I also operate an anyone but BA rule and use them as the airline of last resort. There are plenty of other options out of the north and I will use them. I also know of many friends and colleagues who think the same.

BA's treatment of the regions is abismal.

On a previous point I can recall direct flights from manchester to Toronto, Montreal, Barbados, Los Angeles, Orlando and Hong Kong with BA at one time and all long gone.

I also remember the time they taled of a tie up with SN and operating a 2 hub system with flights over the atlantic operating Brussels - Manchester and onwards and flights to the Middle / far east operating Manchester - Brusssels and onwards so obviously at one time someone in BA felt their were markets for flights from the North.

Finally didnt they also promise things like Florida and Singapore from manchester when they opened T3.

Whatever they promised was then... They can argue [they not me!] that if they are making a profit and NOT serving the regions s/h and not serving from the regions to l/h - why should they try and do it?

Look at just two of the other major corporations of long standing, Ford and Daimler Chrysler - they have grown and grown and are having problems. Look at the airlines that have grown by acquisition and do local, regional, medium and long - are they comfortable? I don't think so.

BA looked at the big tie-ups with AA, Sabena, KLM and others but none worked out. Not just because airlines remain in the politicians minds as 'ours' but all the international regs on routes are formed on the basis of countries. My guess is that they decided that getting bigger was problematical and they would head, quietly, in the opposite direction. They can sell off whole chunks and, when some a/c are reaching a typical replacement point - just withdraw from a route instead.

For the shareholders it makes sense and that is the responsibility of the board. I expect that they will pull this off and I give them credit for it because everyone else is still trying to grow - look at poor old Mike at BD, still desperate after all these years. BA are the only ones trying to shrink and I am waiting to see how long it takes AA and the others to follow. (No, I am not a shareholder or employee - past or present - of any airline).

jongeman,ba do not fly to Ekaterinburg or Almaty,these routes are operated by Bmed!

Anyone else hearing rumours about some more long-haul shifts between LHR and LGW?

Latest one is that the daily LGW-Barbados will move to LHR (leaving LGW with the limited services Barbados-Port of Spain introduced after the deal with BWIA/Caribbean) and that a daily LHR-JFK will move to LGW.

Semantics!

As a franchisee of BA. Flights carry BA numbers and are booked through BA

Just got an email from the BA Executive Club which began:

"Our vision for London Heathrow Terminal 5 is to create the best possible airport experience before you fly. With this in mind we have announced a new simpler checked and excess baggage policy, which will come into effect on 13 February 2007"

and then went on to explain the new baggage policy (max weight per bag = 23kg, fees for excess baggage, 20% discount for online pre-pay)

What I'm wondering is... what does the new baggage policy have to do with T5...?

and what's the vision for London Gatwick....? or does that vision involve a trip up the A23 and round the M25 ? :rolleyes:

13Alpha

That last one is probably to make way for the thru-route via MAN when the FlyBe/BACON fiasco is sorted. :mad:

LGW - BGI is not moving to LHR !

Regarding the MAN - JFK , the only way it will come to LGW Crew is if it changes to a 777 !

But you never know!!

13Alpha

Because the biggest screwup in a new terminal is usually baggage so the fewer they have by discouraging pax from bringing them, the fewer they can lose. Trebles all round!

Just another day in Willie Walsh's epic, "Ryanairise a full service airline - the sequel"

BA Aircraft
 

It's common knowledge that we have 10 777-300's on order and that this will be officially announced when the pension deal is complete.

Sources in Washington State tell us that the first airframe is complete and awaiting it's paint job in BA colours.

Would some kind soul please look out of the window at Paine Field or King Co and see if the rumour is true?

Thanks:D

All the 777 frames up to a first flight in April 2007 at least are fully accounted for (the later ones here will not have begun final assembly yet) and no there's not one for BA.

It's not like Hollywood movies portray it. BA is a public company and the introduction of a new type involves a tremendous amount of preparation which will be well known. If announced today you might get something delivered in 2008 .....

If it's "awaiting" a paint job in BA colours, how will anyone who's looking out of their window be able to tell?! :hmm:

SIA is stealing all the 773s, 3 in the last month have left PAE for SIN direct, rather them than me!

Isn't it the case that BA have only secured options for 10 Boeing 777's which can be converted to B787's, for delivery 2009 / 10, providing that the B777 is included in the selected types for fleet renewal?.

jethro
UK and Ireland Airline Fleet Listings
http://www.jethros.i12.com

To quote BA commercial director in Flight this week...

'We have already reserved 10 777-200ER production slots from 2009, but these bridging deliveries will only be confirmed if the 777-300ER/787 package is confirmed. If we go with Airbus then the A330 will be the bridge to the A350...'

Because the rumour said it was the only one parked outside in primer.

Now comprehensively quashed by those "in the know" :)

Thanks guys.

Unless Boeing has broken with tradition, the Rudder is painted first (something to do with balance), then installed whilst still on the production line, then wheeled in for the paint job.

