klm312

With the start of the summer schedule KLM will operate 6 744's again, after last years schedule was operated with 5. PH-BFH will be reconfigured as a full pax. Has PH-BFH already been in the hangar for the reconfig?

As it looks for now the 6 planes will operate to the following destinations.

SFO daily
YYZ 3 weekly
JFK 3 weekly
KUL CGK 4 weekly
JNB 2 weekly
PBM 3 weekly

This seems a bit low for 6 planes. Are there any other stations planned to recieve the full pax. It seems to me that some stations as HKG, NRT, MEX, LAX ( as a compensation for the cancelled KL603/604 service) and PEK(olympics 2008) would do well with a some full pax action on several days of the week. We al know that klm also often interchanges an full pax with an combi if loads are high on some stations, which stations are often upgraded?

klm312

HB-IWC

PH-BFH is currently in the hangar undergoing a D-check, which started on February 08. The aircraft is likely to imminently return to active duty.

As for the B744 deployment, NRT sees regularly scheduled B744s on Mondays and Fridays out of AMS. As for occasional capacity increases, PEK will definitely see B744s during the Olympic Games. KLM does not often send fully loaded B744s to destinations where this aircraft is not usually deployed because of additional crew issues.

The deployment to YYZ and JNB for the summer has been a late addition to the schedules since the B747s were pulled from the underperforming AMS NBO route. Instead the A332 will be deployed there. This aircraft will be pulled from the new AMS DTW route, which will in turn see the B772ER deployed. This B772ER capacity was sourced from YYZ and JFK, which will see B744 deployed.

florin

Whoa... really? I thought the DTW route was going to be flown with the A332. So now it's the 772ER?

HB-IWC

The flight (KL617/618 AMS DTW AMS) will be launched with the A332 next Sunday and be upgraded to B772ER on June 16 for the rest of the summer schedule.

aircam

I'm surprised that SFO gets full-pax 744 during the summer season, while LAX only gets a combi. Even during the winter season, KLM offers more seats to SFO (327 seats per flight using daily 772) than LAX (280 seats per flight/daily 747 Combi). I agree and would think that LAX could support a lot more capacity. But then again, LAX does get a lot more action than SFO on AF and virtually every other carrier except UA. KLM must really need the cargo capacity for LAX.

klm312

What's the status of the PH-BFH, is it already operating in a full pax layout?
Also does it have the new WBC seats and the new colour scheme?

klm312

HB-IWC

It has not yet returned from its D-check but that should happen any day now.

klm312

When looking in the irregularities thread, I mentioned that last week many full pax flights were delayed. It almost seems that flight KL641/642 was delayed more often than that it was on time. Is this the case because PH-BFH is still in the hanger?

Also I have some questions about the deployment. I saw at the irregularities thread that last week JNB was operated with a full pax, 5 weekly. Has this been a new addition to the schedule or just some ad-hoc deployment due to high loads. Also yesterdays LAX flight saw a full pax. Is this regulary scheduled?

klm312

HB-IWC

The problems have nothing to do with the absence of PH-BFH... As it goes, the last thing I heard is that BFH will not return in full pax configuration after all. The main problem seems to be that a number of B74Es are out of action and that the summer season, with its higher utilization, has kicked in.

As such, PH-BFF, KLM's hangar queen par excellence, has broken down in Houston last week, was flown back empty to AMS and hasn't been deployed since. As we speak, also PH-BFI, PH-BFO and PH-BFS are out of action. PH-BFR has broken down in Bangkok and PH-BFV is flying behind schedule because of a serious technical issue last night in AMS.

The B744s are as such relatively overstretched. PH-BFB has broken down in Los Angeles ten days ago and was 5 days out of action for an engine change. Right now, all aircraft are flying, but the slightest technical problem is causing havoc for the operation. Last night, PH-BFG broke down and KL643 to JFK was delayed for hours. That same aircraft is today again deployed to JFK as KL641, still 3 hours behind schedule.

The relief aircraft for the day was to be PH-BFL, but it was just sent to Chicago because no other aircraft was available. PH-BFA is in the hangar right now and should fly to Jakarta later tonight, if scheduled maintenance can be completed by then. The B744s have also been deployed to Montreal last week to cover for MD11 shortages.

Babellla65

And what about HKG-AMS summer schedule

klm312

So as we speak there are only 12 74E's in action. From those one has broke down in BKK and one is flying severe behind schedule.
But are you really sure that the following planes are all in maintenance:
PH-BFF
PH-BFH
PH-BFI
PH-BFO
PH-BFS
Because yesterday I was at schiphol and I saw none of the planes standing in front or near the hangers. The only plane I saw there I saw there was PH-BFK but she returned into action later that day. Also are all those planes in the hanger because of technical issues or are there also some planes in for D-ckecks?

Could it be that KLM will not convert the PH-BFH to a full pax because it would create some overcapacity( going from 5 to 8 400+ seat aircraft in one year)?

klm312

HB-IWC

PH-BFF ended up leaving for Taipei late in the evening.

This was the B747 deployment for Sunday, April 06:

PH-BFA: from CGK/KL810 to CGK/KL809
PH-BFB: from SFO/KL606 to SFO/KL605 (delayed)
PH-BFC: from HKG/KL888 to ICN/KL865
PH-BFD: from MEX/KL686 to HKG/KL887
PH-BFE: from ORD/KL612 to MEX/KL685
PH-BFF: in maintenance at AMS since April 04 to TPE/KL877
PH-BFG: from JFK/KL644 to JFK/KL641 (delayed)
PH-BFH: in maintenance at AMS since February 08
PH-BFI: from PEK/KL898 to PEK/KL897
PH-BFK: at AMS to PVG/KL893
PH-BFL: from LAX/KL602 to ORD/KL611
PH-BFM: from ICN/KL866 to CAI/KL553
PH-BFN: from PBM/KL714 to JNB/KL591 (delayed)
PH-BFO: in maintenance at AMS since April 04
PH-BFP: from PVG/KL894 to PVG/KL895
PH-BFR: on the way to TPE/KL877, broke down at BKK
PH-BFS: in maintenance at AMS since April 05
PH-BFT: from IAH/KL662 to IAH/KL661
PH-BFU: from TPE/KL878 to maintenance
PH-BFV: on the way from CGK/KL810, broke down at KUL
PH-BFW: from PVG/KL896 to maintenance
PH-BFY: from JNB/KL592 to LAX/KL601

klm312

I just saw in an other thread that the PH-BFH has returned from an D-check but has it returned as an combi or as an full pax?

HB-IWC

It seems to be in combi layout. It went to JNB on Monday and just left for HKG right now.

jetfan

I can confirm it's still combi, I flew on it this week.