sounds like a quote from elsewhere....

Certainly does sound like a quote from elsewhere !

I would expect if the once weekly LHR-LPA service does well that BA will follow in years to come with a more frequent LGW service when airframes are available


cs

interesting to see ABZ and EDI LHR reductions for W13 esp in face of VS competition and GLA remaining unchanged.

TCX 69 wrote:

This is an interesting idea. Lots of other airports have a service to Gran Canaria as well as this, at better frequencies, so I suppose this is squarely aimed at the central and west London market, using an airframe that is usually on business destinations. Good luck!

Future Long Haul capacity
 

With all these orders for 787s/350s + 380s, replacing the 747 fleet, does anyone know whether the future number of overall LH seats is more or less than now with the 747 fleet?
Complicated I know, as I suspect future slot utilisation will be weighted more heavily on LH and SH will decrease.

Bit of a lash-up for BA at Moscow DME today.

Early morning flight (the one you have to leave your hotel at 3 am for) cancelled; the outbound overnight 767 never operated.

Afternoon 747 flight, with colleague on it, which all those above had been transferred to and hung around all day for, had an engine eat a bird on landing and is now AOG awaiting inspection.

Evening 767 had the outbound flight operate 3 hours late from Heathrow and not even arriving Moscow until after 9 pm.

Who would be the Moscow station manager today ?

It's just the sort of bad luck all airlines get now and again. You can't blame BA for the bird strike anyway. What were the circumstances for the two B767 problems?

And due to lack of Midhaul A321`s today the AMM was operated on a shorthaul A321 and had to divert into LIN to refuel!

More fun and games with BA DUB-LHR yesterday.

Boarding pax stuck in very cold airbridge for 15 mins until finally informed there was a tech problem. Instructed to return back up to Terminal. It should take 30 minutes to fix.

From the Terminal windows it was plain to see that the problem was with the nosegear which the Captain subsequently said had been found to have “no gas” which had to be replenished. During the repairs a trailer with gas cylinders onboard had been observed beside the nosewheel. Perhaps an expert here could elaborate on this.

Lots of connecting pax very worried about onward at LHR but nobody complains when a tech issue arises. Everyone wants to fly on a sound aircraft.

Pushback about 50 mins later but, unfortunately, a/c had just been told to “get out of the way” (Captain’s words) and wait somewhere else on airfield for a new slot.

Lots of connecting pax even more worried about onward at LHR.

Finally got under way and only short delay in stack at LHR.

Some pax still hopeful of catching connections.

Hopes dashed. The fun really started after this. BMI’s long-held disembarkation record at LHR of 18 minutes was easily surpassed. 27 minutes before a (rear) door finally opened and steps used.

You’d have thought that, with such an original delay, that BA would have pulled out all the stops to get pax off quickly. You’d be wrong.

One pax called it the airline equivalent of Fawlty Towers.

When the A/C comes in late it does rather mess up the schedule of the ground staff, ramp staff, fuelers, coach drivers, cleaning staff, stand allocations etc etc.

They should focus on getting the flights that are running to schedule out on time even if that means delaying an already delayed aircraft. Better to have one aircraft full of delayed pax than 2 or 3. Much easier to fix a few connections through LHR than delay other people and have them perhaps miss a connection at a less served airport. If several of the passengers have already got no chance of making connections then there is even less chance the flight will get special treatment. Better to simply rebook them in advance of the flight even landing. It may not make sense to passengers, but it is the most logical way to do things.

Ba today
 

Tough today too but a good job by all concerned
Poor WW was on a xxld flight home ,
so he knows what's its like

We have to wait from what AAIB conclude before we can agree with you Hangar6. For me to loose the engine cowling on one engine may have been a technical error, but to loose on both ... nah

I notice BA have added an additional weekly NBO rotation for the Summer season, operating on Sunday nights as BA61, staying in Nairobi for 18 hours(!) and returning as BA60 on Tuesday morning. Guessing this is something of a slot-sitter, it replaces the planned additional LAD frequency that was cancelled.

BA 787's
 

In all the aura of TOM's 787's we have all forgotten about BA's. When they come into service are they likely to be maintained at CWL ?

G-ZBJA - Undergoing Pre-Flight Prep
G-ZBJB - Undergoing Pre-Flight Prep
G-ZBJC - Undergoing Pre-Flight Prep

Meaning that these 3 aircraft will not be too long until delivery

Plan is to 'accept' the A380 before the 787 into service. There is a probability that both types will be delivered in the same week, in which case the 787s will sit on the ground in the UK until the 380 has been inducted into BA and is up and running doing its base training and Euro flights.

Any idea why chose to introduce the A380 first? I can think of two theories:-

1)
The A380 costs a lot more so BA would want to start getting a return on their investment quicker.

2)
The A380 has been proven in service with other airlines for a lot longer, so should represent a less troublesome entry into service. The 787 ... well, the history is well documented already.

Perhaps maintenance visits (scheduled and unscheduled) require the backup on the B747 fleet.

It seems BA have recently moved one of the ex BMI A320's to LGW, apparently permanently. This is due to it being the only one which does not support the containerised baggage system used at T5. It is configured with 168 seats so it should come in handy on the busier routes especially during the peak months!

One would assume that BA dreamliner will have their major maintenance at Cardiff as they will be replacing the B762 and some B744 however I have been reliably informed that no decision has been made as of yet.

As for flight training could be a possibility but i'm sure the first airframe is due this month according to Jethro's but have not heard any rumours of training at Cardiff as of yet.

A320 G-EUYO was due for delivery today from Toulouse but has been delayed a week due to late completion of the cabin. Should now arrive into LHR next Thursday around 8pm as BA9251P.

Champ