AS/Alaska Air move flights from MIA to FLL

[scottbee]

effective mid July, Alaska's flight from Seattle will move from MIA airport to FLL

 

starting July 16 SEA 2210-0655+1 FLL

starting July 17 FLL 0810-1125 SEA

 

 

 

splash.alaskasworld.com/Newsroom/ASNews/ASstories/AS_20120207_045122.asp

[Gardyloo]

effective mid July, Alaska's flight from Seattle will move from MIA airport to FLL

 

starting July 16 SEA 2210-0655+1 FLL

starting July 17 FLL 0810-1125 SEA

 

 

 

splash.alaskasworld.com/Newsroom/ASNews/ASstories/AS_20120207_045122.asp

 

They're also starting nonstop service to/from Philly, of potentially great interest to potential Alaska cruise pax.

 

The FLL timing puzzles me (and maybe they'll adjust it later in the year.) As it is, it really doesn't support cruise pax very well, when re-timing it a little (say a midnight departure/9 AM arrival for SEA-FLL and say a noon or 12:30 departure/4 PM arrival for FLL-SEA would allow both FLL and Miami cruise pax enough time to get to the boats/planes before/after cruises.

 

We are quite jazzed about PHL as right now the only nonstop service from SEA is on USAir. Son, DIL and new grandson are moving there in June.

[scottbee]

They're also starting nonstop service to/from Philly, of potentially great interest to potential Alaska cruise pax.

 

The FLL timing puzzles me (and maybe they'll adjust it later in the year.) As it is, it really doesn't support cruise pax very well, when re-timing it a little (say a midnight departure/9 AM arrival for SEA-FLL and say a noon or 12:30 departure/4 PM arrival for FLL-SEA would allow both FLL and Miami cruise pax enough time to get to the boats/planes before/after cruises.

 

We are quite jazzed about PHL as right now the only nonstop service from SEA is on USAir. Son, DIL and new grandson are moving there in June.

I suspect the cruise market isn't their primary business, but you're right, the timing isn't really perfect for a cruise passenger.

 

Of note, I'm pretty sure this is the longest non-stop route in the lower 48 operated by any airline. We took it (MIA-SEA) in late 2010, and there were stiff headwinds, making the flight time just over 7 hours! and they had to VDB 5 passengers in order to be able to carry enough fuel.

[Gardyloo]

I suspect the cruise market isn't their primary business, but you're right, the timing isn't really perfect for a cruise passenger.

 

Of note, I'm pretty sure this is the longest non-stop route in the lower 48 operated by any airline. We took it (MIA-SEA) in late 2010, and there were stiff headwinds, making the flight time just over 7 hours! and they had to VDB 5 passengers in order to be able to carry enough fuel.

I dunno; certainly they must be looking at O/D traffic, since connecting out of MIA is so much easier than out of FLL.

 

You're probably right; LAX-SJU on the SlAAveShip isn't a lower-48 flight. In Y, it should amount to felony assault.

[kenish]

You're probably right; LAX-SJU on the SlAAveShip isn't a lower-48 flight. In Y, it should amount to felony assault.

 

AFAIK, the longest domestic US flight (not lower 48) is EWR-HNL at 4962 miles. By comparison, MIA-SEA: 2724 LAX-SJU: 3386 and ATL-ANC: 3417 Agree that MIA-SEA is probably the longest in the lower 48 and they are all long plane rides!

[FlyerTalker]

Agree that MIA-SEA is probably the longest in the lower 48 and they are all long plane rides!

FWIW, I believe that second place is right behind (20 miles shorter) at 2704 miles -- BOS-SFO operated by three airlines, UA, VX and B6 (that's United, Virgin America and JetBlue).

[kenish]

Quirks of geography- You'd think BOS-SAN (JetBlue) would be farther than SFO. But SFO is actually farther west than SAN. Even Reno is farther west than the LA area.

 

More useless route/distance trivia: SoCal to Hawaii is the world's "longest" overwater route from the perspective of distance from alternate airports. The choices are turning back to California or continuing to Hawaii...any other terra firma is much farther.

[Gardyloo]

More useless route/distance trivia: SoCal to Hawaii is the world's "longest" overwater route from the perspective of distance from alternate airports. The choices are turning back to California or continuing to Hawaii...any other terra firma is much farther.

