British Airways

[Flightrider]

LAX_LHR, I'm afraid your numbers are complete cobblers. They would be impressive if true, but they're not.

CAA data shows 68,023 passengers on MAN-LHR in January. BA flew 73,832 seats (calculated from the Route Tracker on another website) and carried 55,077 of the passengers (which you would know if you had access to the CAA stats which split pax by carrier by route). 74.6% loadfactor. It's still quite impressive but nothing like the levels you're claiming.

Same comparison for LBA-LHR produces 46% loadfactor, so quite a way behind but we have no way of knowing the value of onward feed which the route is producing and therefore its real value to BA, even if it makes a loss in its own right (which it undoubtedly would).

[LAX_LHR]

Flightrider

If it is cobblers then speak to the CAA as they are the ones who gave the figure, which if you say so, obviously conflicts with what they have released to the public. We cross check with gate closing figures so either some data has been lost or some people are managing to leave the flight half way through.

In other words, dont hate the player, hate the game.

[Flightrider]

Errr..you can't get loadfactor information from the CAA. They do not, and have never, published loadfactor information by carrier by route.

[NickBarnes]

CAA only ever show number of passengers to each destinations each month

[DaveReidUK]

BA flew 73,832 seats (calculated from the Route Tracker on another website) and carried 55,077 of the passengers (which you would know if you had access to the CAA stats which split pax by carrier by route). 74.6% loadfactor.

BA LHR/MAN seats for Jan 2014 were 81,752 (507 flights) so if the pax figure is correct that would equate to a LF of 67.4%.

[UnDeterminator]

I feel someone should stick up for the CAA here: the Aviation Data Intelligence unit can supply you with all the data you can eat - for a fee. They have some of the most comprehensive data in the industry.

Adhoc Data Charges | Data, Analysis and Statistics | About the CAA

They can indeed supply load factor by route, carrier, and even aircraft type. I've never more than monthly detail but I'm sure it is available.

Airport Database Fields | Data, Analysis and Statistics | About the CAA

Being a northerner caught somewhere between Leeds and Manchester, I am watching this debate with interest. Using the train is great if you happen to live in Central Leeds but useless otherwise - anyone who has been a victim of Northern Rail won't want to repeat the experience. I do agree they have to sort out an early southbound flight - but that means basing an aircraft up there with all that entails.

[BAladdy]

Airbus Refurbishment & LGW Shorthaul Fleet Renewal

Here are some more details on BA LGW shorthaul fleet plans. BA will transfer a further 5 ex BD A319's to LGW at the start of the S14 schedule. Taking the number of airbus aircraft based at LGW to 12 (9 x A319's, 3 x A320's). The 10 leased aircraft will arrive between late October and June 2015. No exact delivery dates are currently available. Below is a list of the A320's that are to be leased and there current operational status. Have listed the aircraft from oldest to youngest (current age of aircraft is also shown in brackets)

TC-OBH - (12yrs 9mths) ex Onur Air - wfu 31OCT13 and currently stored ??
TC-OBI - (12yrs 8mths) ex Onur Air - wfu 01NOV13 and stored at WOE since 24FEB14
PT-MZX - (12yrs 4mths) ex TAM - Unsure if still in service
PR-MAB - (12yrs 3mths) ex TAM - Unsure if still in service
PR-MAC - (12yrs 3mths) ex TAM - Unsure if still in service
PR-MAD - (12yrs) ex TAM - Unsure if still in service
PR-MAE - (11yrs 8mths) ex TAM - Unsure if still in service
HA-LPF - (11yrs 7mths) ex Wizz Air - Aircraft still in service
HA-LPE - (11yrs 4mths) ex Wizz Air - Aircraft still in service
HA-LPD - (11yrs 3mths) ex Wizz Air - Aircraft still in service

A fleet of 25 Airbus aircraft will be based at LGW by June 2015. The fleet will made up of the 14 A319's (3 ex BA mainline fleet and the 11 ex BD aircraft ) and 11 A320's (10 x leased and G-MEDK). G-TTOB and G-TTOE are expected to return to the LHR fleet once the last A320's enter service.

BA's plan to begin fitting new refurbished cabins to all there shorthaul airbus fleet beginning next month. The refurbishment program will involve:

- Removal all seats seats, carpets etc
- Removal of either a wardrobe or galley from the majority of aircraft
- Deep cleaning of cabin, galleys and washrooms
- Washrooms will undergo refurbishment with new sinks and better lighting
- New carpets, curtains, side wall covering and new cabin and side wall lighting
- Higher density cabins will be fitted using the new lighter and thinner Pinnacle seats (fitted on to G-EUYO onwards).

