British Airways - 2
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Luton
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ah in that case I'll be changing my reserved seat I think (I had one reserved upper deck when I booked as it was 744, now I have a seat with no windows)
Shame, much prefer the 744 Upper Deck to a 773
Shame, much prefer the 744 Upper Deck to a 773
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Netherlands
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16A is a good window seat on the 777-300. Easy access without disturbing anyone but no storage bins at floor level as per the 747 upper deck and not as much space surrounding the seats.
Last edited by fl dutchman; 8th Nov 2012 at 10:25.
Join Date: Sep 2004
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hi Dutchman, thanks for that, looks a nice seat for the fact you don't need to step over people. Is it noisy being right next to 4 lavs which are presumably shared with Traveller Plus?
Last edited by clipstone1; 8th Nov 2012 at 11:59.
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Netherlands
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Didnt find it noisy at all. Only 2 toilets on that side of aircraft behind row 16. They are not supposed to be shared with WT+. A thick rope is put across the aisle in front of the dividing curtain to keep the cabins seperate but you will always get the odd one or two coming in from WT+.
Only downside is the meal service starts at the front of the cabin so the full choice may not be available by the time the crew reach you.
Only downside is the meal service starts at the front of the cabin so the full choice may not be available by the time the crew reach you.
Last edited by fl dutchman; 8th Nov 2012 at 12:18.
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Israel, Kazakhstan, Spain
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So if IAG buy all Vueling shares does this mean they will dump Iberia Express ? I don't see the point of having two LCC covering the same market, particularly as I2 is definately the poorer product
Join Date: May 2012
Location: London
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So far IAG has said Vueling will keep its own operations and management but it's no coincidence this comes before the Iberia restructuring announcement. I think IAG will want to keep Iberia Express as it carries the Iberia brand and has a two class product. But if it can't than buying the remainder of shares in Vueling is an effective insurance policy. Either way, IAG is not going to get its own way.
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Northern Ireland
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The media cites the problems that IB have had with Unions all about the subject of Iberia Express. If IAG will own Vueling and Iberia Express, makes no sense whatsoever to have 2 low cost airlines under the same unbrella, both Spanish.
Iberia Express, is just Iberia by another name with high fares especially on domestic Spanish routes, e.g. since Ryanair cancelled ALC MAD fares up to crazy levels, not that they came down too greatly when FR were there.
IAG need to simplify their operations. Perhaps it is time to consolidate all low cost operations into one entity, that is a brand that could easily be transferred to any market. Question is, is Vueling going to be hard to market as a brand in the UK? Not entirely sure that it will at this stage.
Vueling is an effective name in Spain, a fusion of english and Spanish, meaning effectively 'The sport of flying'..
Iberia Express, is just Iberia by another name with high fares especially on domestic Spanish routes, e.g. since Ryanair cancelled ALC MAD fares up to crazy levels, not that they came down too greatly when FR were there.
IAG need to simplify their operations. Perhaps it is time to consolidate all low cost operations into one entity, that is a brand that could easily be transferred to any market. Question is, is Vueling going to be hard to market as a brand in the UK? Not entirely sure that it will at this stage.
Vueling is an effective name in Spain, a fusion of english and Spanish, meaning effectively 'The sport of flying'..
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: UK
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Interesting to hear Willie Walsh say yesterday that 'IAG will seek to develop a “more aggressive” plan for operations at Gatwick, a focus for leisure flights and point-to- point services that don’t link up with long-haul operations' Looks like there is more to come for BA Gatwick. Also on one slide shown at the results presentation yesterday it was said that Gatwick's cost base had been reduced to that of lower cost operators which will bode well for further expansion and newer aircraft.
Great to see Tenerife and Arrecife back. Maybe Palma, Madrid and others to follow. Also during summer there may be demand for higher yield passengers flying to such places as Corsica-just me speculating!! Fort Lauderdale has often been mentined too as another long haul possibility. Interesting times ahead.
Great to see Tenerife and Arrecife back. Maybe Palma, Madrid and others to follow. Also during summer there may be demand for higher yield passengers flying to such places as Corsica-just me speculating!! Fort Lauderdale has often been mentined too as another long haul possibility. Interesting times ahead.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London (Babylon-on-Thames)
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Vueling being bought out may be the key. They pay their staff peanuts if somr of these boards are to be believed, just the right cost base for an IAG presence to the sun from Gatwick against EZY.
Do BA still self handle (ooh missus) above the wing or did passenger services actually go to Swissport as well?
Do BA still self handle (ooh missus) above the wing or did passenger services actually go to Swissport as well?
Last edited by Skipness One Echo; 10th Nov 2012 at 12:04.