Really? I've done SYD-JNB or v.v. a few times and was wondering where we'd divert to halfway through the trip.

[scottbee]

Quirks of geography- You'd think BOS-SAN (JetBlue) would be farther than SFO. But SFO is actually farther west than SAN. Even Reno is farther west than the LA area.

 

More useless route/distance trivia: SoCal to Hawaii is the world's "longest" overwater route from the perspective of distance from alternate airports. The choices are turning back to California or continuing to Hawaii...any other terra firma is much farther.

 

 

And I'll 2nd the thought on the South Africa-Argentina routes being further from an alternate; and gcmap would appear to confirm that while HNL-SFO is within 180ETOPS, the south atlantic routes aren't: http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=HNL-SFO%0D%0AEZE-JNB&MS=wls&MP=r&DU=mi&E=180&EV=389&EU=kts

 

In fact, having a 2nd thought here, and Alaska-Hawaii routes have longer distances without options (compare ADQ-LIH vs MRY-ITO for the shortest Alaska-Hawaii vs California-Hawaii). ANC-OGG is served by AS/Alaska. So your divert options are ADQ on the Alaska side and LIH is probably closest on the Hawaii side

[NW Pacific]

Our email from Alaska Air was much misleading- stating it was Adding FLL, no mentinon of discontinuing MIA, figure that out. Neither flights were convenient for cruisers but direct was great from the NW!

[kenish]

ANC-HNL is 150 miles longer than SAN-HNL but the ETOPS distance is shorter on the Alaska route due to ADK being an alternate and winds being generally more favorable than westbound from California. I found the article I read, and what I missed was that SoCal-Hawaii is the most ETOPS-challenged route currently flown by 2-engine aircraft.

 

SYD-EZE is the longest overwater route but not currently flown nonstop AFAIK. SYD-JNB is next longest, but flown with 747's. Some 777's (2 engines) are capable with 330 minute ETOPS but aren't flying the route (yet). So, I stand somewhat corrected. :) Sorry, back to the regularly scheduled programming....

[scottbee]

ANC-HNL is 150 miles longer than SAN-HNL but the ETOPS distance is shorter on the Alaska route due to ADK being an alternate and winds being generally more favorable than westbound from California. I found the article I read, and what I missed was that SoCal-Hawaii is the most ETOPS-challenged route currently flown by 2-engine aircraft.

Nice try, but once you're out of SAN heading to HNL, SBA becomes your alternate, and SBA-HNL is shorter than ADQ-HNL :-)

 

This maps shows that quite nicely why SBA becomes the alternate: http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=san-hnl%0D%0Asba-hnl%0D%0Aadq-hnl&MS=wls&DU=mi

[PennyAgain]

Good grief, the way this post was headlined, I thought AS from flying from MIA to FLL.

 

That would be one of the shortest flights in the US.

[kenish]

Nice try, but once you're out of SAN heading to HNL, SBA becomes your alternate, and SBA-HNL is shorter than ADQ-HNL :-)

 

This maps shows that quite nicely why SBA becomes the alternate: http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=san-hnl%0D%0Asba-hnl%0D%0Aadq-hnl&MS=wls&DU=mi

 

As mentioned you're going straight off distance and not accounting for prevailing winds which are more severe from CA to Hawaii. That is a major factor in ETOPS.

[kenish]

Good grief, the way this post was headlined, I thought AS from flying from MIA to FLL.

 

That would be one of the shortest flights in the US.

 

Way back when, there was a MIA-FLL flight. IIRC on Eastern, National, or United. Dang that made me feel old all of a sudden! :)

[PennyAgain]

Way back when, there was a MIA-FLL flight. IIRC on Eastern, National, or United. Dang that made me feel old all of a sudden! :)

 

I seem to remember a MIA flight that made a quick stop at FLL to pick up passengers and it went on to ATL where I had to make a change of planes.

 

That was in the really early 1970's. And I feel old too!

[Zach1213]

I seem to remember a MIA flight that made a quick stop at FLL to pick up passengers and it went on to ATL where I had to make a change of planes.

 

That was in the really early 1970's. And I feel old too!

Back then, a lot of stupid, money losing routes were flown. San Francisco to Oakland was another...

[Cruise Junky]

God I wish that wasn't a red eye. What the heck are you going to do in Ft Lauderdale at 6:30 am?