British Airways - 2

[HZ123]

March 29 is the first A319 operation and then onwards. That said the 737 may turn up now and again.

[TSR2]

B787 Dreamliner

The economy seating configuration is going to be 10 abreast according to the BA article in Airliner World. That's one pleasure I will not be looking forward to.

[LHR27C]

The economy seating configuration is going to be 10 abreast according to the BA article in Airliner World. That's one pleasure I will not be looking forward to.

That must be a mistake. The max seating the 787 will take is 9 abreast, Boeing originally proposed it to be 8 abreast.

The 777 is wider than the 787 and BA have 9 abreast on the 777.

[Otterman]

Another sign of the times.

Standard & Poor's on Friday cut its rating on British Airways to junk status and said it may cut the rating again, citing a deteriorating outlook for airlines as the global recession drags on.

This crisis feels very different than all the others I have experienced in the last 22 years.

[flyrio]

They should get their website booking engine sorted out.

They have recently reduced fares from LCY - when you select an outbound flight from LCY on the website it updates the prices of the inbound flights before you select one (back to LCY) and you should pay approximately the total price of the two flights added together. The website adds on about another £20 to the total sum of outbound and inbound flights. This happens to fares in both economy and business in the summer months.

I called websupport in the week but they still haven't corrected it.

[PAXboy]

how on earth has young willy kept his job ?

Wait until the recession/depression is over. Firstly, no one wants a change during crisis unless the person is clearly bad - and the main board have some reasons to be happy with him.

Secondly, few would want to take on a big company in a recession/depression as you have no spare cash or room for manoeuvre. He's safe.

[Skipness One Echo]

Another sign of the times.

Standard & Poor's on Friday cut its rating on British Airways to junk status and said it may cut the rating again, citing a deteriorating outlook for airlines as the global recession drags on.

This crisis feels very different than all the others I have experienced in the last 22 years.

First recession of the internet age where bad news travels to a vast audience instantaneously dragging confidence down with it. It *IS* going to be worse because we are
1) Better informed on one level and
2) Collectively ****ting ourselves as a result

I don't recall three million unemployed and the decimation of the manufacturing base being a fun time either but this time round we're all dumber and richer and obsessed with the notional resale value of the roof over our heads.

[bjones4]

The economy seating configuration is going to be 10 abreast according to the BA article in Airliner World. That's one pleasure I will not be looking forward to.

For the 787-8, I believe layout are all but confirmed as;

Club World
2-3-2
42 Seats

World Traveller +
2-3-2
51 Seats

World Traveller
2-4-2
90 Seats

A few other titbits,

The 777-300ERs when they come online will maintain 9 abreast as opposed to following the likes of EK and AF and offering high density 10 abreast.

First new 777-200ER for a few years, G-YMMR sitting in Everett.

http://paineairport.com/images/kpae4774.jpg
http://paineairport.com/images/kpae4771.jpg

Due to arrive in Cardiff for fitting out April 9th, and scheduled to be completed and sent to LHR on May 24th.

[apaddyinuk]

Heres a sneak preview of what BA are planning for the new WT and WTP seating which was released to shareholders last week!

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/191/picture2rbr.png

[BAladdy]

Reduction in HKG Frequency

BA have announced they will reduce HKG from 3 to 2 a day for May/September and October.

The following flights are cancelled on the following dates

BA025/026 04MAY09 - 13MAY09
BA027/028 14MAY09 - 19MAY09
BA031/032 20MAY09 - 09JUN09
BA027/028 02SEP09 - 24OCT09

http://airlineroute.*************/se...tish%20Airways

[BAladdy]

BA Making changes to Summer 09 Timetable.

DEL - From 01 May-05Jun and 13-20JUL. BA256 will go from daily to 6 times per week.

JFK - From 29 Mar will drop from 7 to 6 times daily. BA183/182 will be replacing current schedule which is operating as BA173/172. BA113/116 is cancelled. JFK operated 8 times daily Summer 08.

EWR - BA187/186 (Late ex LHR/Day flight ex EWR). Cancelations throughout the Summer 09 Timetable

29MAR09 - 01MAY09 BA187 Day x3 BA186 Day x4
02MAY09 - 15MAY09 BA187/186 CANCELLED
16MAY09 - 23OCT09 BA187 Day x3 BA186 Day x4

TLV - Extra weekly service added starting 04 June. Aircraft will by the looks of things be on the ground in TLV for just under 16 hours. Flight will be operated using a four class 777.

Flight details below

BA167 LHR1355 - 2055TLV 777 4

BA166 TLV1240 - 1605LHR 777 5

[racedo]

First recession of the internet age where bad news travels to a vast audience instantaneously dragging confidence down with it. It *IS* going to be worse because we are
1) Better informed on one level and
2) Collectively ****ting ourselves as a result

I don't recall three million unemployed and the decimation of the manufacturing base being a fun time either but this time round we're all dumber and richer and obsessed with the notional resale value of the roof over our heads.

