zamim 0 Report post Posted October 2, 2016 Kuala Lumpur - Auckland should be: Kuala Lumpur - Brisbane - Auckland on a DC10. The DC-10-30 may not have enough range to cover a 11 hours flight direct to AKL. How do I know? I was a frequent traveler of this route on MH's DC-10 back then No problem operating KUL-AKL vv non-stop as I used to fly this route. After awhile it was changed to KUL-BNE-AKL vv. The best era to be a crew, if you like to travel. The frequencies are low, so the nightstops are longer. The airline was relatively small, so you know most of the crew. National prestige takes precedence over profit and loss, and being a crew was surely a glamorous job back then. Radzi, not only we knew the crew and we were very close. On certain routes we would be together for a week e.g. KUL-AKL vv or 20 days when we used to operate KUL-NRT-LAX-HNL-NRT-KUL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted October 2, 2016 No problem operating KUL-AKL vv non-stop as I used to fly this route. After awhile it was changed to KUL-BNE-AKL vv. Radzi, not only we knew the crew and we were very close. On certain routes we would be together for a week e.g. KUL-AKL vv or 20 days when we used to operate KUL-NRT-LAX-HNL-NRT-KUL. So HNL was a stop on the way back. Was that a technical stop or MH wanted to pick up extra (Japanese) pax. No problem operating KUL-AKL vv non-stop as I used to fly this route. After awhile it was changed to KUL-BNE-AKL vv. Radzi, not only we knew the crew and we were very close. On certain routes we would be together for a week e.g. KUL-AKL vv or 20 days when we used to operate KUL-NRT-LAX-HNL-NRT-KUL. Was it due to load that KUL-AKL was stopped and became KUL-BNE-AKL? I took SQ on my first ever trip from Malaysia to New Zealand. SQ was using 747-212B and 747-312 back then. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zamim 0 Report post Posted October 4, 2016 So HNL was a stop on the way back. Was that a technical stop or MH wanted to pick up extra (Japanese) pax. Was it due to load that KUL-AKL was stopped and became KUL-BNE-AKL? I took SQ on my first ever trip from Malaysia to New Zealand. SQ was using 747-212B and 747-312 back then. 1. HNL was a tech-stop 2. MH had a traffic right to carry pax from BNE-AKL vv then Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Izanee 0 Report post Posted October 4, 2016 I remember when HNL wasn't a tech stop... That was in the early 90s Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted October 4, 2016 1. HNL was a tech-stop 2. MH had a traffic right to carry pax from BNE-AKL vv then Ah, yes, I did meet a few New Zealanders on the plane heading over to BNE. Back then the international terminal was over at the current cargo apron. Literally a huge tin shed where pax will have to disembark via stairs. I remember when HNL wasn't a tech stop... That was in the early 90s Must be a good era to be a pilot during those years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Izanee 0 Report post Posted October 4, 2016 Absolutely SV Choong, that was my dream so many years ago. Imagine, once or twice weekly flights to some exotic destination like Honolulu or Zagreb, nice hotels, etc etc. Now with Emirates' multiple daily flights to many second tier cities, I'm not surprised if you fly in a 77W in the morning and are expected to fly out on the evening one! (Tongue firmly in cheek, but I'm sure I'm not too far off!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kenneth Chong WT 0 Report post Posted October 4, 2016 Even QR...DC is a 24 hour turn around... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC Tam 2 Report post Posted October 4, 2016 Absolutely SV Choong, that was my dream so many years ago. Imagine, once or twice weekly flights to some exotic destination like Honolulu or Zagreb, nice hotels, etc etc. Your 'dreams' must have oscillated much between extremes of idling away days in exotic locations and manhandling some soul's central pump organ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Izanee 0 Report post Posted October 4, 2016 (edited) Hahah, BC, manhandling someone's heart and lungs is more fun for me! Edited October 4, 2016 by Izanee Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC Tam 2 Report post Posted October 4, 2016 Yuck ! But then, to each his own Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KK Lee 5 Report post Posted October 4, 2016 In the 1990's, MH international destinations were added in the name of South-South cooperation, national interest or alleged horse riding hobby/farm of someone. During the period, LH, KL, AF, BA, UL, AA, etc were deregulated, evolving to daily non-stop, hub and spokes model with smaller capacity aircraft e.g 767, 757, 737. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JuliusWong 0 Report post Posted October 5, 2016 Thank you everyone for your contribution. I have learnt so much here! Keep it coming...keep the memories alive! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites