British Airways - 2
I wouldn't bet on it - BA have gradually pulled out of UK routes due to competition from trains and cars - LBA generates relativley little inter-lining traffic and (together with newcastle) is the most likely for the chop when they need another set of slots..........
Last edited by SWBKCB; 26th Apr 2013 at 18:01.
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With a large BA back office presence in NCL, I cn't see NCL being dropped in the foreseeable future.
As to LBA, it was inherited from BMI. If it pulls its weight then it might survive, if not then it won't. Simple as.
All BA slots go into the 'maximise profit' matrix. With BA's LHR slot portfolio, there are no end of opportunties to expand longhaul. After all when you serve EDI, GLE, MAN, CDG, AMS, ABZ, ARN, BRU, CPH etc 8+ times per day, all you have to do is reduce each by 1 per day and you have longhaul growth when the aircraft arrive.
To me, there is no doubt that BA are slot sitting many of the ex-BMI (plus some BA rotations) until they have the airframes to convert them to longhaul. In that I include all the LBA, but not all the NCL rotations.
As to LBA, it was inherited from BMI. If it pulls its weight then it might survive, if not then it won't. Simple as.
All BA slots go into the 'maximise profit' matrix. With BA's LHR slot portfolio, there are no end of opportunties to expand longhaul. After all when you serve EDI, GLE, MAN, CDG, AMS, ABZ, ARN, BRU, CPH etc 8+ times per day, all you have to do is reduce each by 1 per day and you have longhaul growth when the aircraft arrive.
To me, there is no doubt that BA are slot sitting many of the ex-BMI (plus some BA rotations) until they have the airframes to convert them to longhaul. In that I include all the LBA, but not all the NCL rotations.
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BA maintained a back office function call centre in BFS for years after the Shuttle route was originally pulled.
BA call centre in US is in JAX ,Florida a point they have never served , so link between route and back office functions (NCL ) doesn't apply.
Having said that NCL was always one of the better ( domestic )performing BA routes from LHR as no competition and good P2P yields.
BA acquired a lot of slots from BMI at relatively short notice and didn't have the longhaul resources to utilise these .,conversely shorthaul aircraft were acquired from BMI which have to be utilised..hence routes like RTM , LBA have been introduced as these airports have likely offered very competitive terms ,even if the services will disappear again in the medium term.
Talk of freeing 10-12 slot pairs for longhaul by canx these routes , reducing freq on MAN , pulling PMI , IBZ is a lot easier said then done and saying its a job for the schedulers is very simplistic.
Overtime as the longhaul fleet expands some of these routes will be sacrificed for longhaul expansion but not without a lot of juggling both within BA and with other carriers.
BA call centre in US is in JAX ,Florida a point they have never served , so link between route and back office functions (NCL ) doesn't apply.
Having said that NCL was always one of the better ( domestic )performing BA routes from LHR as no competition and good P2P yields.
BA acquired a lot of slots from BMI at relatively short notice and didn't have the longhaul resources to utilise these .,conversely shorthaul aircraft were acquired from BMI which have to be utilised..hence routes like RTM , LBA have been introduced as these airports have likely offered very competitive terms ,even if the services will disappear again in the medium term.
Talk of freeing 10-12 slot pairs for longhaul by canx these routes , reducing freq on MAN , pulling PMI , IBZ is a lot easier said then done and saying its a job for the schedulers is very simplistic.
Overtime as the longhaul fleet expands some of these routes will be sacrificed for longhaul expansion but not without a lot of juggling both within BA and with other carriers.
Last edited by BCALBOY; 26th Apr 2013 at 20:47.
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The likes of PMI and IBZ along with ALC and AGA seem to be 'fillers' to keep aircraft utilised at the weekends (they are all only Sat/Sun) when the demand for the more business focussed routes is lower, and BA have obviously worked out that they'll make more money from fairly full leisure routes than half full business ones!
I would've thought any s/h reductions to allow for more l/h would be removing whole daily flights off of some of the higher frequency routes, rather than freeing up some rather random weekend slots.
I would've thought any s/h reductions to allow for more l/h would be removing whole daily flights off of some of the higher frequency routes, rather than freeing up some rather random weekend slots.
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That is correct. The slot pairs for expanded longhaul will come from the likes of DUS/GVA/CPH/MAN, not at the sacrifice of a whole route such as LBA. LBA is actually going from strength to strength. What is hoped, is that when it improves enough, a nightstopper will be introduced, but at the moment, it would simply increase the costs on the route too much.
ALC etc are indeed in order to increase aircraft utilisation, and about using the resources where they can perform best.
Kind regards
Mike
ALC etc are indeed in order to increase aircraft utilisation, and about using the resources where they can perform best.