True my friend but the instant news has its drawbacks as everybody has to be seen to be reacting where often the best thing to do is do nothing.

Doing nothing allows the organisation to react in a planned way rather than the kneejerk required to keep Sky news happy.

All good news on the markets gets ignored and all bad news gets oversold.

[stormin norman]

From the Times today

The Government would not stop British Airways becoming a Spanish company as a result of a merger with Iberia, the Transport Secretary said yesterday.

BA and Iberia, the Spanish flag carrier, are believed to be near to agreeing merger terms in talks that have been continuing since July.

It is thought likely that the airlines would continue to operate as separate brands under a new operating company after the merger. However, it is not clear whether this parent company would be based in Spain or in Britain.

[Skylion]

It may be that with BA's pensions liability included, BA will be the minority shareholder in the merged controlling company. This despite BA being by far the more significant airline of the 2 thanks to its global, if shrunken , network. Its obsession with a merger - is difficult to understand and has never been explained to shareholders . Iberia with its long standing service quality and industrial relations baggage doesnt appear to bring much to the party. A glance at the map shows that it is in the wrong place for any kind of a hub other than to South America, which is of little real value to the UK market. BAs missed and probably only valuable opportunity (twice ) was KLM and having missed that and seen KLM go off with Air France ,it has been obsessively scrambling for a partner ever since. Lufthansa in contrast has used its strength and gone for purchase of smaller airlines (Austrian) and setting up useful subsidiaries (Lufthansa Italia) to break into other markets. BA for some time does not seem to have understood its potential to go it alone and lacks confidence to do so.

[silverstreak]

... what a shame - NOT

BA have been scrambling around from one airline to another to try and secure a 'partnership' of real meaningfulness for a considerable number of years. Its too late locking the door, once the horse has bolted...

Now after other airlines have merged, bought, and aquired others (the ones that have at least some potential), LH, AF/KLM have snapped these up and whats left around Europe hardly jumps out as tempting...

The Star Alliance by far is the best (as well as the biggest), and has been building its momentum for many years, whilst OneWorld has sat back, and watched its rivals. Ok, OneWorld has added members but still not in the same league as STAR.

So, what now for BA? Merge with IB - no offence IB... Clutching at straws Mr Walsh, you have FAILED...

Iam thinking that Waterworld could soon be renamed 'Titanic'. ... It will never sink... But it did!

[davidjohnson6]

silverstreak and all the other doom-mongers...

Imagine yourself as CEO of BA. If a merger with IB is so bad, what *strategic* action would you take now (not 5 years ago) to ensure that BA has a long-term profitable survival, noting that

1) BA is essentially a network airline and needs to make a profit from this sort of activity
2) BA has a big pension shortfall and will have difficulty getting finance for fleet renewal until this pension hole is filled

[Skylion]

Iberia adds nothing at all to BA's potential profitability, so why do it? It has the ability to take the Lufthansa path and add to its fundamental strength but by not growing its long haul fleet , other than via the conversion of a handful of 767s for the past ten years it has not made best use of its potential and slow portfolio. It needs now to get a grip of its own destiny. A merger with Iberia does nothing for it financially or strategically.

[Serenity]

Surely B.A. would be better off investing time and money into companies that would give a better return and market share, A.A. the obvious one , but also companies like Flybe in the UK and various other multiple smaller European companies (like LF is doing) that would give much better market exposure.
If they want South America then why not through A.A. or other US or Canadian companies??

[davidjohnson6]

Serenity - it is my understanding that until the EU and US DOT grant anti-trust immunity, BA and AA will be unable to consummate their commercial relationship any further.

Flybe are a UK regional LCC who do not fly to LHR, and very little prospect of gaining LHR slots. Regional bases at Exeter and Southampton would have little strategic fit a network airline. Much of the rest of the Flybe operation was sold by BA to Flybe because BA couldn't make money out of it. In any case, BA already have a significant shareholding in Flybe.

SN Brussels are essentially a short-haul European airline combined with a good niche between Europe and West / Central Africa. Trade links between Germany and Congo are not strong, but Lufthansa were still ready to splash the cash.

Besides Iberia, other possible candidates for a BA takeover are Scandinavian, Finnair and LOT. I'm struggling to see why buying any of these 3 airlines is much more compelling than going for Iberia - perhaps you could explain your rationale ?

[Skylion]

This is not a purchase by BA. It is a merger with Iberia. It seems that both will then have, AF/KL style, an owning company and board above them. The question then is who has the majority holding and where that company is legally domiciled.