J-Class, the 747 is not currently 'in favour' in BA. The airline has been aching to sell at least 5 of the 57 strong fleet with no success. S/H values are a disaster. However, seating 409 in standard configuration, it is an effective people/long range mover, and is certainly being utilised heavily on Far East routes with fantastic load factors........BUT, a lot of this is to do with Aylings decision a few years ago to chase the premium market and upgrade premium seating (reducing total capacity) at a time when that market reduced significantly. The costs to go back are prohibitive. The 777 will be missed most as its seat mile costs are better and it seems to be the flavour of the day, but its capacity is significantly less.
A Golden rule was broken- never collide with your own aeroplanes. It takes 2 out of service- much better to hit someonelses! It's quite stunning the battering airliners seem to take. Bashing from service vehicles is a daily occurence, 'hangar rash' is far too common, but the cavalier treatment by ground services teams in operations like this is astonishing (it would not have been the Engineering Department moving the planes). I've had our freight door closed onto the loading vehicle, presumably the operator was studying his nails whilst being very 'cavalier' closing up!One incident springs to mind in which a Classic 747 was pushed back at night at LHR and hit another aeroplane. Unnoticed in the dark, it flew to Nairobi where the damage to the elevators was discovered on a ground inspection in the dawn's light! Far too much of this sort of thing happens. The Turkish/AA DC10 freight door crashes showed astonishing stupidity by loaders who mishandled freight door closing operations, the AA DC10 engine separation crash (ORD) was 'rough' treatment of engine change procedures- it's unbelievable when you read about it, but if you're not flying on that aeroplane, it doesn't seem to matter so much! Some 600+ dead in those 3 incidents alone.
(Helmets on! Incoming!!)
Last edited by Notso Fantastic; 3rd December 2002 at 09:49.