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Author Topic: Top U.S. Carriers  (Read 68258 times)

Offline american2492

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Top U.S. Carriers
« on: April 21, 2009, 23:53:23 UTC »
Most of us here on this forum are pilots and others are aviation enthusiasts. Whatever the case, most of us have more experience than the general public. What in your opinions, through the economic crisis, has stayed on top as the "U.S. Flagship Carrier" In terms of appearance, timeliness, and equipment. So basically my question is.... If you had to pick 1 carrier to represent the U.S..... who would it be? Whether it be American, Delta-Northwest, United, Continental, Southwest... etc... In your opinion... who is the best?

cheers,

Austin
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Offline american2492

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2009, 23:57:50 UTC »
AA all the way!
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Offline joeyb747

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2009, 00:48:06 UTC »
I would put in a vote for United. Quietly getting the job done in there sweet new colors!  8-)

American is a great airline, but they have had a few setbacks...see the other threads about the AA 757 and two MD-80s losing engines...not to mention the one that was hit by lightning!  :wink:

All that aside, American would get my vote for "Most Recognizable Flag Carrier".
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Offline american2492

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2009, 01:02:23 UTC »
After all your picture is of Trans World so you've got to have some love for AA... they have all your planes!
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Offline mhawke

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2009, 01:46:53 UTC »
Despite being a premier executive on United for a number of years.  I still have to say American.  Always liked flying them the best.

The brushed aluminum planes with sleek paint is very recognizable and eye catching.

From pure standpoint of on-time, cost, etc, I would say Southwest.  However I still depise being treated like cattle.

Just the humble opinions of a frequent flyer, not a pilot or controller.

Problem is, the out of US flags carriers still outdue the US flag carriers in customer service everyday.
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Offline joeyb747

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2009, 02:31:47 UTC »
Quote from: american2492 on April 22, 2009, 01:02:23 UTC
After all your picture is of Trans World so you've got to have some love for AA... they have all your planes!

Well, some of them!  :wink: 

The only aircraft American had long term plans of keeping were the 757s, 767s, and MD-80s. The B717s were returned to Boeing. The 727s and 747s were retired. The L-1011 fleet went to the desert. The DC-9 fleet was also sold off.

I clearly remember the day when I saw the first TWA 757 in American trim with TWA titles and that little slogan near the boarding door..."An American Airlines Company"... :cry:  Here is B757-231 N708TW (cn 28480/750). See below...

http://www.airliners.net/photo/TWA-Airlines-(American/Boeing-757-231/0213845/L/&tbl=&photo_nr=1&sok=&sort=&prev_id=0218963&next_id=0200640

This aircraft is not even with American anymore. She was sold to Trans Meridian, operated in the "Funjet Vacations" livery, then sold to Ethiopian Airlines and re-registered ET-ALY, she flys for Ethiopian to this day.

Sad to see TWA go. I feel the same way about the Delta/Northwest merger. Sad to see NWA, a pioneer in the aviation world, disappear from sight, especially for a native Detroiter.

...by the way...Go Redwings! 8-)
« Last Edit: April 22, 2009, 02:36:48 UTC by joeyb747 »
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Offline joeyb747

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2009, 13:20:36 UTC »
We could take this another way if people want to...

In your opinion..."Greatest U.S. Flag Carrier OF ALL TIME"...that opens the list up just a bit!
So who would it be? TWA, Pan Am, Eastern, Braniff, PSA, Piedmont, Northeast?

I would say I'm torn between TWA and Pan Am...
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Offline american2492

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2009, 16:54:56 UTC »
Also..... AA leased several acquired TWA 757-232's to Delta. I think there were 11 of them.... not sure though
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Offline joeyb747

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2009, 18:22:27 UTC »
Quote from: american2492 on April 22, 2009, 16:54:56 UTC
Also..... AA leased several acquired TWA 757-232's to Delta. I think there were 11 of them.... not sure though

I think you are correct. The issue was that the B757s aquired from TWA were equipd with P&W 2037 powerplants, while all of Americans' 757 fleet have RR RB211 powerplants. TWAs 767 fleet also was powered by P&W engines.

American retained all of TWAs MD-80 fleet (103 birds if I am correct), all thou some of them were placed in storage.

 
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Offline american2492

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2009, 18:54:55 UTC »
Did they start replacing the TWA or AA Md-80s with the 738s... do you know?
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Offline joeyb747

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2009, 19:19:50 UTC »
Quote from: american2492 on April 22, 2009, 18:54:55 UTC
Did they start replacing the TWA or AA Md-80s with the 738s... do you know?

The MD-80 is still a staple in the American fleet. The B737-800 is a replacement for the aging 727 fleet. American began was utilizing the B737-800 in 2001, seen here, in an awesome "Astrojet" scheme, is N951AA at CYUL in May 2001.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/American-Airlines/Boeing-737-823/0168550/L/&tbl=&photo_nr=6&sok=&sort=&prev_id=0288123&next_id=0203828

Final B727-200 flight was on 04-30-01 from KTPA to KMIA. Here is a pic of B727-223 ADV N864AA, the aircraft that performed the final pax flight, doing a fly-by.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/American-Airlines/Boeing-727-223-Adv/0235656/L/&tbl=&photo_nr=10&sok=&sort=&prev_id=0434653&next_id=0221374

And, just to prove my point, here is EX-TWA MD-83 N979TW performing passenger service into KLAX on 02-14-09! Happy Valentines Day Old Girl!  :-D

http://www.airliners.net/photo/American-Airlines/McDonnell-Douglas-MD-83/1513354/L/&tbl=&photo_nr=3&sok=&sort=&prev_id=1514383&next_id=1513015

