4 ms·

I still see quite a few flights from France to international destinations. For instance, right now AF342 - Paris - Montreal. Technically, France has been in a r

I still see quite a few flights from France to international destinations. For instance, right now AF342 - Paris - Montreal. Technically, France has been in a rather strict lockdown for a month, and all non-essential trips are strongly regulated. I really wonder who is in those planes. Canadians finally deciding to go home? Can they even make it to the airport without getting fined? And can French people even leave the Shengen area? Let say a French citizen wants to go to some country that still accept them, can they find a flight and go there somewhat legally?

t0mas88 7y ago
Some are flying mostly for the cargo they transport, so the seats aren't very full. And then indeed they would take Canadians (or Americans flying via Canada) that want to go home. Cargo is also medical equipment etc that is really necessary in other places. If you look at a flight-tracking site you'll notice Atlantic crossings starting at FL380 or even higher, for example now BA287 is at 40,000ft just coasting out in Ireland. That's not the normal altitude, typically we enter Oceanic airspace with an initial altitude of 35,000 or something similar with maximum possible (but not efficient) being 36ish.
- sleepychu 7y ago
  Is the implication that in this weight config (just cargo and empty seats) it is efficient to fly at 40,000ft?
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - Robotbeat 7y ago
    Yeah. For a given speed, a lower weight (with the same outer shape) means you need to fly at a higher altitude (where the air is less dense) to reach an optimal lift to drag ratio.
  - t0mas88 7y ago
    Yes, entering Oceanic you basically tell them: "Request track Delta, Flight level 350, Able 370, second choice track Charly" Translation: I want this route, the best altitude for me is 35,000 ft and at my current weight the maximum I can climb to is 37,000 ft. That optimum altitude is calculated by the flight management system.
Scoundreller 7y ago
Keep in mind these flights serve a lot of other routes. A French passenger may be going to somewhere else in Canada by connecting in Montreal and hoping on a WestJet flight. Since AF isn’t flying to Vancouver or Toronto anymore, whatever scraps they had are consolidated on the remaining flights. It could be mail related: Montreal has an int’l mail centre. If going from Africa to N. America, it’s typical to need to transfer in Paris/Brussels/London/Frankfurt

t0mas88 7y ago

Some are flying mostly for the cargo they transport, so the seats aren't very full. And then indeed they would take Canadians (or Americans flying via Canada) that want to go home. Cargo is also medical equipment etc that is really necessary in other places. If you look at a flight-tracking site you'll notice Atlantic crossings starting at FL380 or even higher, for example now BA287 is at 40,000ft just coasting out in Ireland. That's not the normal altitude, typically we enter Oceanic airspace with an initial altitude of 35,000 or something similar with maximum possible (but not efficient) being 36ish.

sleepychu 7y ago
Is the implication that in this weight config (just cargo and empty seats) it is efficient to fly at 40,000ft?
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- Robotbeat 7y ago
  Yeah. For a given speed, a lower weight (with the same outer shape) means you need to fly at a higher altitude (where the air is less dense) to reach an optimal lift to drag ratio.
- t0mas88 7y ago
  Yes, entering Oceanic you basically tell them: "Request track Delta, Flight level 350, Able 370, second choice track Charly" Translation: I want this route, the best altitude for me is 35,000 ft and at my current weight the maximum I can climb to is 37,000 ft. That optimum altitude is calculated by the flight management system.

Scoundreller 7y ago

Keep in mind these flights serve a lot of other routes. A French passenger may be going to somewhere else in Canada by connecting in Montreal and hoping on a WestJet flight. Since AF isn’t flying to Vancouver or Toronto anymore, whatever scraps they had are consolidated on the remaining flights. It could be mail related: Montreal has an int’l mail centre. If going from Africa to N. America, it’s typical to need to transfer in Paris/Brussels/London/Frankfurt