I just noticed on the radar screen this Continental 777 flying from Bush Intercontinental to Heathrow. It’s a regular CO route, but this one doesn’t seem to be a regularly scheduled flight.
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/COA1971/history/20091221/1700Z/KIAH/EGLL
Could it be an extra added for the Christmas holidays, or is Continental changing some route numbers and this is the first in a new series?
1971 is not shown in their schedule nor is 1970 or 1972 as a return flight. It could be either an extra flight, a charter, or one that was added when it was thought BA would be on strike.
edit: looking further, this flight will arrive in London a little after 2AM, certainly not on a regular schedule.
Unlike other major airlines in the USA, Continental uses 19xx flight numbers for charters and extra sections.
Always look at the flight history for flights like this. You’ll notice for 1971 the previous flights were on 18 Dec from MCO to IAH and 22 Nov from FRA (EDDF) to EWR. In other words, no patterns to the flights. This is quite often a sign that the flight is a non-scheduled flight.
Most of the time it is COA flight 4. But this one is ain’t scheduled…
Came back this morning as COA1970
flightaware.com/live/flight/COA1970
There is also alot of charters from MCO to PTY 12-21, 22, 23, 24
COA1920 MCO-PTY 0600-0916 SKLD BLK - 196
COA1921 PTY-MCO 1013-1333 SKLD BLK - 200
COA1922 MCO-PTY 1448-1812 SKLD BLK - 204
COA1923 PTY-MCO 2020-2335 SKLD BLK - 195
Permalink to the flight:
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/COA1970/history/20091222/0823Z/EGLL/KIAH
Where is PTY?
I’m not sure… I tried KPTY, CPTY, EPTY and PPTY. But I couldn’t find nothing…?
Help damiross…
Panama City, Panama
Thank ya…