Here she is in TWA trim...I miss TWA... :cry:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Trans-World-Airlines/McDonnell-Douglas-MD-83/0134479/L/&tbl=&photo_nr=7&sok=&sort=&prev_id=0259921&next_id=0106907
« Last Edit: April 22, 2009, 19:23:16 UTC by joeyb747 »
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Offline american2492

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #11 on: April 23, 2009, 01:15:16 UTC »
Ill tell you what.... the MD-80 is a great looking bird. Why didnt united acquire any of them.... i know they were a major customer of the 727
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Offline joeyb747

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #12 on: April 23, 2009, 01:53:55 UTC »
Quote from: american2492 on April 23, 2009, 01:15:16 UTC
Ill tell you what.... the MD-80 is a great looking bird. Why didnt united acquire any of them.... i know they were a major customer of the 727

Are you referring to United picking up B737-800s?? If so, they have not up to this point. United operates a fleet of B737-322s and B737-522s. That is the extent of the B737 fleet at UAL. They also have a large B757 fleet. But their replacement for there retiring B727 fleet is the Airbus A319 and A320 family of aircraft.

Or is your question about United picking up TWAs' MD-80s? The MD-80/DC-9 families never fit well with UAL and their existing fleet. The only modern Douglas products to wear a United uniform is the DC-8 and DC-10 families. As far as props go, UAL did operate DC-2s, DC-3s, DC-4s DC-6s and DC-7s. After the DC-8, United became a major Boeing Coustomer, having operated the B727, B737, B747, B757, B767, and B777 at one point or another, like iI said, the lone exception being the DC-10. I think you may be able to get United to buy a DC-9...if you put in in a B717 box!  :wink:

If you are asking why United didn't pick up any of Americans B727s...well that's simple! They were already in the process of getting rid of their own!  :wink:  :-D 
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Offline american2492

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #13 on: April 23, 2009, 10:52:10 UTC »
No I meant at the time AA and United were the largest carriers. I know that AA replaced its 727 fleet with the MD-80... .What did united replace its 727s with?
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Offline cessna157

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #14 on: April 23, 2009, 11:06:34 UTC »
<deleted>
« Last Edit: April 23, 2009, 11:08:48 UTC by cessna157 »
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Offline cessna157

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #15 on: April 23, 2009, 11:10:57 UTC »
Quote from: joeyb747 on April 22, 2009, 13:20:36 UTC
In your opinion..."Greatest U.S. Flag Carrier OF ALL TIME"...that opens the list up just a bit!
So who would it be? TWA, Pan Am, Eastern, Braniff, PSA, Piedmont, Northeast?

I would say I'm torn between TWA and Pan Am...



When you say "Flag Carrier", which definition do you mean?  Usually, "Flag Carrier" is an airline that is state owned.  This would never be the case of any US based airlines (other than military carriers).


Do you mean internationally flying airlines?
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Offline american2492

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #16 on: April 23, 2009, 14:13:53 UTC »
No the question I am intending is if.... We had to have a U.S. "flag carrier" a national represented airline who would it be? Essentially who would be the British Airways of the U.S.?
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Offline cessna157

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #17 on: April 23, 2009, 20:21:14 UTC »
Ahhhh, okay, we're on the same frequency now.


Well, then the answer is an easy one.  Comair, of course!     :-D
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Offline american2492

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #18 on: April 23, 2009, 21:52:18 UTC »
Hmmm as pretty as that cr9 i see at ohare everytime I am there is.... They dont even have any planes that could fly overseas haha
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Offline joeyb747

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #19 on: April 23, 2009, 22:39:02 UTC »
Quote from: american2492 on April 23, 2009, 10:52:10 UTC
No I meant at the time AA and United were the largest carriers. I know that AA replaced its 727 fleet with the MD-80... .What did united replace its 727s with?

United replaced it's B727s the A319/A320...

And American was operating the MD-80 LONG before it retired the B727...
They replaced the B727 with the B737-800...
« Last Edit: April 23, 2009, 23:07:01 UTC by joeyb747 »
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Offline joeyb747

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #20 on: April 23, 2009, 22:44:17 UTC »
Quote from: cessna157 on April 23, 2009, 20:21:14 UTC
Ahhhh, okay, we're on the same frequency now.


Well, then the answer is an easy one.  Comair, of course!     :-D

 :-D Agreed!

Maybe I should have worded that differently...how about "Greatest U.S. Based Airline Of All Time":

I would still say Pan Am or TWA.  8-)
« Last Edit: April 23, 2009, 23:01:59 UTC by joeyb747 »
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Offline american2492

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #21 on: April 24, 2009, 00:53:38 UTC »
I am sad to say I never got to fly on Pan Am.... the stories I hear are amazing though. Its like there was so much pride when you were able to say... ya i work for pan am
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Offline cessna157

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #22 on: April 24, 2009, 00:59:37 UTC »
Quote from: american2492 on April 24, 2009, 00:53:38 UTC
I am sad to say I never got to fly on Pan Am.... the stories I hear are amazing though. Its like there was so much pride when you were able to say... ya i work for pan am

Call me sentimental, but I flew out of the JFK Pan Am saucer on almost a daily basis, and I just couldn't help but to think of the history of the place where my jet was parked.
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Offline american2492

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #23 on: April 24, 2009, 01:10:19 UTC »
you flew for or on them?
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Offline cessna157

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Re: Top U.S. Carriers
« Reply #24 on: April 24, 2009, 01:19:57 UTC »
Quote from: american2492 on April 24, 2009, 01:10:19 UTC
you flew for or on them?

Neither.  My airline parks at 2 (sometimes 3) gates under the saucer right now.
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