelieveable!

 

[Jerry]

Today's ORD flight was back to a B763! I thought they had sorted it out given we had nearly a whole week of ontime flights with AA which is a rareity and then they send a B763! Unbelieveable!

Nothing wrong with a good old B763!

 

[ethanegcc]

Not if you weren't expecting a 787 and brand new economy! Anyway the point still stands that there was a lot of hype about the route being operated by a 788 and repeatedly AA haven't delivered on that promise sending 763s, having multiple flights delayed for hours and some even cancelled.

 

[Jerry]

Not if you weren't expecting a 787 and brand new economy! Anyway the point still stands that there was a lot of hype about the route being operated by a 788 and repeatedly AA haven't delivered on that promise sending 763s, having multiple flights delayed for hours and some even cancelled.

Yeah I suppose it is a let down if you were expecting a dreamliner. Sounds like AA only send a 787 when it isn't needed elsewhere on what they must consider more important routes. You have to wonder if they take the attitude of just be glad we fly there at all and I often wonder why BA aren't flying these routes themselves as it is BRITSH Airways not London Airways.

 

[David_itl]

I'm sure BA and AA will be looking at ways of improving the reliability of AA54/55. Might take a bit of time to sort out given the promo work involving the 787 onto the route.