Which airline has the worst aircraft?

Back in 95, there were still lots of International carriers that still allowed smoking on their flights. Perhaps that particular seat, was just overlooked by the gound crew. Big whoop. No fault of the airline. As far as Air France goes, they are not the only airline that uses an all white or primarily white livery. JAL’s livery is primarily white, yet their planes typically are in immaculate condition, both inside and out. My cousin who was a ramp worker at LAX recently can attest to this. Even the cargo holds in their 747 classics were spotless. LH and AC planes usually seem pretty clean. QF’s planes are always clean, and I can further attest to their cleanliness as I took the SYD ramp tour, 2 747’s were being washed at QF’s 2 wash bays. As far as AF’f planes being used 18 hours of the day and don’t have enough time to be washed, yeah, so? Other airlines don’t have that kind of utilization rate?

LGKR – you must have been reading my mind. In the summer season the scheduled carriers utilisation is LESS than a charter airline and yet it is the schedules that always look tatty. The exception to this (dare I say it) is BA who seem to be washing at least one plane at gatwick every night.

i think the interiors of our lovely charter aircraft here in the UK deserve mention. cant mention the number of times ive been on a flight where the seats have been dirty or torn and the panelling and walls still stained from cigarette smoke from when smoking was still allowed on flights.

im probably going back a fair while now, but the 757 birds that were once with Eastern especially stood out in my mind when i read the post, absolutely nothing like the lovely clean and pleasant JMC757’s I’ve travelled on these past few years, simply brilliant!! 🙂

LGKR

Indeed, I am not saying that I don’t think that it matters if Air France’s aircraft are dirty, all I am stressing is that there are reasons behind dirty aircraft. Air France is a persistent offender I admit and it does not do much for a very image conscious country that is supposed to be at the forefront of lavish designs, to have a national carrier that has a disgraceful and dirty livery. You can imagine what passengers must think when they see the aircraft, it must be disasterous for the PR!

…or Lufthansa?

Lots of airlines fly to dusty destinations with white or partially white aircraft. Look for pictures of Qantas aircraft at Alice Springs!

What it surely boils down to is that AF is the worst offender amongst the “big” airlines. As for allowing Concorde to get so mucky…something is very wrong in their PR department.

Yes Mongu, my statement about the flexibility and economics of washing aircraft was rather far-fetched, however, still it would remain a factor as to why aircraft are not washed as frequently.
Nevertheless, I was only stressing the point that there are reasons for aircraft getting dirty and that every time an aircraft does a sector to a place like Dakar where it is sandy or Toronto where it is snowy, it is bound to get dirty. As long as the inside of the aircraft is clean then personally I am not vexed.

With the flexibility factor, many of Air France’s long haul aircraft are flying 18 hours a day at any time, this leaves precious little time to actually get the aircraft maintained plus also washed and so it is left in a state where, ok it may do AF’s publicity wrong, but where it is still fit to fly. With the economics, can you imagine the whole AF fleet being cleaned after every single rotation? It’s not a matter of money nor time; it’s just logical that an aircraft can’t go back in the hangar because of some stains every time it flies, it wouldn’t make sense.

Even if Air France’s aircraft are dirty they are not the only one, as some appear to believe. Have you see the dirt that sometimes is visible on a 732, a 747 or the worst culprit the TU-154? It is just a case that AF has a white livery and so dirt is more apparent as it is on Delta, Air Canada and Swiss.

Greekdude – the Air New Zealand flight I’m referring to took place in September 1995. At that time the airline allowed smoking on flights to and from Japan. The aircraft I was flying on had just landed from Tokyo and no attempt had been made to clean it. I had my last flight with Air New Zealand in 1998 so I cannot comment on what their fleet is like now.

Saab,

Some fair points. But some airlines are consistently dirty and others are not. If the fleet flexibility and expense were the reasons for infrequent cleaning, wouldn’t Ryanair or Easyjet be really filthy?

When did NZ last allow smoking on their flights? I flew them from LAX to SYD in 99 and it was a non-smoking flight. Also, were we talking about interiors here? If so, I’ve flown NZ countless times and their interiors are absolutely immaculate. Both in business and in economy. By the way Comet, how many airlines have footrests in economy? Maybe Virgin, but NZ definitely does.

I remember the old TAP (portugal) 727’s taking off from MAN in the 80’s. Tails COMPLETLY Black.

It looked terrible, but………..

They never seemed to give a Sh1T!!!!!!!!!:)

Paul

Well as my old gran used to say… “Wear white overalls all day, wear black overalls all week…”

Quite a philosopher my old gran was in her day, hated planes though ! (lol)

The A340s operate to a lot of African destinations so they are bound to get dirty with wind and sand and dust. Washing an aircraft is very expensive and airlines like to reduce costs, it is natural. What would you rather, Air France making money or losing it? You have to get many trucks etc to do the job with different materials because it is an aircraft not a car. It is probably customary to think washing an aircraft is like washing a car-it is not. They don’t just get dirt particles on them but also grease etc, which needs more than just a hose. Moreover, you can’t just go out and wash the aircraft, you have to get designated areas and also because AF have the majority of their aircraft flying over long periods, it is hard to schedule time for washing.
Personally I’m not really interested about how dirty the aircraft. I ride on buses that look dirty, I ride on trains that look dirty I even go in a car that is dirty, so why should this not imply to aircraft too? I know it is bad for the companies looks are prestige but if people understood the economics and procedures involved (especially some that govern in France), then I’m sure they would not care much for the dirt on the aircraft.
As long as the aircraft is safe, well maintained and clean inside then c’est la vie….

I know the AF ones have a reputation for not being the cleanest, but the first pic is it poissible it has just come from a sandy destination?

Nikumba

Air New Zealand – Disgusting

I once spent eight hours on an Air New Zealand Boeing 767, sharing my seat with around 300 cigarette ends and the cover from the seat in front draped over my feet. Air France has nothing on Air New Zealand, believe me!!!

Here you go, heres a pic of the AF Concorde. Look around the nose/forward fuselage section dirt is building up as it is too on the wings. And on the top of the aircraft, paint is begining to peal away.

To be fair to the KLM examples, these planes probably just spent a busy day hopping around Europe on a wet grimy day, probably after some serious snow had just thawed out. It’s the same on the roads with buses.

My mate used to clean them in the depot and insisted they all went out looking spotless in the morning, but on crappy wet wintery days, they’s be filthy within hours. Wet runways throw up the same crap as roads do I guess ?

YUCCK! What a way to start the day!

it is indeed pitty that Air France keeps its aircraft at that status. I felt sorry for that A340 on the pic A330 posted. Such a lovely aircraft, the most beautiful a/c ever seen (with the exception of Concorde – and even HER) to be treated like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just hope that they are not THAT bad when it comes to actually maintaining their aircraft otherwise it will be worrying!!!!

Actually, this is very surprising of KLM. Usually the examples I have come across throughout the years, were relatively clean. The only time I can remember actually seeing a clean AF plane, however, was circa ’99 at IAD I saw a 777 right around the time they had just taken delivery of the type. It didn’t have enough time to accumulate any grease at that stage!

No, but KLM decided if they couldn’t beat Ryanair then they’d join them!