Oh, Ethiopian Airways, why you gotta do me like that?!
Ethiopian Airways is infamous for airplane swaps
There’s not a worldwide airline on the planet that extra steadily swaps planes than Ethiopian Airways. That’s to say that that once you e book, your flight will present as being scheduled to be operated by one kind of plane, after which once you really journey, it might be a very totally different kind of plane.
There are in fact all types of respectable causes airways must swap the plane kind on a flight — generally there are irregular operations, generally demand has shifted considerably, and many others. Nonetheless, the frequency with which Ethiopian swaps planes is on a very totally different stage. And that claims nothing of the inconsistent enterprise class product even inside every fleet kind.
A few days in the past, I shared how I’m headed to Africa, in my quest to fly Ethiopian Airways’ model new Airbus A350-1000. I booked an itinerary the place the primary section was purported to be operated by a Boeing 787-9, and the second section was purported to be operated by an Airbus A350-1000.
Now I obtained my on-line check-in invitation, and my seats on each flights have modified. In fact we all know what meaning — there have been plane swaps! Now each of my flights are scheduled to be operated by Airbus A350-900s, each within the outdated configuration.
Grrrr! Okay, admittedly I care far more about plane sorts than the typical particular person, since I’m reviewing these flights. Heck, I is perhaps the one particular person onboard who really cares about which airplane operates these routes.
If there’s any silver lining, it’s that my flights haven’t departed but. For all I do know, there is perhaps one other airplane swap — perhaps I’ll get a Boeing 737 MAX on one flight, and perhaps Ethiopian Airways will convey a Boeing 707 out of my retirement for my second flight. Who is aware of. 😉
I don’t perceive why that is so frequent, although?!
Does anybody perceive why Ethiopian Airways swaps planes so usually, whereas just about no different airline on the planet does it to this stage? Like I stated, airplane swaps occur on occasion for respectable causes, however I simply don’t get what Ethiopian has to achieve with this. A number of theories and questions:
- Is Ethiopian Airways simply actually the very best airline on the planet at matching capability to demand, by always optimizing the plane it schedules on flights?
- Does Ethiopian Airways have the world’s least or most advanced fleet planning software program? Fleet planning is a puzzle beneath the very best of circumstances, not to mention once you’re switching round your flights always
- I assume flight attendants are skilled on all plane, however isn’t it logistically difficult for pilots, who’re sometimes solely rated on one kind of plane? I do know numerous Ethiopian pilots are ex-pats they usually work a sure variety of days after which go dwelling, so do they only sit round in Addis Ababa and discover out on brief discover the place they’ll fly, or…?
- Doesn’t this ever trigger operational points at airports, like if a 737 is initially scheduled, after which a a lot bigger airplane is swapped in? Or is the airline actually good at taking these components under consideration?
The truth that Ethiopian is in a league of its personal in the case of airplane swaps makes me surprise if the service’s technique is totally illogical, or if the Star Alliance airline has found out an optimization technique that no different airline has.
Backside line
Ethiopian Airways is infamous for airplane swaps, and sadly I’ve been ETed for my upcoming itinerary. I booked simply a few days in the past, in hopes of flying the 787-9 and A350-1000. As an alternative I’m now scheduled to fly two segments on the A350-900, each with the outdated configuration.
I’ve identified it is a frequent challenge, I’m simply undecided I perceive why that is such a standard drawback with the airline, when just about each different airline on earth doesn’t take this method.
Can anybody present any insights as to why Ethiopian Airways so steadily has airplane swaps? Is the airline forward of its friends with its technique, or only a mess?
Supply hyperlink
