Long turnaround times for 737-9 can be shortened by using more dense seating layout. Then MTOW limit will kick in and possible cargo amount will decrease, lowering the turnaround
It is indeed a bit confusing in AS with those dynamic turnarounds. An A321-200 needs 23 minutes for unloading and loading 36 units of cargo while a 737-8 needs 71 minutes for 47 units
That’s the main reason I don’t use Boeing newer generation 
It’s interesting to read about the A32x in different parts of the world and I think that the ULD loading system is more common in Europe than in the U.S for example. From working with the types I find it really amusing to see that Swiss uses the ULD system on their A319s when the rest of the Lufthansa group doesn’t.
I personally like the containers more sense it is more demandig on our body to load the bags by hand, obviously.
Yep, the containerised A319 is really quirky.
I used to be a ramp dispatcher and also prefer ULDs over bulk loading, especially if you’re handling flights with lots of cargo. Loading bulk cargo just takes ages. On the other hand things can get complicated if you get lots of gate-checked bags on a containerised aircraft…
If a passenger doesn’t make it onboard and there is need to unload his bags, then I guess containers are at disadvantage.
It depends… If you’re using a so called Baggage Reconciliation System, it’s still an advantage to have ULDs. Basically the loading staff scans each bag when it’s loaded so we can look up in a system where it’s loaded.
Now when a passenger is missing and his bag is to be searched, in a container aircraft I know exactly in which container it is loaded, so with a typical AKH/AKE you only have to search through approx. 35 bags. On an A321, even if it’s on the position furthest from the hold door, it only takes about 5 minutes to unload the containers, 5 minutes to search through the one where the bag is loaded and another 5 mins to load the container again.
On a bulk loaded aircraft, it will only say in which hold the bag has been loaded, so in worst case you’re looking for one bag out of 170 bags instead of one bag out of 35.
1 Like
I agree with you the Baggage Reconciliation System (BRS) is the best thing every, total nightmare before it came. Worst thing that I had to handle before BRS was a Corsair 747 with 18 containers onboard containing around 30-40 bags each. Took us a good amount of time before we found the bags and a hefty delay as a result.
Like you mentioned the BRS is so easy and you get the exact location of the bag and what hold/container so it cuts down the time drastically, but it still is a pain in the a$$ when we have missing passengers with bags.
It wouldn’t make much money alone, but it works for connecting traffic. Sometimes there is a choice - either pack those passengers into crowded plane, so they can connect to expensive transcontinental flight or miss out on those passengers. It is still more profitable than using a widebody for one hour flights.
1 Like