Pakistan International Airlines

[Jordan-34092]

i thought they would use stand 8 for sure with it having the air bridge so passengers can be loaded on and off the aircraft quickly and it is a lot closer to the terminal and would make it easier to get the aircraft ready for departure.

 

[markietg]

I've been told today by a manager friend of mine at Servisair that the 777 will be here in the next 3-4weeks. It will indeed park on the "Cookridge" stands as it's too wide to go on the airbridge stands.

 

[Aviador]

The rumours are definitely hotting up but i've come accross contrasting rumours about when and where it's going to park.

Several people have suggested to me that stand 8 is to be used but with restrictions on neighbouring stands because of the wingspan.

Others are suggesting that stands 20 or 23 would be used

A couple of people have said that PIA would not be happy about using the remote stands because they require constant and regular access to the aircraft.

Whatever eventually happens, it would seem the discussions and planning are taking place so the aircraft must be making an appearance fairly soonish.

What is clear is taxiing on and off the runway will be restricted to taxiway Delta and Taxiway Alpha. If the aircraft is going to have any issues turning onto stand 8 or pushing back from stand 8, then it would seem stands 20 or 23 will be the only option. Having said that, we have had a British Airways 747 and a Wardair 747 maneuver in and out of the stand 8/9 area so it shouldn't be a problem for the Boeing 777 unless new restrictions have been imposed since.

 

[Nightflight]

Personally i dont care which day of the week the 777 arrives, nor do i care which stand she is parked on, all i care about is the excitement of seing a 777 on the tarmac of Leeds/ Bradford Airport, also it would take the smug grins off the faces of the people who said that this would never happen, some hats are going to be eaten, mainly by our friends at the wrong side of the Pennines.... :drinks: :good: :yahoo:

 

[Jordan-34092]

I can tell you this Manchester Airport is starting to hate the fact other airports in the north are expanding with long routes being introduced from them, IE Newcastle & leeds/bradford, And the fact PIA is to perhaps introduce a 777 in LBA wont be too pleasing to them.

 

[White Heather]

Slight reality check time I think. Yes it will be fantastic to see the 777 at LBA, but this is a proving flight only and it is up to the airport and Servisair to make sure this isn't the first and last visit of the type. If anything at all goes pear shaped, on landing, taxi-ing, parking, take off, boarding or disembarking, it could have implications not only for future 777's but the PIA route from LBA in the longer term.

LBA management have convinced PIA to try the 777 and now its up to them to make sure that PIA have a trouble free day. The last thing any of us want is for this to be a first and last visit.

I cannot imagine PIA being happy not being able to use stand 8 and an air-bridge. Whether or not that is feasible due to the length of the 777 I wouldn't know, but if the 777 does become a fixture at LBA, I would expect the airport management to be looking at ways to enable the air bridge to be used. From memory, most, if not all 747's at LBA parked at the Eastern end of the apron (which back then was not as long as it is now) and they self manoevered, not parking nose in or requiring a push back.

 

[Jordan-34092]

Hopefully it all goes to plan and they put the 777 on permanently, If so it would be one of good things to come at LBA.

 

[EXS2592]

Some rumours at Servisair Leeds indicate that the 777 will arrive on the 28th July.

Which is a Thursday! PIA don't operate to LBA on Thursday's so unless they are going to divert a MAN flight to us, that date cannot be right surely? Perhaps the 27th?

Well noticed Heather. I seem to think he means it will be Wednesday, July 27th for when the first PIA Boeing 777 turns up at LBA. As it's also been posted elsewhere on the internet this afternoon.

Sorry my bad i meant the 27th July.

 

[harehills]

just out of interest would PIA only sell enough tickets to fill the A310 on the 777 test flight or would they increase the capacity considering that it will be around the time when summer holidays start and demand will be very high

 

[tleeds]

I'm not sure Harehills, I'm not totally knowledgeable on the weight restrictions figures etc. for the 777 at LBA.

I would've thought that they would try and fill it to its full capacity, as they will want to see how the airport and the aircraft handle all the passengers at the airport in different conditions - i.e. passenger numbers.
As you rightly stated the summer holidays are approaching around that time and so I would think that it would be quite full, all the better to make it a fairer test and get accurate results.

