Air traffic down 95% from a year ago

"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland) 04/15/2020 at 10:59 • Filed to: Planeopnik

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We are down to o ne flight per day now coming out of Seattle to service Glacier International Airport . This flight is on  a Horizon Dash-8 Q400. It’s also doing a bit of hopping around by going from Kalispell to Helena, then back to Seattle.

This is typically our quietest time of the year anyway but we would still be in the 10 flights per day range with 3 from Alaska, 4 from Delta and 2 from United. Throw in the Allegiant to Las Vegas or Ph oe ni x every once in a while.

I’m curious to see if Delta or United pick up some of the “essential ” air travel services and restart the Denver and Salt Lake flights. This is just a stark reminder of the effects of the COVID-19 shutdown.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 11:18

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It’s depressing. An airline I am quite involved with is only flying 97 flights today vs the regular 1000-1200 a day.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 04/15/2020 at 11:20

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And of those 97 flights I bet they are 20-30% full at most.

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 11:30

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Yeah, they are in that vicinity.

PartyPooper2012 > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 11:36

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I wonder if this means those that do fly get treated a bit better...

Folks, our business class seats are absolutely empty, would you care to sit there? Watch a premium movie and sip champagne while reclining your seats as far as you want?

Allergic people aren’t here today. Would you like some peanuts?

For Sweden > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 11:37

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With all the summer homes empty, will Whitefish still exist?

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 11:38

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I should have posted the link— there was an interesting write-up the other day as to how hard it is to completely furlough an entire airline. Between all the labor and cost to mothball and store the planes, plus ongoing airport franchise fees and the risk of “slot loss” at busy airports. Turns out “algae” is even a big problem in jet fuel if a plane just sits at the gate for awhile.

It’s a lot harder than just leaving planes parked at ATL for 3 months until this blows over.

fintail > For Sweden 04/15/2020 at 11:39

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I thought the Marie Antoinette demographic was fleeing to their 6000 sq ft "cabins" these days.  

ttyymmnn > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 11:40

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IATA Sees Two Possible Exits From Current Crisis

And neither of them are, “Everything will be back to normal in no time”

For Sweden > fintail 04/15/2020 at 11:41

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Up until they realize rural hospitals do not always have ICUs.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > For Sweden 04/15/2020 at 11:42

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I’m not even going to be sarcastic with this remark. We could easily loose 50% or more of our local tourist oriented businesses this summer. Ta king restaurants , lodging, vacation home art, vacation trinket sales, and transportation into account. Our local bike shops are open, and maybe 20% of the restaurants are open for take out. That’s it.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > PartyPooper2012 04/15/2020 at 11:42

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Be realistic. You will still be treated like a 3rd class customer if you buy a 3rd class seat. 

For Sweden > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 11:45

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The real shock will come when the few people who do come to visit try to seek help at the Polson IHS hospital.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > ttyymmnn 04/15/2020 at 11:45

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Yeah, now that our corporate overloads have realized we can do online meetings I see less face-to-face meetings except for sales.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish 04/15/2020 at 11:47

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Alaska had all but stopped flying the Dash-8 last fall for the E-175's, now the Dash-8's are back in the mix as they are the least costly plane to fly in their inventory.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 04/15/2020 at 11:47

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Alaska/Horizon had all but stopped flying the Dash-8 last fall for the E-175's, now the Dash-8's are back in the mix as they are the least costly plane to fly in their inventory.

ttyymmnn > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 11:50

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SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 11:50

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Alaska has started to do the same “Milk Run” thing in and out of Santa Barbara— with a stopover in San Luis Obispo on the way down to SoCal.

I’ve figured that the majors would draw straws as to who had to keep flying “essential” empty planes around and who got to shut down. And, neither path is easy.

I can’t fathom flying at this point. I have two “must do” east coast trips coming up— and have resigned myself to driving rather than get on a plane and mass transit.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > fintail 04/15/2020 at 11:51

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The “Californians” showed up to their second home (next door to my house) on March 21, they are still here 3 weeks later and I don’t see them leaving any day soon. 

WilliamsSW > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 11:52

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Living close to KORD and even closer to KMDW, I can confirm. I have lived almost my whole life near busy airports, and it’s eerie how quiet it is outside. I’ll be outside for an hour and maybe 3 aircraft will pass overhead. On a normal day, 1-2 per minute is pretty common.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > For Sweden 04/15/2020 at 11:54

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The flathead has 35 confirmed cases of COVID-19, not sure how many in the hospital but I think we collectively have about 30 ICU beds in the Valley. The hos pital just furloughed 600 employees due to lack of revenue from basically shutting down and doing nothing but ER and like 5 in the hospital with COVID-19.

Thomas Donohue > ttyymmnn 04/15/2020 at 11:55

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Fall 2020:

Your vendor comes to your office and tries to shake your hand.

“Haven’t you ever heard of video conferencing???? Don’t touch me. You’re Fired!!!”

Thomas Donohue > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 11:59

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I realize this map is way less dense than it normally is, but damn if there still aren’t a shitload of flights in progress.

Cargo planes, whatever is left of commercial hub travel, etc.....but I’m curious what percentage of these flights are private/charter?   Anyone have full access to that info?

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish 04/15/2020 at 12:02

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IMO being the smallest “major” airline Alaska may actually have the flexibility to do milk runs. They also have the right mix of planes, owning the smaller planes through H orizon and then the 737/A320's for longer flights.

My bird IS the word > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 12:14

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The remaining 5% is all the chemtrail planes

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 12:32

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MANY years ago United used to do those between SEA and DEN, with stops in Pasco, Boise, Salt Lake— using 727s. This virus may completely signal the end of “hub-and-spoke”, and thus SWA might be in OK shape.

I see DL, AA and UA as being completely ill-suited to this.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish 04/15/2020 at 12:35

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I remember doing a NW airlines flights stopping in great falls on it’s way to denver then san jose. It was a 727, man those things accelerated hard .

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 12:37

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I still like a 757-200, light load, cool evening at sea level.  That thing is a rocket ship compared to the modern NG stretched 737s.

fintail > For Sweden 04/15/2020 at 13:06

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I am sure they can hire a helicopter and be airlifted, especially with the new bailouts.

fintail > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 13:06

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Just hoovering up local resources.  Go cough on them :)

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > fintail 04/15/2020 at 13:10

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They have a snow removal service that plows part of my driveway, I don’t hate them. They are better than the previous owners who lived here year round. They previous owners had barking dogs and didn’t plow the end of the driveway at all. 

fintail > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 13:15

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Th e best Californicators - (mostly) absentees.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/15/2020 at 13:40

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Two of my pals who I flew charters with years ago now fly for JB, and their schedules have been cut . The guy in the Embraer isn’t doing too badly but the guy in the Bus is flying half as much as before all this. 

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 04/15/2020 at 13:46

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The E-175's that they are running on smaller routes are quite nice. I call them a mini 737.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > For Sweden 04/15/2020 at 21:33

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On NECN a mayor in Vermont was saying how, their area typically empty end of ski season to Me morial day, no w had every AirBnB booked for the next 3 months. They were pleading with people to please go home.

‘you just left a former warzone, for an active one” 

pip bip - choose Corrour > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/16/2020 at 06:53

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https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6724176/canberra-airport-terminal-closed-for-two-days-as-no-flights-scheduled/