Kind regards
Mike
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The likes of PMI and IBZ along with ALC and AGA seem to be 'fillers' to keep aircraft utilised at the weekends
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new/returning BA Asia routes
SGN needs to be added to the list of CKG, KUL, MNL, TPE, etc., whether direct (or as add-on to BKK initially). Vietnam is "up-and-coming" as much as Indonesia and the Philippines.
BA needs to get LHR5-SGN up and running before VN shifts from LGW to LHR4!
BA needs to get LHR5-SGN up and running before VN shifts from LGW to LHR4!
Last edited by Fairdealfrank; 27th Apr 2013 at 18:55.
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Given BA are having profitability problems with BKK, going from a 4 class B744 to a 3 class B772 mainly due to Thailand being a leisure destination, I suspect they would not fare any better on Vietnam. Up and coming does not equate to potentially profitable if your cabins are premium heavy like BA.
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Quote: "Given BA are having profitability problems with BKK, going from a 4 class B744 to a 3 class B772 mainly due to Thailand being a leisure destination, I suspect they would not fare any better on Vietnam. Up and coming does not equate to potentially profitable if your cabins are premium heavy like BA."
Yes, maybe they're leisure-heavy at present, but both are-up-and coming destinations for trade and business opportunities.
Good to be ahead of the game for once, let's not leave all the potential business to the likes of AF, EK, EY, TG, TK and VN.
Vietnam is taking over from China as the world's manufacturer. Wages are rising in China and more manufacturing there is for domestic consumption as the "middle class" grows.
Thailand is as much an Asia "tiger" economy as Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan and probably more so than the Philippines.
So if CKG, KUL, MNL, TPE, etc., are on the list, would definitely add SGN!
Yes, maybe they're leisure-heavy at present, but both are-up-and coming destinations for trade and business opportunities.
Good to be ahead of the game for once, let's not leave all the potential business to the likes of AF, EK, EY, TG, TK and VN.
Vietnam is taking over from China as the world's manufacturer. Wages are rising in China and more manufacturing there is for domestic consumption as the "middle class" grows.
Thailand is as much an Asia "tiger" economy as Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan and probably more so than the Philippines.
So if CKG, KUL, MNL, TPE, etc., are on the list, would definitely add SGN!
Last edited by Fairdealfrank; 29th Apr 2013 at 22:06.
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Following hot on the heels of recent route launches to Sri Lanka, Tenerife and Lanzarote, British Airways will begin flying to the sunny Spanish island of Gran Canaria later this year.
The weekly service, offering Heathrow’s only flights to the popular holiday hotspot, will begin on October 26, from Terminal 5.
Schedule:
BA LHR1005 - LPA1435 32A 6
BA LPA1520 - LHR1940 32A 6
The weekly service, offering Heathrow’s only flights to the popular holiday hotspot, will begin on October 26, from Terminal 5.
Schedule:
BA LHR1005 - LPA1435 32A 6
BA LPA1520 - LHR1940 32A 6
Last edited by TCX69; 1st May 2013 at 17:51.
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Certainly does sound like a quote from elsewhere !
I would expect if the once weekly LHR-LPA service does well that BA will follow in years to come with a more frequent LGW service when airframes are available
cs
I would expect if the once weekly LHR-LPA service does well that BA will follow in years to come with a more frequent LGW service when airframes are available
cs
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TCX 69 wrote:
This is an interesting idea. Lots of other airports have a service to Gran Canaria as well as this, at better frequencies, so I suppose this is squarely aimed at the central and west London market, using an airframe that is usually on business destinations. Good luck!
Following hot on the heels of recent route launches to Sri Lanka, Tenerife and Lanzarote, British Airways will begin flying to the sunny Spanish island of Gran Canaria later this year.
The weekly service, offering Heathrow’s only flights to the popular holiday hotspot, will begin on October 26, from Terminal 5.
Schedule:
BA LHR1005 - LPA1435 32A 6
BA LPA1520 - LHR1940 32A 6
The weekly service, offering Heathrow’s only flights to the popular holiday hotspot, will begin on October 26, from Terminal 5.
Schedule:
BA LHR1005 - LPA1435 32A 6
BA LPA1520 - LHR1940 32A 6
Last edited by johnnychips; 1st May 2013 at 23:35. Reason: Idiocy
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Future Long Haul capacity
With all these orders for 787s/350s + 380s, replacing the 747 fleet, does anyone know whether the future number of overall LH seats is more or less than now with the 747 fleet?
Complicated I know, as I suspect future slot utilisation will be weighted more heavily on LH and SH will decrease.
Complicated I know, as I suspect future slot utilisation will be weighted more heavily on LH and SH will decrease.