Brussels Airport is a disaster when it freezes and snows

[SN1203]

But many airlines have been reducing their capacity because of lower demand and because of winter.
So,I guess finding some planes and crews to operate a 1 week shuttle can not be that difficult.
1 crew could make 4 rotations a day on these short Channel hops,...or not?

I understand it might seem logic that more crew is available during the Christmas holidays, but it is actually not the case. Crews deserve a rest too, and once the production plan is finalized the necessary crews will be planned (including the normal operational reserves). If you need crews for multiple extra daily flights during a whole week, you'll have to call a lot of people that are currently on holiday... also, one crew will not be able to make 4 rotations a day, and the positioning flights in your plan make things even more difficult.

It also depends on how "unionized" your airline is. At some airlines, people would be more inclined to provide their employer with some extra flexibility compared to other airlines. Unions need a reason to exist too, so at some airlines they might occupy themselves by checking all the different crew pairings etc. to be really sure that every minimum turn-around time is respected etc. etc.

In short: one or two ad hoc flights (like JAF and FQ between BRU and LON) is possible, but nothing structural.

[tolipanebas]

But many airlines have been reducing their capacity because of lower demand and because of winter.
So,I guess finding some planes and crews to operate a 1 week shuttle can not be that difficult.
1 crew could make 4 rotations a day on these short Channel hops,...or not?

I understand it might seem logic that more crew is available during the Christmas holidays, but it is actually not the case. Crews deserve a rest too, and once the production plan is finalized the necessary crews will be planned (including the normal operational reserves). If you need crews for multiple extra daily flights during a whole week, you'll have to call a lot of people that are currently on holiday... also, one crew will not be able to make 4 rotations a day, and the positioning flights in your plan make things even more difficult.

It also depends on how "unionized" your airline is. At some airlines, people would be more inclined to provide their employer with some extra flexibility compared to other airlines. Unions need a reason to exist too, so at some airlines they might occupy themselves by checking all the different crew pairings etc. to be really sure that every minimum turn-around time is respected etc. etc.

In short: one or two ad hoc flights (like JAF and FQ between BRU and LON) is possible, but nothing structural.

Nice explanation.

I fully subscribe to it, but for one remark.

Unions generally don't want to occupy themselves checking out all pairings in detail, because actually that's a job done by pilot representatives on top of and after their normal duty hours, so during their time off where they'd prefer to be at home doing other things, yet these days all too many airlines have a bad habit of thinking that any reason is good to deviate from said rules and to make last minute 'changes' to their production plan, which in fact often means shortened turn arounds, ridiculously short estimated flight times or violations of pairing rules.

In an airline where there is no pressure from above to constantly invent new tricks to work around any limitations the CLA could impose on a planned duty and where the management doesn't see anything they offer on top of the minimum legal flight time and duty time rules as an almost crazy generousity on their part, unions aren't occupying themselves with that, I can assure you.

[sdbelgium]

Jetairfly throwing in the big boys: tonight OO-JAP will operate an extra LGW-BRU flight (the BRU-LGW is not for sale and will operate as a positioning flight).

Code: Select all

JAF401P  BRU 1920  LGW 2030  763  OOJAP  000
JAF9402  LGW 2130  BRU 2235  763  OOJAP  267

Times are GMT.