If both airlines are flying the Boeing 777s will they be the exact same? Of course maint. makes a difference, but being failry new planes.
Just wondering, right now Ethopian air lines is $1000 dollars cheaper per ticket than delta. And theres no overnight stay to pay for either.

Stand to save about $2,300 right now

Different airlines might configure the same plane differently.

In fact, the same airline might have the same model plane configured differently to service different markets.

More seats may be packed into coach, configured with fewer lavatories, less crew/galley space, etc. But it's hard to imagine the difference in two 777's being worth $2,300.

quote:

Originally posted by Thunder Head:
If both airlines are flying the Boeing 777s will they be the exact same? Of course maint. makes a difference, but being failry new planes.
Just wondering, right now Ethopian air lines is $1000 dollars cheaper per ticket than delta. And theres no overnight stay to pay for either.

Stand to save about $2,300 right now

Thunder Head, I flew Ethiopian last May to Zambia and didn't notice that much of a difference in configuration in coach from Delta. I flew it in order to save about $800 to $1,000 if I remember correctly. It was a long trip for someone who is use to flying non-stop to J'berg and then onward the next day. I had to change planes in Charlotte, Dulles and Addis Ababa and then a stopover in Harare. On the way home it was pretty much the same along with a stopover in Rome. My luggage and gun made it, but I was nervous the whole time.

I will think twice before flying Ethiopian again with guns. Not because of the connections but because on the way to Zambia they warned me that my guns might not be transported to my final destination without a Zambian firearms permit and my PH had it waiting for me in Zambia. No one caught it when the gun was transferred on the way there. However, on the way back, in Addis Ababa I was pulled out by the police just before boarding and they insisted on inspecting my gun and my now expired Zambian firearms license. No one could explain what the problem was and they kept me down there for 30 to 45 minutes. When I was surrounded by airport security and the police in the bowels of the airport, I was afraid I was never going to see that gun again and was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to make my flight. At the last minute a superior approved the transfer of my gun onto the US bound plane and I made my flight. Barely, the doors closed behind me. For the most part, everyone was friendly, but I'm not sure I want to go through that again.

If you haven't already done so, give Steve Turner a call and see if he can get you some better prices.

Good luck,

George

Well, here is one thing I can tell you:

My grandfather was one of the vice-presidents of Pan Am and was in charge of the maintenance at the Miami hub. His golden rule on flying was always take either a major first world airline (BA, Delta, etc.) or the absolute smallest airline (Air Bangladesh, Air Namibia, et. al.)

The reason is that the big airlines do all thier own maintenance. The little guys cant afford their own certified techs and pay the big guys to do it for them. He said the scary planes were the ones in the middle band where they could just about afford to do it themselves (Al Italia, Air Mexico, etc.)

His only "verbotten" airline?? Aeroflot!

I think he probably knew what he was talking about so I still stick his maxim even though he has been gone these many years...

Thunder head,

Check seatguru.com for airplane configurations by airline.

George

George,
Do you feel like the confusion was with the airlines rules for traveling with guns. Or was it confusion over Zambias rules?

I was looking at the prices for Ethopian air lines and it does not look like there is any savings using them to fly to Joberg. I am flying out 6/23 on Delta out of Atlanta and the cost is $2,500. The same day on Ethopian out of Dulles is $2,202, then add the cost for me to get to Dulles and they would be about the same.

quote:

Originally posted by Thunder Head:
George,
Do you feel like the confusion was with the airlines rules for traveling with guns. Or was it confusion over Zambias rules?

The confusion was with the Airline rules. If you chose to fly Ethiopian, be sure you have you Zim firearm permit in advance. If that is not possible be sure you have copies of everything including the permiting process, and have a loaner waiting just in case.

quote:

Originally posted by David Culpepper:
I was looking at the prices for Ethopian air lines and it does not look like there is any savings using them to fly to Joberg. I am flying out 6/23 on Delta out of Atlanta and the cost is $2,500. The same day on Ethopian out of Dulles is $2,202, then add the cost for me to get to Dulles and they would be about the same.

To give you an example of how cheap Ethiopian can be, I flew round trip to Lusaka from Atlanta last may for about $1,500. This included my cost to get to Dulles and back.

David,
I guess it has alot to do with the date. Leaving from atlanta to Harare in the middle of august. $1,981
Atl to JNB ovenight than on th Harare, $3,115 total. Offhand im not even sure that quote included overnight stay.

quote:

The reason is that the big airlines do all thier own maintenance. The little guys cant afford their own certified techs and pay the big guys to do it for them. He said the scary planes were the ones in the middle band where they could just about afford to do it themselves

With all due respect this is seriously dated information. Ten years ago your statement would have been right on the money. However the last U.S. airline to do all of their in house maintenance was American Airlines and that to will be a thing of the past, their bankruptcy will assure that.

Nearly all of the major 1st world airlines are doing their heavy checks in China or South America or at cut rate facilities her in the U.S. now. It's not that they can't afford to do it in house in fact at some point they are going to find out how expensive it is not to do it that way. But for the moment it's all about maximizing management bonuses and other perks. Welcome to our brave new world.