Also, what version as BA mainly has IAE-engined A32Xs, while the A318 is only available with CFMs and the PW6000.
The PW6000 version has only sold 7 units to LAN Chile. All the rest of the A318 airframes have gone for CFM. BA would be unwise to go for what looks like ending up as an orphan type with poor residual value.
LCY does not have CAT 3 ILS
LCY does unfortunately suffer from early morning fog, particularly in Autumn/winter, moreso than Heathrow, due to its Thamesside location (if you don't know this you should have been paying attention when you were reading the first chapters of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations in school, it was set just down the river).
Will the flights operate non-stop?
Just to clear this one up, westbound no, eastbound yes. Nothing from BA I've seen says the stop is Shannon as opposed to elsewhere, and thus nothing says they will do US preclearance at the intermediate stop.
Westbound flights will have to make a short stop to refuel.
I've seen it said by BA they are looking at 35-40 mins to refuel. Goodness me, can they not see Ryanair/Easy doing 20-minute turnrounds all day, including fuel AND getting a whole load of pax off and another load on. Should take no more than 15-20 mins if they don't do Preclearance. But then if they're not doing preclearance they should surely refuel on the business jet side at Stansted which would surely save much more time of getting down from altitude and back up again.
Can't they just stick an air to air refuelling probe on the front of the A318!
BA's predecessors tried that in 1938 (well, not on the A318). Bit old hat nowadays.