British Airways - 2

[MUFC_fan]

BA going Boeing?

British Airways has given its strongest indication yet that it may snub the giant A380 superjumbo being built by Airbus - and partly constructed in Britain - in favour of a new model from US arch-rival Boeing.
The flag carrier has said it needs to spend up to £5bn upgrading its ageing fleet as it begins retiring as many as 34 of its aircraft. That fleet upgrade is mainly long-haul.

Despite the superjumbo programme running two years late and billions of pounds over budget, Airbus has remained upbeat that BA will order as many as 10 555-seater A380s.
However, latest orders from BA suggest the carrier may yet stay with Boeing as its longhaul aircraft supplier of choice.
Rather than commit to the troubled A380, there is growing speculation BA will sign up as a launch customer for Boeing's proposed 747-8, a stretched version of the original jumbo jet and capable of carrying 475 passengers.
Industry observers say BA appears to be opting for a twotier fleet: Boeing for long haul and Airbus for short haul.
Its acquisition earlier this month of eight 150-seater Airbus A319s will be used to replace similar-sized Boeing 737s, with BA saying that is the first step toward a single shorthaul fleet.
When BA ordered four Boeing 777s in February, commercial director Robert Boyle said its long-haul pilots and crew were used to handling Boeings.
Quizzed about the forthcoming major order, chief executive Willie Walsh said: 'We have not made our minds up yet.'

Personally, I think this is quite a story! How can you compare a small Boeing order for 4 B777s and say that that is going to become the long haul fleet?!

If BA decide not to buy any of the A380 models, then they are surely going to loose some of their trans-atlantic market to the other EU carriers such as LH and AF. They have had A380 gates built at LHR, surely QS can't fill them all, which could give a clue to what will happen.

I personally think that the airline will have A320 series for short haul. B787 for B767, B772 for older 772 and A380 for B747. I would like to say the airline would order A350, but can't see it. Unless Gordon Brown has anything to say about it! Politics...Politcis...tut tut tut!