British Airways - 2
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Davidjason6...
I didnt say as such that a 'merger' with IB was bad (maybe it will be for IB)
Pensions? Whos fault is that?
Finance for a new fleet? Afterall, not so long ago, BAs status was downgraded by Standard and Poors! Again, whos fault is that? If this were a football team, the manager would have been sacked, and his boardroom staff. Poor guidance, management, and all the other adjectives you care to mention.
Come on. Yes the airline is in a semi-healthy state (just), but whos running the show. Willie Walsh. I rest my case. Time for a new vision and a strategy that will sort out PENSIONS and the other gremlins that seem to continually grind down the company. Its the same old excuse after excuse. The pension situation isnt going to go away quietly, so deal with it. If it means a drastic cut in everything BA do, then so be it - it must be tackled and now. (Theres NO silverwear left to sell, offload or pass over). Maybe then BA might find itself in a position to attract a partner.
All Iam saying is that for all the years past, BA have had chances to cement relationships with other carriers and just screwed them up, one after the other. What else is there to say... They ALL cant be wrong...
BA needs to resize (downwards in the interim if required), regroup and lay out what they really want to do, who they want to be with, sort out ALL their financial issues then hit the ground running. No point being the biggest and 'best' if your running scared from the pension crisis and other issues.
I didnt say as such that a 'merger' with IB was bad (maybe it will be for IB)
Pensions? Whos fault is that?
Finance for a new fleet? Afterall, not so long ago, BAs status was downgraded by Standard and Poors! Again, whos fault is that? If this were a football team, the manager would have been sacked, and his boardroom staff. Poor guidance, management, and all the other adjectives you care to mention.
Come on. Yes the airline is in a semi-healthy state (just), but whos running the show. Willie Walsh. I rest my case. Time for a new vision and a strategy that will sort out PENSIONS and the other gremlins that seem to continually grind down the company. Its the same old excuse after excuse. The pension situation isnt going to go away quietly, so deal with it. If it means a drastic cut in everything BA do, then so be it - it must be tackled and now. (Theres NO silverwear left to sell, offload or pass over). Maybe then BA might find itself in a position to attract a partner.
All Iam saying is that for all the years past, BA have had chances to cement relationships with other carriers and just screwed them up, one after the other. What else is there to say... They ALL cant be wrong...
BA needs to resize (downwards in the interim if required), regroup and lay out what they really want to do, who they want to be with, sort out ALL their financial issues then hit the ground running. No point being the biggest and 'best' if your running scared from the pension crisis and other issues.
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Between a rock & a hard place.
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The finance for new aircraft is in place and guaranteed for several more years.
The pension is a mess again, but so is the stock market to which it is linked. Should the stock market improve in value then the defecit should reduce.
The pension is a mess again, but so is the stock market to which it is linked. Should the stock market improve in value then the defecit should reduce.
Join Date: Aug 2002
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How would you solve the pension deficit?
Wouldn't leave a whole lot for investment if they put even more in? Pensions outside the public sector are the pyramid scheme that got found out.
Wouldn't leave a whole lot for investment if they put even more in? Pensions outside the public sector are the pyramid scheme that got found out.
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... Appologies Davidjohnson6... 
Anyway who knows what will happen. The pension crisis is an issue and it may be that BA scale back activities and back-fill the fund - again.
Hope it all works out though. I dont have an issue with BA, just the way its being run. Directionless.
Anyway who knows what will happen. The pension crisis is an issue and it may be that BA scale back activities and back-fill the fund - again.
Hope it all works out though. I dont have an issue with BA, just the way its being run. Directionless.
Join Date: Oct 2007
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The BA-Iberia "merger" reminds me to some extent of another one - that between Mercedes Benz and Chrysler (okay, that was a takeover). I cannot see it working for BA. If Madrid was somewhere else there might be more in it for BA, as Terminal 4 at Barajas is wonderful. With sterling so weak against the euro, the BA "share" of the merged entity would be woefully low. Furthermore, BA would suffer from being more closely associated with an airline with, in my experience, poor customer service standards. Iberia is, I think, about to come under significant attack on its prized domestic routes by Ryanair, not to mention the rapidly expanding network of high speed trains. I don't understand why BA is pursuing this merger. Previous ones (United, US Airways, KLM, Qantas) made much more sense.
Join Date: Nov 2007
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QUOTE: "If the main company was registered in Spain would this be a opportunity for for WW and the board to dump the NAPS pension problem on the Uk taxpayer ?"
...you can't dump a pensions liability like that, it would sit with the company. The only route is insolvency and then a claim on the pension protection fund, but I can't really see this happening.