Perhaps i'm mistaken???:sad:

They still do that, but if the aircraft doesn't have a buyer (or they wanted to keep it quiet:E ) they could easily produce a "white tail" aircraft then paint it later.

A south Asian carrier will be getting quite a few 300ERs in the near future

I think that the T&C forum (or indeed this one!) would have been abuzz if BA had somehow sneaked a few quid out of the biscuit tin and been down the Seattle toy shop. :}

The 777-300ER would mean some activity on the payscales front after all, as it would be effectively a new fleet type capacity-wise.

Naturally other places have taken BA booking those options to be a sign that WW is about to lash out on a hundred GE powered 777 and 787 frames, with a side of 748. Sheesh...it is what it is, a placeholder as there is a decent backlog on the 777 line and BA want their delivery options at their timescale and not have to sit in the queue. :suspect:

All production for the first 6 months of 2007 at least is completely detailed and known.

Boeing just delivered 777 number 600 a couple of weeks ago, and are turning out around 5 a month. There are no other undelivered aircraft at Boeing. Here's what is coming, and the sequence, in the first half of 2007 then.

(Line number, order number, reg, airline)

600 34569 9V-SWD Singapore AL
601 33778 AP-BHV PIA
602 34570 9V-SWE Singapore AL
603 34571 9V-SWF Singapore AL
604 34572 9V-SWG Singapore AL
605 34379 ZK-OKH Air New Zealand
606 32651 JA778A All Nippon
607 35960 OE-LPD Austrian
608 32962 F-GSQS Air France
609 35295 PH-BQO KLM
610 36300 VT-ALA Air India
611 33779 AP-BHW PIA
612 33750 B-16706 Eva
613 35296 AP-BHX PIA
614 36124 5Y-KYZ Kenya AW
615 34573 9V-SWH Singapore AL
616 32846 F-GSQT Air France
617 35547 N77019 Continental
618 34574 9V-SWI Singapore AL
619 32729 A6-EBX Emirates
620 35256 C-FITL Air Canada
621 36301 VT-ALB Air India
622 33864 A6-EBY Emirates
623 34575 9V-SWJ Singapore AL
624 32847 F-GSQU Air France
625 31687 N69020 Continental
626 35254 C-FITU Air Canada
627 35157 VT-JEA Jet AW
628 32713 A6-EBZ Emirates
629 36302 VT-ALC Air India
630 32721 PH-BQP KLM
631 34894 JA779A All Nippon
632 32794 A6-ECA Emirates

Whitehatter.

What do you mean by your comment:
?

Get real for heavens sake. BA taking on new aircraft? Dream on. BA must sort out the quality of their service (both in the air and on the ground) before they start even thinking about new aircraft. WW should look at how they are running in T1 and T4 which are disaster areas before looking at new planes cos if the service keeps on goinfg down who will they get to fill the new planes???

T1 and T4 is mostly of BAA's doing with a little T5 "adjustments" causing some grief at the moment.
No problem though with the amount of pax and money flooding in at the moment. More than enough demand to fill some new aircraft.

Get ready to eat your words.

Fargoo, while BAA are responsible for some problems at Heathrow, BA aren't absolved of all blame either.
Availability of tug crews before 0700 local in T4, availability of dispatchers (or whatever they're called now - I believe the name has changed) to turn on stand guidance etc etc. Even if it's a PAN medical emergency and there's been an hour's notice! :ugh:

Heard an interesting rumour that some of the problems with the bags were caused by the loaders Sabotaging the baggage belts!

Something about not being happy with the new working practises.

I would be very interested to see the next summer and winter timetables to see if they say 773! Especially with the 777 getting Bangkok and Hong Kong.

But I'm more interested in where the bunks are going when they do come!

Does BA's Fleet plans include the A380
 

Hi All,

Not sure if this has been brought up before, but...
Terminal 5 is ( I believe) the only Terminal at Heathrow with the required infrastructure to handle the A380.
I beleive that BA will have the entire terminal, and this has always been the case, bearing in mind, how long ago the Terminal and aircraft were designed, does this mean that BA had ALWAYS intended to buy the 380?

T3 also has several new A380 capable stands - several T3 airlines will use A380s, eg. SQ, EK, VS.

I belive the last word from BA was that they would wait and see how it performs with other airlines. Personally i see BA getting more Boeing 777s .

Regards

LL

Mate,

I work for BAA and I would agree with some of your anti BAA posts but this one............is so incorrect it makes me chuckle.

:ugh::ugh:

L337

"Get ready to eat your words"

I agree!

L Met

BA and A380
 

Willie Walsh has said that he is very certainly interested in A380. He says the project is excellent, from an economic and opertaional point of view he is very keen.

No doubt he has a long relationship with Airbus from Aer Lingus, and BA are a serious Airbus customer. Nonetheless, Willie Walsh will not give either Boeing or Airbus any comfort publicly until he secures the deal he and BA want!

