MAN was asked to bid on the stopover when the service first started and so must have been seen as a credible option in BA 's thinking. Obviously SNN had a big advantage with pre-clearance but if that is going then the playing field levels somewhat.

missing the point
 

The pre clearance was the big selling point of the LCY / USA service, IMHO.

If now the pax have the same inconvenence as LHR/LGW etc, then what is the USAP.....just the reduced time and strees to get to the airport.

BA to cancel IKA
 

Taken from BA.com

The last services to Tehran will depart London Heathrow on Friday 12 October and the last service from Tehran will depart on Saturday 13 October.

British Airways will also not continue this route in Winter 2012 as previously intended. However we will continue to operate London to Tbilisi service but this will reduce to 3 services per week for Summer 13. Tehran will remain under review as a potential British Airways destination.

From Mon 29 Oct BA 1 will depart London City at 9:50am with a 14:20 arrival at JFK.BA 3 will remain as a 16:00 LCY departure.Both still via SNN.

BMI A332 used on LCA route
 

BA are currently using BD's A332 G-WWBM to operate there daily flights from LHR to LCA. The A332 will operate on the route through until at least the 22nd October

The aircraft is being used due to a shortage of available 767 aircraft. BA currently have 5 767's out of operation at the moment. The aircraft out of operation are:

G-BNWA & G-BNWR - Currently undergoing maintanence at LHR

G-BNWD - Which has been grounded in YYC since 25th September. Not sure what the problem is with this aircraft

G-BNWV - Currently at CWL undergoing cabin refurbishment

G-BZHB - Currently at LGW undergoing cabin refurbishment

This might be one for Jetblast, but I take my hat off to WW for his performance on BBCQT last Thursday:

Susan Pompous (Lib Dem) Kramer: "I remember that Christmas when flights were stopped in the bad weather, I don't remember you resigning".

Walsh: "That's because I don't run the airport".:D:D:D

I'd have given her a Red Dwarf response: Susan - reason one why I didn't resign is that I run BA, not BAA. And reason 2 is that I run BA, not BAA. Just such a key point that I felt I should mention it twice.

jaibird Another good example that proves politicians are so out of touch with reality.

I saw that on the television on the BBC as well, and was just longing for Willie Walsh, having received that nastily-spiteful but completely incorrect comment, to continue "..... and I would have thought that having recently been the MP for Richmond, of all places, for five years recently, Mrs Kramer, you might have some understanding of how the aviation, which a significant proportion of your constituents must actually work in, and a handful of self-appointed whingers continually complain about, is organised .....".

It's programmes like this that make you realise how competent those high up in industry can be, and how completely inept those who have pushed themselves into politics are in comparison.

BA fleet
 

Has anyone heard anything about an order for 10-12 A320 family? If so is it for extra capacity, to replace some older Airbus frames or the long awaited phase out of the LGW 737's?

Rumor has it that it's 10 A320s for LHR, this will allow some current LHR frames to be cascaded down to LGW and replace some of the older 734s


cs

Saw that elsewhere, however LGW getting LHR second slops does not tie in with an RFP for LGW fleet replacement that needs to be done soon. Unless they're just going to muddle through as before.....

Wonder where you saw that skippy ;)


cs

I saw it in a place where people have demanding first world type problems and I enjoy reading for the sheer comedy value.

DYKWIA indeed..... :)

And what of my first world problems !!!!!


cs

Skippy - I agree with your comments regarding the LGW RFP. The decision isn't made. The 10 are either replacements for BA A320's with leases coming to an end, replacements for the older UUA series or replacements for some of the ex BMI hulls which are non standard. I understand from an Airbus Capt that some ex BMI hulls can't accept ACARS as the wiring looms weren't included in the build.

BA are very good at understanding their options, so they may do a trade off for LGW looking at the incremental cost of extending Airbus leases vs other new aircraft. I don't think that decision has been made yet.

Another rumour that has surfaced is that BACF will add E195's for a new LGW operation

GATWICK ROUNDUP 09-10-12 - UK & N.Ireland - Aircraft Movements and Sightings - Aviation Forums - Flightglobal Airspace

IAG currently hold 15 E-Jet options

I personally think in the next few weeks that IAG will confirm that they have ordered E195's as part of a fleet replacement program for LGW with the rest of the fleet being made up of A320's. The flights are likely to continue to be operated by LGW's Single Fleet operation

Dont forget the 16 C Series ordered at Paris last year by " major European carrier".........operated by Cityflyer at LGW ?.....cuts fuel costs, cuts labour costs....

BACF ordering E195s for the LGW operation is at odds with no business plan for fleet renewal at LGW being approved by either BA or IAG.

Don't forget that due to scope clauses the E195s are currently limited to less than 100 seats which works for LCY but I don't think such a configuration would work for a LGW operation.

E195s?

Surely the training/logistics costs would be too much for LGW. At least with the 320 series all the in house requirements already exist. EG Crewing and Engineering.

Mainline operating ERJ195s would mean no SCOPE clause and seat restriction required. CFE are prevented from operating from LGW and LHR under SCOPE so there would be an industrial dispute, and a serious one at that if BA renege on that. The whole BA pilot community would be seeing their future outsourced.
Would they need to be maintained by BA or could the CFE support and third party operation help? SCOPE only prevents flight and cabin crew I think.