View Full Version : Speedbird to Luanda??
Clogmaster
28th Oct 2002, 14:29
Hi
Can anybody confirm that British Airways are to start operating to Luanda from 1 Nov? Will this be direct from London or shuttle from somewhere?
Cheers
CM :D
BA News :
"First ever scheduled services to Angola take off
London, Tuesday, October 8, 2002: The first ever scheduled airline service between the UK and Angola goes on sale tomorrow (Wednesday October 9, 2002).
British Airways is launching a new weekly service to the Angolan capital, Luanda, which will start from November 1, 2002.
The start of services follows extensive negotiations with the Angolan Government and the Angolan national carrier, TAAG.
Flights will depart from London’s Heathrow airport on a Friday and return from Luanda’s 4 de Fevererio International airport on a Saturday. The services will be operated by a Boeing 777 aircraft with a three cabin configuration, First, Club World (business class) and World Traveller (economy class).
British Airways’ Regional Director for Central and South Asia, the Middle East and Africa, Alan Burnett, said: “We are delighted to be introducing the first ever scheduled service between the UK and Angola. These new, direct services will significantly cut journey times as customers will no longer need to transit via Europe.”
Notes to Editors
The flight schedule is as follows:
BA 077 Heathrow to Luanda departs on a Friday at 19.00 and arrives in Luanda at 04.25 local time on a Saturday
BA 076 Luanda to Heathrow departs on a Saturday at 23.55 and arrives at Heathrow at 07.15
British Airways and its franchise partners currently operates approximately 330 flights a week to 30 destinations, in 21 African countries"
Fares will be pretty steep, given the "thinness" of the route, lack of competition etc.
Will probably be one of those few routes which fill up from the front-end first. ;)
Firestorm
28th Oct 2002, 17:43
I think it should do well, as the couple of times I went to Luanda on Air Chance it was chokka. Probably due to the lack of competition etc.
Sultan Ismail
29th Oct 2002, 00:07
Speedbird lays egg in Luanda
Arrives 04h25
Departs 23h55
I was always under the impression that aeroplanes only make money when they are in the air, or will it be getting it's weekly "wash and brush up", or whatever it is they do to aeroplanes.
Definitely a premium route if the plane can hang on that long.
Why not a quick turn round and back to Blighty in time for Tiffin?
Just a thought
Sultan Ismail
BadAndy
29th Oct 2002, 03:15
Clogmaster-- A quick turn in Luanda? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.......
They have such a long turn just to try and be on time coming out of there. (Just joking, all you guys in Luanda, please don't flame me too badly...)
djeskine
29th Oct 2002, 06:37
This aint a bus service mate!
Ever considered crew rest times.....to legally fly again?
Even London Underground has its staff time llimitations!
DjD
Firestorm
29th Oct 2002, 09:08
BadAndy,
You are not far from the truth!
We used to call for start from the executive aviation lounge near our hangar on a hand held radio because we knew we would have at least time for one coffee before being given start clearance. And sometimes a couple of hours would pass! As for waiting for fuel...... Even calling for fuel the evening before wouldn't speed the operation up because it Africa!
Amazing place, but utterly exasperating, leading to caffeine poisoning.
Sultan Ismail
29th Oct 2002, 09:29
It's not a 'bus service, probably a 777.
However what is cheaper, a plane on the ground for 18 hours or a spare crew?
Just asking.
Sultan Ismail
Hot Shots
5th Nov 2002, 18:12
Hey Clogmaster, Speed Bird Request visual RWY 23 at Luanda!!!! It was Beautiful to see one of those B777 at LUA. Wel, Traveling to Europe is now easier.
:D
Clogmaster
6th Nov 2002, 08:11
Hot Shots.... almost wish I was back in Luanda to see it :D :D :D :D :D
Hot Shots
18th Nov 2002, 08:53
Yo CM. Yes, I know ;) . You will still see the Big BA Bird in Luanda. Comes in on a Friday. Was actually good to see SAA, BA at the airport at the same time.
Makes you think you are almost in a sivilised place. Will propably see you in Luanda.
Mister Geezer
18th Nov 2002, 21:05
Is the long turnaround due to the same crew who fly out then end up taking the same aircraft back to LHR. Since the unrest only ended 6 months ago I guess that BA are apprehensive about leaving a crew out there for a week.... could also work out cheaper as well! Crew leave the aircraft at the crack of dawn and go to a hotel for the day (Le Meridian perhaps?) and have a kip and then report in the evening for the night flight back to LHR.
Seems the most plausible idea!