British Airways
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: United Kingdom
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BA are reacting to the Market just like Delta are doing in the USA!
Customers, don't want first class they want premium and economy!
Therefore BA are increasing the size of its premium cabins and adding 10 abreast in economy.
More seats is more people on a plane therefore the ticket prices are lower.
It's only being done on 777, so they are testing the water perhaps..!!
Customers, don't want first class they want premium and economy!
Therefore BA are increasing the size of its premium cabins and adding 10 abreast in economy.
More seats is more people on a plane therefore the ticket prices are lower.
It's only being done on 777, so they are testing the water perhaps..!!
For airlines like BA and CX, packing more seats into economy is also a way of increasing capacity at their slot constrained main hubs without increasing flights or investing in bigger aircraft, since additional runways are a long way in the future.
Will it result in lower fares or higher profits ? Well I think we all know the answer to that one....
Will it result in lower fares or higher profits ? Well I think we all know the answer to that one....
At today’s Capital Markets Day presentation British Airways announced that the 40J/24W/216Y configured London Gatwick Boeing 777-200ER fleet will be reconfigured to 32J/48W/252Y configuration with ten abreast seating in Economy Class from early 2018. With the addition of 52 seats comes the removal of three toilets. At present there are five aircraft in 40J/24W/216Y configuration, however the presentation states that 25 Boeing 777s will be converted to ten abreast seating in Economy. It is not clear what the other twenty aircraft are.
It was announced at today’s Capital Markets Day presentation that British Airways will put its London Heathrow based shorthaul Airbus fleet through a further densification program with the A320 fleet seat count increasing from 168 to 180 seats from Winter 2017 and the A321 fleet seat count increasing from 205 to 218 from Summer 2018.
All their RR powered 772s will be reconfigured to a standaed 3-class layout with 10 abreast in economy. The LGW GE powered fleet will all also receive a new layout and 10 abreast economy. The remaining GE powered 777s with First class dont currently exist as part of the plan along with rhe 777-300a. These aircraft all have the current "newer" BA interior.
LHR: 19 x -236/GE, 19 x -236/RR, 12 x -300ER
LGW: 8 x -236/GE
Unless anyone knows differently ?
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Scotland
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With the increase in seating on the A320/321 aircraft I hope they enforce the hand baggage policy. There is barely enough overhead locker space without baggage for another 12 or 13 people.
I have been delayed three or four times with hand baggage having to be moved to the hold when flying on domestic flights.
TUTH
I have been delayed three or four times with hand baggage having to be moved to the hold when flying on domestic flights.
TUTH
Oops.
Yes, in fact a bit more poking around reveals 3 RR B772s (G-YMMD/R/S) at Gatwick, with C and F also having spend the odd week or two based there recently.
Of the GE B772s, in addition to the aforementioned 8 at Gatwick, G-VIIX looks like it's gone off to spend the winter there, as it did last year having spent the summer flying from LHR.
The "densification" candidates would appear to be all the GE -200ERs, although that only accounts for 24 of the stated 25, plus maybe one of the three remaining non-ERs?
Yes, in fact a bit more poking around reveals 3 RR B772s (G-YMMD/R/S) at Gatwick, with C and F also having spend the odd week or two based there recently.
Of the GE B772s, in addition to the aforementioned 8 at Gatwick, G-VIIX looks like it's gone off to spend the winter there, as it did last year having spent the summer flying from LHR.
The "densification" candidates would appear to be all the GE -200ERs, although that only accounts for 24 of the stated 25, plus maybe one of the three remaining non-ERs?
Join Date: Aug 2007
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As an old timer, it makes me sad to see the depth to which my company as sunk We always had good staff,but always had very poor Senior management ,at Board level,Remember the Virgin Affair,selling GO, and lots more mistakes by board member completely out of their depth
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I think we can safely say this is being done to maximise profits, not reduce fares. And now our Flag carrier is joining the rush to the bottom. How about they just start a new low cost airline, maybe they could call it something like 'Go' ?! 
Join Date: May 2009
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The issue I see now, is rather than having a better product at a slightly higher cost, BA will now have a worse product than many of their competitors on leisure routes and probably only be able to match them on price (TCX have wider seats, TOM offer more legroom, Norwegian have new 787's, Virgin's A350's will almost certainly have wider seats) Maybe a name change to Vueling Airways is in order?