The 11 ex BD A319's fitted with high density cabins. These aircraft will still undergo the refurbishment program. However no galley or wardrobe will be removed. The new standard configurations will be:

A319's G-DBCA-K - remain unchanged 144Y
A319's G-EUPA-Z & G-EUOA-I - Will increase from 132Y to 143Y (Row 24 will only have 5 seats due to crew seat location)

A320's (G-MEDK, G-MIDO/S/T/X/Y only) - Will increase from 168Y to 174Y
A320's (G-EUUA-Z & G-EUYA-Z) - Will increase from 162Y to 174Y

A321's - Will increase from 188Y to 206Y (to be confirmed)

BA will fit the new cabins to the leased A320's prior to them entering service.
The remaining 14 A319's and 1 A320 will undergo refurbishment before the start of the S15 schedule

[BKS Air Transport]

As regards the LBA and MAN load factors...


Let's not forget that the LBA schedule includes an effectively 'dead' sector, the last southbound flight in the evening. MAN has a similar sector, but the percentage impact on LBA's 3 flights a day will be significantly higher than that on MAN's 7 or so.


Give the LBA route an early southbound flight and the load factor would improve significantly.

[akerosid]

Another 767 leaves the fleet...

G-BNWN was retired on the 1st, now resting in CWL, and to be ferried to Victorville on Monday, March 10. Delivered October 1991 and (per CAA stats), 80,281hrs to December 2012.

Photo: G-BNWN (CN: 25444) British Airways Boeing 767-336(ER) by John Fitzpatrick - JetPhotos.Net

BA will retire a further four 767s over the next 4 mos; 'BNWU to follow next month, then 'BNWC, 'WH and 'WD in June, July and August, respectively. The plan is to reduce the 767 to 7 units by 2015.

It has certainly served the airline well.

[Fairdealfrank]

Fairdealfrank i know your avid supporter of the LHR expansion and believe its an opportunity to rebuild UK domestic feed.

Beyond the existing shuttle routes only Jersey and Inverness really have potential.

The rest are dead and buried.

Not necessarily, the opportunity to rebuild a domestic network should not be missed:
(1) new longhaul flights that become available with LHR expansion need feeder flights and not only domestic;
(2) people need choice in methods of moving around the country;
(3) increasing lack of capacity and congestion on road and rail make an additional method of travel essential;
(4) the export drive requires increased connectivity, as does inward investment in areas away from the southeast, and and for regeneration of those areas.

By the time LHR is expanded (if ever) we will be in a completely different situation from the conditions we face today. Of course, if the domestic sector is expanded, there may well be other carriers and not just BA on the new routes, especially the thinner ones.

Nothing is dead and buried if its cost effective, competitive and frequent.


The propensity to fly factor.

Exactly.
　
　

And none of that is achievable on a sub one hour flight with the highest ADP on the planet.

And a cross party political consensus that such operations are environmentally damaging.

What consensus?

Empirical evidence suggests that for the most part ground travel always wins out over any journeys (irrespective of distance ) up to 3 hours long

Most parts of the UK are more than three hours away from LHR by ground transport.

With the added security hassles this could be extended by a further half hour.

Just a brief look at air travel (domestic) suggest this holds up under scrutiny.

So London- Scotland remains strongly contested.

There are two other cross country route that also work NCL-BRS and MAN -Norwich.

Manchester -LHR remains solid because of corporates.

The only other internal flights are essential Island and Ulster connections.

So like i said Jersey and Inverness remain the only candidates currently un-served.

A differing matter however fact may well be that there are far to many regional airports across the UK and the likes of Tees side Bournmouth Humberside and Dundee are simply surplus to requirements.

Maybe in 2014 terms, but if we’re talking about LHR expansion, we’re talking very long term, probably not in most of our lifetimes. You have to look at a future where aircraft are cleaner and quieter, where APD has long gone, where the roads are even more congested and the railways are still waiting for a construction programme to increase capacity.

As for the "regional airports" you mention, Teesside is in trouble and desperately needs an LHR link; Bournemouth has an small "no frills" presence (FR) and charter holiday/"bucket and spade" business; Humberside does a lot of oil (North Sea) industry business; and as for Dundee, the authorities have recently seen fit to grant a PSO arrangement for it.

Being a northerner caught somewhere between Leeds and Manchester, I am watching this debate with interest. Using the train is great if you happen to live in Central Leeds but useless otherwise - anyone who has been a victim of Northern Rail won't want to repeat the experience. I do agree they have to sort out an early southbound flight - but that means basing an aircraft up there with all that entails.

