any airlines still use jets for short hops?

#1

I’m remembering the old days when lots of time you could
hop a big jet (say like a DC8 or 747 from San Diego to lax
(I remmeber I think it was United had 747 that I think Operated
from San to lax, then I think it went onto HNL from lax.
I also remember flying DL (DC8) to San and national airlines
then also speaking of even smaller hops I even remember the time
CO had this milk run LAX-ONT- BUR then I think it flew to
San Jose Or Portland (I flew the Lax-Bur portion once)
then I tried out AS LGB-BUR with a connection in ONT…
I aslo flew on a UA 737 to Vis and on the return flight
it was VIS-Bakersfield, lax.

#2

Now, if there are any large jet short hop flights, they are positioning flights.

#3

The best I can think of is UA with their B772’s SFO-SEA and SEA-DEN.

#4

USAirways #1776 from DCA to PHL is a 733. 119 miles as the crow flies, and it takes all of 18 minutes. Cost is $129 each way (3 weeks in advance with Saturday night stay).

My first flight on a jet airliner was from IAD to PHL about 30 years ago (before airline deregulation). Flew an L-1011 up there and a 707 coming back (3 hours later). Cost was $51 each way. I saved my paper route money for 3 months just to ride the plane! :smiley:

Even better is USAirways #753 a 734 from BWI to PHL - 90 miles.
USAirways #762 a 733 from BWI to PHL

There are also hourly shuttle flights flown by many airlines between DCA and LGA, and BOS and LGA, but those flights are much longer - about 200 miles and take about 30 minutes!

#5

Southwest: RSW/MCO (their shortest route), HOU/AUS, HOU/SAT
Aloha and Hawaiian: HNL/LIH, HNL/OGG

#6

Delta flew 757s between Birmingham and Atlanta a few years ago.

#7

I belive UA used a jet for flights from SFO to Montery california

#8

They’re now using MD-88s on that 138 mile route.

Also:
ORD to IND - 159 miles
DTW to CLE - 91 miles
MEM to BNA - 197 Miles
TPA to MIA - 203 miles
TUS to PHX - 114 miles
LAX to LAS - 233 miles
STL to MCI - 235 miles

#9

Those flights are great! It almost always gives you a nice tour of extreme SW Jersey before landing to the south at PHL.

You barely have time to get settled in your seat with the back reclined before the Capt. is beginning his approach. But even this very short flight can wind up racetracking over eastern PA or the lower Delaware Bay in the summer due to thunderstorm activity.

#10

[quote=“JHEM”]

#762 sustained cruising altitude of 9,000 feet for all of FOUR whole minutes!!

#11

I’ve probably taken that flight or a similar one 50 times over the years and I’d bet even money that none of them got over 10K feet just based on the input from my MK-1 eyeball.

#12

Staying under 10k may be to avoid a pressurization cycle on the airframe.

#13

Good point Mark.

#14

SWA used to have a PVD/ISP flight, about 118 miles, not sure when they did away with that.

When flying on Aloha from HNL to OOG it was funny to hear the pilot say the flying time would be 18 min.

#15

Is there an entry on any aircraft logs to differentiate between a pressurization cycle and a takeoff/landing cycle?

I’m guessing the FMC calculates that it’s not worth it to climb any higher for fuel conservation. Back in the day, when I flew from IAD to PHL, I’d swear that the pilot told us our cruise was FL280 - but then that wouldn’t be right because that’s the wrong altitude for an eastbound flight.

Can any experienced pilots take a stab at what altitude this was taken from. I’m pretty sure the roadway would be I-95.

#16

Based on the very fine print on the I-95 exit sign, the altitude would be 31,530 feet.

Also, in the days before KDFW was built, American flew a large plane between Dallas Love and Ft. Worth Great Southwest, about 25 miles apart. The flight originated in Houston and terminated in Denver.

#17

KRDU - KCLT: 112 miles. US Air uses 733’s/734’s and A319s for the 30-45 minute trip, depending on runway configs.

#18

I would guess it’s somewhere between 12 and 15 thousand.

#19

UPS flies a 752 from Ft.Lauderdale to Miami. Its about three minutes.

#20

9:15pm Depart Vancouver BC CA (YVR)
Arrive Victoria BC CA (YYJ) 9:48pm Air Canada 287
0h33m Meal Codes: S
319
M,Tu,W,Th,Su

(34 nm)