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I believe that BA is responding sensibly to market conditions. Most of the 40 million or so people who fly with the airline will notice little difference. 80% of passengers travel for leisure or friends and family visits. They will be looking for price, reliability and reasonable levels of service.
V
V
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I can't say I'm a fan of the trend for "densification" but a large part of the economy market is hugely price sensitive and from anecdotal evidence the arrival of Norwegian has attracted a lot of interest.
BA is not a business to make rash decisions and they are based on the extensive data analysis, not anecdote.
I also don't buy the narrative of an airline in decline.
It wasn't that long ago that it was slashing its route network under "Future Size & Shape", its aircraft order book was empty, Gatwick had the axe hanging over it and the Heathrow operation would lurch from one (often self-inflicted) operational and PR disaster to another.
The airline is expanding (having announced 10 new routes in October), carrying more passengers on more routes than ever before, and has found a path to something other than progressively shrinking and a "cut and run" approach to competition outside Heathrow.
BA is not a business to make rash decisions and they are based on the extensive data analysis, not anecdote.
I also don't buy the narrative of an airline in decline.
It wasn't that long ago that it was slashing its route network under "Future Size & Shape", its aircraft order book was empty, Gatwick had the axe hanging over it and the Heathrow operation would lurch from one (often self-inflicted) operational and PR disaster to another.
The airline is expanding (having announced 10 new routes in October), carrying more passengers on more routes than ever before, and has found a path to something other than progressively shrinking and a "cut and run" approach to competition outside Heathrow.
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With the move to a single type across the IAG group they're constraining their ability to flex from leisure to business routes. As others have said, densification works in LCC but BA couldn't make a success of UK domestic because they stuck with the wrong fleet. IMHO.
SQ 777s are all 9x. Cathay and Qatar were 9x but are moving to 10x. JAL and ANA are mainly 9x.
Most airlines are either already 10x, or have mixed fleets of 9x and 10x (which is all BA are doing at least so far).
Most airlines are either already 10x, or have mixed fleets of 9x and 10x (which is all BA are doing at least so far).
Join Date: Mar 2016
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Cathay are indeed moving to 10x, but they won't be starting their refurbishments until 2017- plus initially most planes will just fly regionally.
Quite an interesting graphic here. Hong Kong?s Cathay Pacific to introduce 10-abreast seating in its Boeing planes | South China Morning Post
BA are just following world trends. It probably won't shock you that Asia's two worst (big) performing carriers are both 3-3-3 carriers. Plus most competition going south or east is from the Gulf, who all fly 3-4-3.
Quite an interesting graphic here. Hong Kong?s Cathay Pacific to introduce 10-abreast seating in its Boeing planes | South China Morning Post
BA are just following world trends. It probably won't shock you that Asia's two worst (big) performing carriers are both 3-3-3 carriers. Plus most competition going south or east is from the Gulf, who all fly 3-4-3.
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Originally Posted by queenvic
there a timescale for the refit of the shorthaul a/c?
not looking forward to squeezing in another 12 wheelie bags!!
and any news on wifi on shorthaul?
and any idea when the 767 are leaving?
not looking forward to squeezing in another 12 wheelie bags!!
and any news on wifi on shorthaul?
and any idea when the 767 are leaving?
WIFI will be introduced on shorthaul flights from next summer. A A321 is the first aircraft planned to be equipped and is planned to enter service during S17. A total of 132 Airbus aircraft are to be fitted with the Inmarsat’s next generation European air to ground connectivity.
767 planned retirement dates are currently showing as:
G-BNWX/G-BZHC during NOV17,
G-BNWA during JUN18
G-BZHA during JUL18
G-BNWB/G-BZHB during AUG18
G-BNWZ during SEP18
Genuine question?
Who else flies their 777's in 9-abreast in economy
Who else flies their 777's in 9-abreast in economy
Air India, Asiana, Cathay Pacific, EL AL, Ethiopian Airlines, Eva Air, Garuda, Singapore Airlines, TAAG Angola, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Australia,
Last edited by BAladdy; 6th Nov 2016 at 01:23.