Personally as a Beoing follower I would love to see BA keep the long haul fleet Boeing. Most of the short haul fleet is now airbus! I wonder will BA look at the 318 for the London City operation instead of the Avrojets?? I can see Airbus pushing the issue to drive 318 sales???

I think this order is only going to be for widebodies and it will be a case of A380s/A350s -v- 748s/773ERs/787s. As you point out, BA is going to drive an extremely hard bargain.

Whether or not there will be any replacements for the RJ100s (which were not included in the Flybe contract), depends on how routes out of LCY do. Even then, the A318 might not be the ideal choice.

Personally, I see BA retreating to be a Heathrow based airline over the next few years, even leaving LGW - with limited service being operated by GB Airways.

BA/LHR predictions for 2007
 

Some seasonal fun then:

1. BA Pension scheme changes agreed by end January with staff groups being balloted for acceptance in early February

2. Cabin Crew will vote about 80:20 in support of strike action, when the day comes they will go sick rather than strike as in 1997. BASSA will end up making major compromises and be on the defensive for years.

3. BA will announce an order for LH replacement aircraft featuring Boeing taking back about 25 of the oldest 747-400's and the 767 fleet in exchange for about 35 777-300's and 20 787's (in addition to firming up the 10 777 options), resulting in about a 15-20% growth in the longhaul fleet timed to coincide with the T5 move. This will result in a LH fleet of about 32x747, 85x777 and 20x787. The LH expansion will be generated by reducing SH frequencies and an element of slot acquisition and mixed mode efficiencies.

4. The tower move will be completed without hitch in February.

5. BA/BAA will continue to deliver poor terminal services resulting in disruption to pax over Easter weekend when a snowflake falls in Berkshire.

Resulting in the entire internal/domestic BA service suffering it's 'twice annual' suspension stranding thousands of passengers days before a national holiday - and that's without even looking in my crystal ball! BA will make a press release saying that 'it will all be good when we move to T5'

The lost baggage mountain will create a new topographicological feature on all London charts when it is covered with a layer of polythene and 20' of earth and turned into a new parkland area with a Union flag fluttering on top. Once it is realised it is a good terrorist aiming point, it will be closed to the public. Anybody digging to try and locate their bag will be arrested for vandalism.

British Airways (BA) has begun evaluating responses from suppliers to its request for proposals (RFP) for upward of 50 widebody aircraft to replace its Boeing 767s and older 747-400s.

The airline issued the RFP to Airbus and Boeing and the engine manufacturers in October, and the responses were all due back by the end of December, says BA commercial director Robert Boyle. "We're analysing the responses and preparing to begin the first round of negotiations," he says.

A final decision on the order is expected in 2007 to enable the first deliveries of "bridging aircraft" in early 2009, adds Boyle.

Speaking to ATI sister publication Flight International during the launch of BA's London-Calgary service last month, Boyle said the airline's core requirement totals 40-50 aircraft plus options. The requirement includes 34 aircraft to replace its 20 oldest Boeing 747-400s and its 14 767-300ERs as well as 10 bridging aircraft and units to cover the airline's growth requirements.

The Airbus A330 and Boeing 777-200ER are in contention for the short-term bridging requirement for delivery from 2009, ahead of the main fleet expansion package, which will comprise either the A350 or the 777-300ER and 787-9/10 for the twinjet requirement and the A380 or 747-8 for the large-aircraft requirement. Boyle says the A340-600 was excluded because BA is looking to the A350-1000 for its requirements in this size category from Airbus.

"We have already reserved 10 777-200ER production slots from 2009," says Boyle, but these bridging deliveries will be confirmed only if the Boeing 777-300ER/787 package is selected. "If we go with Airbus, then the A330 will be the bridge to the A350."

For the 747 replacement, Boyle says deliveries would be in the 2011 to 2013/14 timeframe and it is "extremely unlikely" BA will split the initial 747-400 replacement deal between the A380 and 747-8. "But it might be different for the next batch," he adds, implying the airline could ultimately acquire a mix of both ultra-large types to replace its entire 747-400 fleet.

Boyle acknowledges that the recent Lufthansa 747-8 order improves the prospects for Boeing because "BA doesn't usually like to be the first customer". He says the recent delays that have blighted the A380 programme do not concern him, but they "make it likely that we'll get a better deal out of Airbus

When i have been at Paine Field, the frames tend to have a sign or banner on them saying which model and airline it will be for once finished, plus you can sometimes tell by the registrations on the fuselage or gear door.

A318 probably won't do at BA because:
1. With the BACon sale the number of Avros to replace is very small and a larger requirement down the road is unlikely.
2. Even if they did want to go Airbus, an IAE engine is not offered on the 318. CFM56 is, but with the BCal A320s and the remaining 737s likely to leave the fleet in due course it's unlikely BA will want to get new frames with CFMs and certainly not PWs.