There are few things in life I love more than random, one-off flights. For example, I had booked myself on a mysterious Qatar Airways A350 flight before the inaugural flight even occurred, which they apparently never intended to sell. Unfortunately that didn’t end all that well for me. But I had fun nonetheless!
Here’s an equally puzzling, though perhaps not quite as exciting, flight.
Air Tahiti Nui seems to be running a one off flight from Dallas to Papeete on July 9, 2015.
It’s not unusual for airlines to have charter flights, though what makes this especially odd is that:
- The flight is wide open for bookings, and there are at least seven business class and seven economy class award seats
- I can’t actually find an Air Tahiti Nui flight to Dallas, so I’m curious how the plane gets there
Air Tahiti Nui partners with both American AAdvantage and Delta SkyMiles, so in theory you can redeem miles for that flight. While I haven’t ticketed a reservation on the flight yet, I was able to hold a business class award seat on that flight through American AAdvantage.
It’s unusual to see more than two business class award seats per Air Tahiti Nui flight, so this is a great way to fly your entire family to Tahiti… one way. 😉
Do keep in mind that even Air Tahiti Nui’s new business class product is angled, so this perhaps isn’t the most aspirational product in the world.
Still, it’s a pretty cool one-off flight, if you ask me!
Anyone have any theories as to what this flight is intended to be, or how they’re positioning the plane to Dallas?
(Tip of the hat to Tocqueville and millionmiler on FlyerTalk)
I think there are several ways that they may have positioned the plane, and I have on idea as to why they are doing the one off: to sample the market because they may begin a new route if the turnout is good.
They probably positioned the plane there: A. From one of their u.s destinations. B. As a charter from Tahiti and a regular flight back. C. They flew the damn thing all the way from tahiti.
Lucky -
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/THT1181
Shows activity between LAX & DFW
This isn't the only ghost flight I have seen. I recently booked a trip to PPT and came across this same thing. A flight with 7 business class seats. I even called AA and they could it see it too.
Not sure what it means but the flights I saw were from LAX to PPT.
@laptoptravel That's just a perfectly ordinary AA flight with a TN codeshare for connecting passengers.
@Mike -
I am suggesting that Air Tahiti Nui may be loaning that metal for one segment for their partner AAL
@laptoptravel - That's an AA codeshare. TN doesn't fly A321s.
@Lucky - I think this is the same thing as Qatar. Doesn't seem there are any fares loaded for this flight, but since inventory is open so are awards and those fares are airlines determined. Might be fun for you to book to see what happens.
Maybe it was in the US for some sort of maintenance?
@laptoptravel That doesn't mean anything. You can't "loan metal" like that, and there's no AA number attached to this flight.
I wonder if TN is due to take delivery and this is the route it's taking from Toulouse where it's made?
Maybe to film a Lost spinoff?
@PainCorp it's and A343 so I don't think the plane was delivered new from Airbus.
Book it Lucky! Excited to see how this works out.
Lucky, where do you look for availability of award seats other than Expertflyer?
@ KG -- For Air Tahiti Nui? That's the only good place to search that I know of.
@Chitown - Touche, missed that. I know the had an aircraft damaged recently, but it was in NAN.
Ben -
Do you think maybe that they just put that flight up to show intention to operate the service in connection with their application to the FAA re: code-sharing (although the agreement doesn't say anything about DFW-PPT)?
http://airlineinfo.com/ostpdf92/918.pdf
I wouldn't book any nonrefundable hotels if you decide to book that flight, though...
Greg
nonstop return PPT-DFW is available on 21st July
Spent all my miles, no visa, and their paid business class rate is outrageous....
My guess is that some sort of charter is arriving in Dallas on the 9th and those passengers head back to wherever they came from on the 21st. In the mean time, the aircraft needs to get back to Tahiti, so they might as well sell the seats. TN is allowed to fly from the US to mainland France and charters between the 2 are very common that time of year.
It's definitely loaded in the gds both ways. Tn operated and marketed, no codeshares. My guess is there's some sort occasion its catering to like the recent qf flights per-saw for Anzac day. It quotes up no worries in L class at $2657 (Aud) or $6821 in Z (business). It's an a340 so no controversy there.
I put 3 tickets on hold using miles through AA. Didnt have enough miles to book the 4th so trying to buy through ATN. The agent cannot confirm this flight so she is going to call me back after she talks to her manager. More to come...
Just heard back from Air Tahiti. Its a special Charter flight and no paid or award tickets are allowed. They are going to cancel my current award tickets.
This could be the other "half" of a charter to/from a cruise ... there may be another errant leg in the opposite direction a week or two earlier/leter
I just saw the A340 sitting at the Dgates at DFW wishing so much that I was getting on it !!! Looked great in their paint sheme with the sunset behind it
My friend is on that flight. There is apparently a group of 40 families from Dallas going to Tahiti!