2 UA 747 at remote park today at 1100am.

[Quickstatus]

There were 2 UA 747 today at 1100hrs at Sydney airport remote park today.

Does anyone know why there are 2 in sydney. At the same time the MEL bound UA747 had already arrived in MEL and does not depart for SYD until 1330.

 

[Mwenenzi]

The UA B747's keep breaking down. Due to curfews & crew hours they are limited to when they fly. At times they appear to fly(ferry) an empty B747 (no pax) LAX-SYD to pick up the schedule, so have 1 extra in Australia. Dedicated thread on FT here:- Consolidated "United SYD/MEL Flight Delays or Cancellations" Thread [2014]

 

[BAM1748]

As a side, it has been known for UA to use one of the spares to take patients from Randwick Childrens Hospital for a ride to Melbourne and back as a fun thing to do. (while I use BAM1748 to take them out at Christmas)

Matt

 

[Mwenenzi]

From the FT thread

Yup, UA870 on Tuesday takes the aircraft from UA1758 (10am departure from LAX on Monday after a ferry flight from SFO) making apparently an immediate turn back to SFO at 9pm-ish. The UA840 on Tuesday is scheduled as an on-time departure, taking the UA863 plane doing the MEL run. Happy to see no cancellations downstream of Sunday's UA839.. They've got this game down pat, so much practice...

Isn't there still an extra 747 in syd from cancelled syd - sfo on 1/17/14? Has that aircraft returned to service yet?