Britannia to buy Boeing 787?

[LTNman]

http://www.abtn.co.uk/

BREAKING NEWS could be the announcement later this week that Thomsomfly is to become the latest major customer for the Boeing 787 taking the aircraft order book to +200. On Wednesday the airline, formerly known as Britannia, and the UK’s biggest charter operator, will unveil a midlife Boeing 757 interior upgrade to a Boeing design including new leather Ricardo seats plus sculptured ceiling panels and much larger luggage bins similar to current production aircraft. TUI UK’s chief executive Peter Rothwell is turning out, likewise airline managing director Kevin Hatton. They say they will talk about the airline’s future. Thomsomfly currently operates 20 Boeing 757s and seven 767s

[swh]

Of the "200 orders" has Boeing actually got anyone to hand any money over yet for the 787 ?

[Charles Darwin]

I don´t think anybody is willing to pay for a plastic airliner not yet off the drawing board. However, Icelandair was the first European flag carrier to order the 787. The Icelandics have a long and successful history togeather.

[akerosid]

Icelandair first?

What about First Choice and Blue Panorama. At this stage, they surely must have handed some money over, if they want to reserve production slots.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if Thomson/Britannia ordered the 787; would seem an ideal replacement for 763s and some of the 757s.

[Charles Darwin]

What about First Choice and Blue Panorama.

I said "Flag Carrier".

[Techman]

According to Boeing's website a total of 64 787s have been ordered.
56 in 2004 and 8 this year.

[Thomas_Cook_757-300]

Hi,

Haven't Thomson cut over 1000 jobs in the last 12 months?

Surely they can't be ordering aircraft!! There will be a lot of disgruntled ex workers!

Regards
Thomas_Cook_757-300

[N830MH]

It is simple for orders with B787 with Britannia? I did not know about hear with new commerical airlines to join with more than airlines.

[bycrewlgw]

Just to clarify the above point made by thomas_cook

haven't thomson cut 1000 jobs

Thomson have indeed cuts jobs but Thomson is a separate part of the world of TUI to Thomsonfly (Britannia). For the past few years (where LGW is concerned) every initial bar one or two have been offered permanent contracts so Thomsonfly is moving from strength to strength. Lots of longhaul routes are moving back in house such as Australia Brazil and talk of South Africa so more aircraft will be needed as more routes are started or moved back to Britannia.

Thanks

BYCREWLGW

[phil_2405]

On Wednesday the airline, formerly known as Britannia, and the UK’s biggest charter operator, will unveil a midlife Boeing 757 interior upgrade to a Boeing design including new leather Ricardo seats plus sculptured ceiling panels and much larger luggage bins similar to current production aircraft.

Any news on this?

Just found something on it:

http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/...r_050309g.html

[Mr A Tis]

New carpet, bins & seats - what about an extra 2" of leg room? Now that would set them apart from the competition.

[ric180880]

Britannia/Thomsonfly are a charter/low cost carrier. They are not going to add an extra two inches of leg room. The cost of the flights reflects the standard of service and comfort that is offered. I'm sure people would be the first to complain if they increased the leg room as to compensate they would have to increase the fares.

[Speedtape]

Extra leg room on IT services has gone down well with First Choice and Thomas Cook customers. This IS the way ahead.
We'll carry the more discerning clients and leave ThomsonFly and Sleazyjet to carry the dross

[brabazon]

New 757 interior "launched" today and Kevin Hatton implied a new round of wide body evaluation will potentially lead to an order for ........ (fill in the missing gap)..... in 2007.

[NineForks]

Don't wish to be the bearer of bad news, but I think this deal is far from done according to the rumour mill.

It makes good commercial sense for Britannia to drag out the 787 vs 350 as long as possible a la Easyjet on the Boeing Airbus talks, in order to get the best commercial deal.

Having said that, I will probably be proved spectacularly wrong in about a week.

[Mr A Tis]

I think you'll find that the LCC likes of Air Berlin, HLX & jet 2 & FCA longhaul all have better legroom that of BAL, MON & MYT

[ric180880]

The seat pitch on HLX and other LCCs is in the main the same as Britannia's. HLX and Britannia are also the same company and over this summer we will see Britannia move more towards a LCC service as this is the area they feel they have to compete with now. Britannia sees easyjet and Ryanair as their main competitors, along side the usual charter airlines but the charter airlines are not the ones taking Brits market share its the likes of Ryanair & easyjet

[APG]

At the launch of the new cabin yesterday, ordering the 787 seemed to be off the menu in the short term. The investment in the new cabins means the 757 will carry on for another 5 or so years and a fleet replacement being looked at from 2007.

New Boeing designed cabin seems a good improvement and the leather clad Recaros give the feeling of more space.

[phil_2405]

The new interiors will have reshaped leather seats to give
more legroom at knee level, flat screen IFE monitors and contoured panels to give the impression of more space in the cabin.


Are these individual flat screen IFE??

[shlittlenellie]

The new seat design is a departure from that found elsewhere. The seat back is concave beneath the table and the seat pocket is repositioned to behind the table. The result is a good deal more knee room and a much roomier feel. The seats are less bulky, stronger structured and are more comfortable.

This isn't a quick fix: the 757 and 762 have excellent all-round performance and it was time to re-address the comfort and fittings in the cabin. The airline aims to improve passenger comfort levels as they move towards a mix of fleet and flying with charter and scheduled combined. Don't understimate the motivation within TUI to expand in the marketplace and offer a good product.