I guess this would be for flights down under which would reduce costs and increase productivity massively, especially with a full load.
What are you basing your claim on that productivity would be increased massively on?
The reason BA lose money on the Kangaroo routes is the aircraft sitting idle for hours on end down under. That won't change with the introduction of an expensive subfleet.
LHR- SYD with a commercial load is very doubtful. Doing a quick and dirty Google gives the loaded range of the A350-900 as 8100nm. The great circle route LHR-SYD is 9188nm. The 787 range at absolute max is 8800nm. Direct London Sydney at current technology looks aways off yet.
I know we shouldn't take all our information from Wikipedia but the standard distance on the A350-900 is 8100nm, an extended version would surely push towards the 10000nm? That is with a 3 class config which is more than BA or QF operates as they fly a 4 class service.
It would be I N S A N E. The only thing that keeps me sane on ultra long haul is the chance to stretch my legs or break the journey. Unless it's a matter of life and death LHR-OZ direct would be a niche market. Emirates via Dubai would become even more appealing.
BA have announced a number of changes to their current Summer 09 and their future Winter 09/10 timetable.
Changes to Summer 09 Timetable
LHR/HKG - From 01SEP09 will drop from 3 to 2 daily. BA027/028 (777 operated) cancelled through until at least 27MAR10
LHR/JNB - From 13SEP09 Will drop from 19 to 14 Weekly. BA033/34 cancelled through until at least 27MAR10. However Likely to return for Summer 2010 to coincide with 2010 World Cup being held in SA.
Changes to Winter 09/10 Timetable
For Entire Season: (25OCT09-27MAR10)
LHR/ORD - Changes from 3 to 2 Daily. BA299/298 cancelled
LHR/JFK - Changes from 7 to 6 Daily. BA173/172 cancelled
LHR/EWR - Changes from 3 to 2 Daily. BA187/186 cancelled
LHR-SEA - Changes from 10 to 7 Weekly. BA053/052 cancelled
LHR-YYZ - Changes from 1 x daily 777 and 1 x daily 767 to 2 x daily 767.
LHR-TLV - Changes from 1 x daily 777 and 1 x daily 767 to 2 x daily 767
LHR/EBB - Confirmed as increased from 3 to 5 x weekly with flights changed to a day departure ex LHR and night departure ex EBB
For Part of Winter 09/10 Season.
LHR-CPT - BA043/42 as posted earlier goes from am to pm departure ex CPT and a later departure ex LHR. Flight to be operated by a 3 class 772 (except 17DEC09 - 13JAN10 when operated by a 744).
LHR-LAX - Changes from 3 to 2 x daily from 26OCT09 to 06DEC09.
LHR-DEL - Changes to BA257/256 - From 27OCT09 - 13DEC09 Reduce from Daily to 5 weekly using a 744, then operates14DEC09 - 13JAN10 Daily on a 3 class 777. Before returning to a Daily 747 from 14JAN10
LHR- DXB - Operates 21 x Weekly 11DEC09 - 17JAN10. At all other times operates 17 x weekly. With BA105/104 (Operated by 767) dropping from daily to 3 x weekly.
I am sure more changes will follow soon.
There is one route that is to see increased frequency.
LHR-TLS - Increases from 2 to 3 daily on selected dates. Timetable also adjusted and shown below
BAladdy - if the cuts are as you say (and I have no reason to disbelieve you), it sounds like bookings must be extraordinarily weak compared to previous years. This is not taking out bits of fat, but cutting deep into muscle.
British Airways - no more food on short haul flights under 2.5 hours
Just heard on the BBC that as of next Monday BA will stop serving food on short haul flights under 2.5 hours. Surely this can't be true. What's happening in the great greenhouse of LHR??? I'm sure many people will be put off by this and travel on another European Carrier.
Another point - Are Swiss still giving out chocolate coins on their flights? Perhaps BA should look at serving chocolate gold medals in time for the Olympics in 3 years time!!!