...you can't dump a pensions liability like that, it would sit with the company. The only route is insolvency and then a claim on the pension protection fund, but I can't really see this happening.
Join Date: May 2006
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From a traffic point of view:
BA has approx 42% slots at LHR which is about 3900 Air Transport Movements per week, BMI 12% with about 1100, Lufthy 4.5% with about 416, Virgin 3.5%, Air Lingus 3%. SAS 3%, American 2.3% and then Iberia on 2.1% with 196 (not sure if this includes clickair which wont be much more)
Given that BA have another 51 coming from a deal with BMI for BMED slots in 09 for £30M it would be far cheaper for them to buy the 196 slots from Iberia and simply codeshare to Spain or allow Iberia to put on bigger aircraft to run all flights to Spain (thus allowing BA to not have to fly from T3 (once 757's have gone) and use the slots it has for MAD and BCN flights on something else........far cheaper than merging with Iberia just for slots at LHR.
Having said that I thought (from whats been said) the deal is to ultimately save costs by operating from one head office and removing any staff duplication, increased buying power reducing in lower fees for purchasing across the board (new planes, fuel....i could go on), one "executive" club to operate, and in terms of flights - BA codeshares and routes passengers on Iberias lucrative and extensive South American routes, Iberia codeshares and routes passengers via BA's North America routes.
BA has approx 42% slots at LHR which is about 3900 Air Transport Movements per week, BMI 12% with about 1100, Lufthy 4.5% with about 416, Virgin 3.5%, Air Lingus 3%. SAS 3%, American 2.3% and then Iberia on 2.1% with 196 (not sure if this includes clickair which wont be much more)
Given that BA have another 51 coming from a deal with BMI for BMED slots in 09 for £30M it would be far cheaper for them to buy the 196 slots from Iberia and simply codeshare to Spain or allow Iberia to put on bigger aircraft to run all flights to Spain (thus allowing BA to not have to fly from T3 (once 757's have gone) and use the slots it has for MAD and BCN flights on something else........far cheaper than merging with Iberia just for slots at LHR.
Having said that I thought (from whats been said) the deal is to ultimately save costs by operating from one head office and removing any staff duplication, increased buying power reducing in lower fees for purchasing across the board (new planes, fuel....i could go on), one "executive" club to operate, and in terms of flights - BA codeshares and routes passengers on Iberias lucrative and extensive South American routes, Iberia codeshares and routes passengers via BA's North America routes.
Last edited by uklad007; 27th Mar 2009 at 03:23.
Join Date: Jul 2007
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Any more schedule changes?
BALaddy listed some long haul alterations last week, any new news on European? I thought some LGW were being transferred to LHR (Or cancelled altogether if they’re not getting the bookings in).
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BA future bookings seem to be reasonable and at LGW the loss of 737 for 319 aircraft has reduced the cap on a number of destinations by 20+ seats. Therefore the seat reduction has come at very good time. It is rumoured that a number of Easy 320s (ex GB airways) are en route to LHR to free up a further 4 319's for LGW services. So at present things are not looking to bad?
Join Date: Oct 2002
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BA are offering fares that are more than comparable with the LOCo's without all the add ons.Provided they can sustain the cabin service levels during this downturn they should come out the other side with a good customer base still intact.
BA.com would not normally be the first place one would go to for a cheap flight but if you are nearer Heathrow or Gatwick and take the travelling costs and time into consideration and book early,they really do offer value for money.
BA.com would not normally be the first place one would go to for a cheap flight but if you are nearer Heathrow or Gatwick and take the travelling costs and time into consideration and book early,they really do offer value for money.
Join Date: Nov 2006
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[I"It is rumoured that a number of Easy 320s (ex GB airways) are en route to LHR to free up a further 4 319's for LGW services"
Ex Easyjet G-TTOB is already back in BA livery and started ops at LHR 19/3. G-TTOE is at Shannon awaiting repaint and due to join BA LHR fleet in May. I think BA only are taking two ex EZY 320's!
Ex Easyjet G-TTOB is already back in BA livery and started ops at LHR 19/3. G-TTOE is at Shannon awaiting repaint and due to join BA LHR fleet in May. I think BA only are taking two ex EZY 320's!
Join Date: Feb 2008
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I had a good giggle yesterday. Check out page 6 of the current "Sky shopping" magazine. Whoever setup the photo of the little 787 model put the wings on upside down.......
Join Date: May 2006
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BA Axes More Routes out of LGW
Notice that BA have moved the Atlanta and Toulouse services from LGW to LHR. So the long haul destinations are gradually being depleted; all we have at LGW (and I dont mind being corrected) are MCO, Tampa and the Caribbean routes. How long will it be before these also move down to T5?