 

[Seasider]

Congratulations White Heather, some people need reminding that it is a single proving flight. Only if it is successful will they consider implementing it permanately in the future.

 

[eastcoaster]

Also worth mentioning is that ramadan starts on 1 August this year and ends on 30 August. Passenger figures drop right off to 30 to 60 loads, going on last years flights, plus there were several rotations cancelled. It might also follow that the 777 is available during August as passenger loads and flights will be cancelled throughout the PIA network and the aircraft is available.

 

[wawkrk]

I cannot understand why anybody would question can LBA handle all the pax from the 777.
Amongst others, we used to have a weekly Tristar with around 400 pax in economy seating.
Plus Wardair 747's and Iberia A300's. LBA used to advertise, "Fly The Big Jets".

 

[eastcoaster]

LBA should easily cope with the passenger numbers on a 777, as quite rightly said they have handled many large types in the past. 2 Corsair 747s together on a LUFC charter, albeit they had no bags spring to mind. The 747-300 had 535 pax on it!
The only problems I see are with UK Border Agency staff not coping or saying they are not manned up for the load on a 777. Well, man up. If they know it's coming, then sort it.
The UK Border Agency do have a big say with the airports and can halt/delay and refuse airlines and aircraft if they so wish. Let's hope they are prepared now.
Otherwise a 777 is just a bigger 767-300 which is ground handled without too many problems I think. However full it might be into LBA, it will never be max loaded with fuel as the flight to Islamabad is only 3600 miles. The 777LR is capable of 7500 miles non-stop. so only half a fuel load approx from LBA to Pakistan.

 

[Aviador]

The terminal is on the small side, we don't need reminding of that but it already handles a couple of thousand passengers check-in over a period of a couple of hours or so every morning. So in theory handling another 350-400 passengers on a PIA should be a breeze.

It's the other logistical issues that come with the flight that may pose more of a problem. Some obvious and some perhaps not so obvious issues to resolve.

Here are just some of the potential issues...

Taxiing the aircraft on and off the runway.
Possible requirement for a 'Follow Me' vehicle to ensure the aircraft doesn't go onto taxiways that are not suitable for the aircraft.
Parking the aircraft.
Potential closure of adjacent stands if stand 8 is used.
The luggage carousels are not ideal for large flights.
Potential overcrowding in the passenger meet and greet area.
The arrivals hall could suffer from overcrowding if Border Control delay passenger regress from the area.
Staffing cover at check-in
Staffing cover at security
Additional fire cover to meet CAT 9
Bus allocation for arrival and departing passengers through the busy evening rush.

 

[Moo2009]

has anyone got anymore information if the Triple 7 will be visiting this coming week

 

[Jordan-34092]

has anyone got anymore information if the Triple 7 will be visiting this coming week

Im being told it is either the 20th July or the 27th. Don't know which for sure, ive checked on PIA bookings and it showing these flights are being operated by an A310, and there is no news on the airports website. The best we really all can do is check on flight radar these days to see what type of aircraft it is.

 

[Jordan-34092]

PIA775 Has been scheduled to arrive at 19:45 today instead of the usual time of 18:05, this will lead to the PIA776 service not departing at least 21:00.

The reason to this i have been told is that the aircraft that was to originally operate the service went tech at the last minute so they had to wait for another aircraft to come in so that could operate the service instead, this lead to a delay of 2 and half hours at Islamabad airport ive heard.

That is what i was told about today's service.

Also ive just checked now at Islamabad airport website and the aircraft is being displayed as still boarding.

 

[The Pole]

PIA775 has departed as checked PIA website and Islamabad Airport, but cant see on Flightradar yet so not sure what type it will be!

 

[Jordan-34092]

PIA775 has departed as checked PIA website and Islamabad Airport, but cant see on Flightradar yet so not sure what type it will be!

It usually doesn't show up on radar until it enters Russian airspace. Also ive checked flight status and it displaying an A310 aircraft is operating the service.