Join Date: May 2012
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Vueling being bought out may be the key. They pay their staff peanuts if somr of these boards are to be believed, just the right cost base for an IAG presence to the sun from Gatwick against EZY.
Do BA still self handle (ooh missus) above the wing or did passenger services actually go to Swissport as well?
Do BA still self handle (ooh missus) above the wing or did passenger services actually go to Swissport as well?
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: London
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I am starting to think that overall BA buying IB was not a very good idea, admiringly, they gained a lot of South American routes, but at the same time IB need to reorganise and restructure and Spain is not doing to well at the moment
Personally I feel if BA want to improve their South American network, they should have spent the money buying IB on buying further LHR slots
I have also felt in the past that LH or KLM where better merger partners in the past (the problem was airline alliances for a start)
Personally I feel if BA want to improve their South American network, they should have spent the money buying IB on buying further LHR slots
I have also felt in the past that LH or KLM where better merger partners in the past (the problem was airline alliances for a start)
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Middlesex (under the flightpath)
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Quote: "I am starting to think that overall BA buying IB was not a very good idea, admiringly, they gained a lot of South American routes, but at the same time IB need to reorganise and restructure and Spain is not doing to well at the moment
Personally I feel if BA want to improve their South American network, they should have spent the money buying IB on buying further LHR slots
I have also felt in the past that LH or KLM where better merger partners in the past (the problem was airline alliances for a start)"
Technically BA didn't buy IB, it was a merger and both carriers are a part of IAG.
IIRC, the original plan was for BA and KL to merge. KL was not in alliance at the time, and had the merger gone ahead, KL would have almost certainly joined Oneworld. This didn't work out and AF merged with KL and the latter joined Skyteam.
That only left one large European carrier, IB. LH obviously wasn't up for merging with anyone, having already taken over several smaller European carriers: SN, OS, LX and BD.
Personally I feel if BA want to improve their South American network, they should have spent the money buying IB on buying further LHR slots
I have also felt in the past that LH or KLM where better merger partners in the past (the problem was airline alliances for a start)"
Technically BA didn't buy IB, it was a merger and both carriers are a part of IAG.
IIRC, the original plan was for BA and KL to merge. KL was not in alliance at the time, and had the merger gone ahead, KL would have almost certainly joined Oneworld. This didn't work out and AF merged with KL and the latter joined Skyteam.
That only left one large European carrier, IB. LH obviously wasn't up for merging with anyone, having already taken over several smaller European carriers: SN, OS, LX and BD.
Join Date: Nov 2012
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Technically BA didn't buy IB, it was a merger and both carriers are a part of IAG.
IIRC, the original plan was for BA and KL to merge. KL was not in alliance at the time, and had the merger gone ahead, KL would have almost certainly joined Oneworld. This didn't work out and AF merged with KL and the latter joined Skyteam.
That only left one large European carrier, IB. LH obviously wasn't up for merging with anyone, having already taken over several smaller European carriers: SN, OS, LX and BD.
IIRC, the original plan was for BA and KL to merge. KL was not in alliance at the time, and had the merger gone ahead, KL would have almost certainly joined Oneworld. This didn't work out and AF merged with KL and the latter joined Skyteam.
That only left one large European carrier, IB. LH obviously wasn't up for merging with anyone, having already taken over several smaller European carriers: SN, OS, LX and BD.
At the time of the BA/IB merger, Iberia was doing well (better than BA for sure at the time) and was in OW, so at first it was a good idea, now I would disagree with the problems IB and Spain in general are facing
As for LH, it would be great for them to merge with BA, since a LH Northern European hub at LHR would be better than one at Brussels
Also they only own 45% of SN and they still have not bought the airline after all that time
Last edited by BALHR; 14th Nov 2012 at 09:40.
Join Date: Dec 2011
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Quote: "I think you'll find that BA merging with LH would lead to a monopoly enquiry which would almost certainly be vetoed by UK, German and EU regulators"
Indeed there is no way that regulators would allow any of three large European carriers, BA-IB (IAG), AF-KL, and LH-SN-OS-LX, could merge with eachother, in any combination.
For now they'll have to content themselves by taking over smaller carriers.
Indeed there is no way that regulators would allow any of three large European carriers, BA-IB (IAG), AF-KL, and LH-SN-OS-LX, could merge with eachother, in any combination.
For now they'll have to content themselves by taking over smaller carriers.
Join Date: Nov 2012
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I think you'll find that BA merging with LH would lead to a monopoly enquiry which would almost certainly be vetoed by UK, German and EU regulators
LH and BA are not the only carriers on the London-Germany/Switzerland/Austria/Belgium routes for a start
Also LH does not have any hubs in Spain or the UK
Then there is the matter of LCCs
The bigger problem would be the question of alliances
Last edited by BALHR; 14th Nov 2012 at 09:56.