It's no different to Iberia who have been doing this for afew years now. If you want to eat or drink you have to pay and I would imagine BA will go the same way. It won't be long before they are charging for baggage, going to the loo, etc - maybe they will morph into Ryanair
The report is largely true, but breakfast will continue to be served up to 10am on domestics and flights in bands 1, 2 and 3a (basically the short, short hauls), afterwhich its drinks, biscuits and the revolting 'skybites'.
Once upon a time BA were a full service airline. No doubt it will follow that less cabin crew needed if less in-flight service. Let's see how long it takes BA to charge for preferential seating (like SQ and QF)
The news that BA are removing the meal service after 10am could pls bmi. They still have business class on most domestic routes apart from LHR- MAN and a few regional routes. Customers in C class still get free food and drink and all the normal perks of business. BD's FQTV pax in econ get a free and sandwich and a drink. Its not a lot but its welcome.
Normal pax still have to pay for food service in econ but it will be more than what BA is offering.
For short haul the pattern has been set by the locos - minimal service for minimal price. The only companies that are really making any money or minimal losses at the moment are the same locos. If you want cheap travel - and the answer to that one is, that at the moment, that is exactly what the public wants - you get the service that goes with it. If companies like BA do not adapt to market conditions they will disappear and on the nostalgia threads in a few years there will be a thread saying "Wasn't BA a great airline it's a shame it went bust because no one was flying with them." Ultimately companies will deliver what the market will bear: the full service, high expense model is, for the next few years at least, kaput.
I remember BA trying the same for three months back in 2002/03 (maybe?) and the food service was quickly re introduced after "customer feedback".
I think we all know that BA's short haul European ops haven't made moeny in a long time but they do feed into the long haul network where the money is made. I think BA will score a massive own goal with this as really all BA is selling is its reputation and brand and this will erode that considerably. If you need a comparison just look at Iberia.
Iberia had a pretty much monopolised route network insdie Spain and throughout Europe which made good money for a number of years. When the Locos appeared on the scene Iberias idea was to cut additional services and compete head on... Something that has proved disasterous. FR and EZY are now in almost all Spanish cities and erodingf quickly IB's market share. So much so that IB is now hitting losses and had to set up a "subsidiary" low cost to combat them - Clickair.
BA, IB, LH and any other legacy carrier can't do the Aer lingus transformation, they're just too rigid in their cost base and in particular labour contracts. To my mind WW is doing the same as Fernando Conte did with IB (and indeed what WW did with Aer lingus)... Sell anything and everything, cut back on ancillary services and try and post a profit inflated with one offs for a couple of years. Fernando "left" Iberia this month as its suddenly become apparent that the "future" and "brand" of the company was sold off. Now IB have gone from being something of national pride to having an awful reputation in the Spanish market where FR and EZY are seen as the first choice.
To my mind both IB and BA are like one time 5 star hotels that are trying to offer B&B services thinking that their once great name still commands a 5 star price tag.... It doesnt
This is a massive mistake made. British Airways prides itself on "customer service" (apparently - although in my opinion, no better than EI, FR, EZY) how can they expect people to pay the full-fares if the service doesn't represent the price?
Next will be the baggage, only one free bag at check-in. Then it will be charged like Aer Lingus.
I remember when sports equipment used to be free a BA... not anymore.
And soon, they will become an Aer Lingus - which is perfectly fine (i just flew LGW-FAO with EI; top-notch!) but the price has to come down if they are not offering the full-service.
This could work for them - but the staff have got to offer the same level of service as before.
If BA were like Aer Lingus today, I would say with the reduced costs they would have a bright future.
Iberia has a reputation now of being total rubbish in Spain, Clickair well they too have a reputation known by the Spanish population: Clickair condemned as unsafe -Times Online Vueling recently merged with them...
First choice in Spain is FR. And BA is highly regarded and preferred.
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