It's the same for anyone living far fom a major rail interchange, plus there's the pain in the **** of getting from London to LHR.

The early southbound does need sorting, flights leaving at the same time every day would also help.

[davidjohnson6]

Earlier this week, BA launched a set of weekend day trip fares. First flight out in the morning, last flight back, and you can pay fares very similiar to Easyjet.

I notice for example, that even at 11 pm, one can book Heathrow-Rome Fiumicino-Heathrow for *tomorrow*, yes *tomorrow* for £89 return. Of this return fare, £65 goes to Govt or airport charges. Easyjet at Gatwick by comparison want over £100 for a one-way.

I'm not questioning that day trips will be popular - I've done plenty of day trips all over Europe with the LCC crowd and thoroughly enjoyed them.

I'm guessing that for the first few weekends in March post publicity launch BA have deliberately underpriced just to make a bit of noise in the press. However, I'm more curious as to whether this is commercially sustainable given the costs of operating at LHR and other major European airports (e.g. Govt taxes and airport charges), what impact it might have on BA's pricing power generally and how it might impact on Easyjet / Ryanair. If BA need to flog off flights on early morning / late evening weekend Euro flights, does it imply that BA are simply flying the wrong routes at the weekend and should change their destination mix at the weekend (at least Sat 6 am to Sun lunchtime) to be slightly more leisure centric and remove the need to discount so much ?

Anyone have any thoughts on this ?

[adfly]

BA have already replaced some of these flights to an extent with the various leisure routes they operate on Fri/Sat/Sun.

[JonnyH]

I wonder with US joining One World and AJB how many passengers booking from these domestic and short haul destinations will choose to fly in to PHL/CLT direct with US and then connect with an AA/US flight internally. I know a few people who would love to avoid LHR!

I didn't realise that US served some of the big European BA destinations such as AMS, CDG and FCO direct so there's now going to be tonnes of options for passengers.

One World are going to be a forced to be reckoned with over in the US.

[Skipness One Echo]

I didn't realise that US served some of the big European BA destinations such as AMS, CDG and FCO direct so there's now going to be tonnes of options for passengers.

It depends if American Airlines keep that business model, some of these destinations were tied in with their now ended membership of STAR ALLIANCE. American wound down the majority of their substantial B767 operated European operation, in favour of a one/two stop routing with BA over LHR. There will be a lot of coversations over where the assets of the newly merged airline will best be deployed too, as well as the future of the former US hub operations.

[Fairdealfrank]

I'm guessing that for the first few weekends in March post publicity launch BA have deliberately underpriced just to make a bit of noise in the press. However, I'm more curious as to whether this is commercially sustainable given the costs of operating at LHR and other major European airports (e.g. Govt taxes and airport charges), what impact it might have on BA's pricing power generally and how it might impact on Easyjet / Ryanair. If BA need to flog off flights on early morning / late evening weekend Euro flights, does it imply that BA are simply flying the wrong routes at the weekend and should change their destination mix at the weekend (at least Sat 6 am to Sun lunchtime) to be slightly more leisure centric and remove the need to discount so much ?

Anyone have any thoughts on this ?

Maybe "the wrong routes at the weekend" are still need for connecting pax. Potentially a good way of filling seats as there's little business travel at weekends.

Apparently this has been criticised for only being available from Heathrow. This is nonsense, travellers from other airports have had the opportunity for weekend day trip fares for years - from U2 and FR and others.

[flybar]

All three LBA rotations operated as normal today, the last one arriving back at LHR an hour ago.

Would appear that from today, the third rotation, has been dropped.

[Skipness One Echo]

Would appear that from today, the third rotation, has been dropped.

Three daily currently bookable in April but not in March, lead in fares are ludicrously low, it won't last the summer at twice daily. Potentially being rescheduled with the long awaited early Southbound or being dropped?

[A300BOY]

A300BOY

The worst bit about it is no one will tell you why they have cancelled the evening rotation even if we can all guess. It would seem that BA are pretty unhappy with the route and are not willing to try the night stop option to see if that solves the problem.

[North West]

BA are operating reduced schedules from MAN, NCL and RTM too so what's with the paranoia at LB? Sure, it's more noticeable in the LBA schedule but then again onč of the sectors is the dead duck positioner. I also can't think of anything more naive than believing this is a slot sitting process. There are far easier and cheaper ways of achieving this.

[tigertanaka]

The reduced NCL service is annoying, I have a 5 hour+ wait at LHR in a couple of weeks as there is no lunchtime flight. A consistent early flight out of NCL to LHR at 6am would be nice too. BA should be cleaning up at NCL rather than splitting the indirect traffic with KLM.