re: code-sharing
yup, I got it wrong. AA indeed code-shares already on LCY-JFK. I had checked the IB website. No LCY flights are shown on this; but mebbe this is just for commercial rudder than legalbegal reasons.

So, as Sherlock Holmes almost said, if the impossible is eliminated, we are left with the improbable. Outside investors in BA Limited, maybe the regular clients, huh?

And where else would BA Limited go from ducklands airport? Washington, Moskva, Dubaiiee? Quick, follow the money...

Comment certified free from actual facts or other harmful content

edit: more Riyadh than Dubaï, non?

BD, BA OR LH?
 

I am a bit confused with the whole integration process.
Months ago, I bought flights for August on the Lufthansa website, however they were BMI Operated flights ( Belfast - Berlin via London) - it was cheaper this way!
Now I am concerned that BA have taken onboard the BD flights and am concerned about the connection with Lufthansa, and whether it will still be honoured.
Who actually operates my flights, how do I check in for my flights (ie which website) and how does through checking work.

I know you guys are very knowledgeable, hope you can help!:ok:

Johnny - could I respectfully suggest phoning or emailing either BA or Lufthansa ? I imagine other people will be in your situation and either the call centre at one of these airlines will be able to provide the information or it will be on an airline website. You paid them your cash - let them earn it by providing the customer service

Well it's healthier than BACon......

BA Gatwick to take upto 6 x bmibaby 733s
 

British Airways (BA, London Heathrow (LHR)) is planning to move six B737-300s currently operated by subsidiary bmibaby (WW, East Midlands (EMA)) to its own operation at London Gatwick (LGW) where the aircraft will replace larger and older B737-400s.

Soure: CH-Aviation News.

BA to transfer additional ex BMI flight numbers to BA
 

British Airways (BA, London Heathrow (LHR)) has announced that it will transfer bmi british midland (BD, East Midlands (EMA)) routes from London Heathrow (LHR) to Belfast Aldergrove International (BFS), Dublin International (DUB) and Manchester Ringway International (MAN) to its own BA flight numbers from June 27 and routes to Aberdeen Dyce (ABZ), Amman Queen Alia International (AMM), Beirut Rafic Hariri International (BEY) and Edinburgh (EDI) from July 4. The flights will be operated by bmi aircraft and crew and it is expected that all transferred routes will continue to be served following the full integration of bmi into British Airways. Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Manchester are already served by BA from Heathrow as well.

Source : CH-Aviation.

ex BMI Flight Numbers
 

Mizake the Mizzen quotes CH-Aviation as saying BA will transfer flight numbers between London (LHR) to Belfast Aldergrove International (BFS) to its own flight numbers from 27 June.

There's a big surprise as bmi does not fly from LHR to BFS so how can the flight numbers for a route that does not exist be changed?

Just shows you cannot believe all you read

Let's not get too agitated about this. We can all figure out what is actually meant, can't we? :rolleyes:

Could it be that the original reference was to the BFS city code, and some automatic decode (reasonably) interpreted it as the BFS airport code? After all, the same release refers to DUB as "Dublin International" and I don't think I've ever met anyone who knows anyone who's ever called it that (unless perhaps an American who also calls BA "British Air" ;) but that's another rant).

I don't agree with Cyrano- surely accuracy is important rather than accept sloppy journalism? Its not as if verifying the information would have been difficuly

I personally find the previous post about the six ex Baby 733's going to LGW quite interesting. I wonder if they will replace 6 734's 1 for 1 or will a couple be included for growth, as originally the scary woman in charge of LGW seemed to want to have a better go at competing with 'fortress orange'. Hopefully some (slightly) newer and smaller aircraft will help to make some of the more marginal routes turn a profit and in turn improve the case for a complete shorthaul fleet overhaul in the longer term! :ok:

Fewer pax on an equally fuel guzzling aircraft........erm......me thinks not. But one does love a good rumour. :ok:


P.s. anyone know what variant of CFM 56 Is on the babies? The 436s have 23.5 K rated hair dryers. Just curious.

On 737s....
 

Airfleets gives 14 aircraft with WW at an average of 15.8 years.
BA is given as 19 aircraft at 19.6 years average.
The BA B737-436s were bespoke ordered and paid for. They are surely paid off, whereas the WW fleets is leased. So they are (re)introducing an old subtype with fewer seats that is going to need a fair amount of cabin work to come up to BA standards, unless they are going to keep WW seating and interiors.

I believe the plan for LGW has not gone to the board so there is no scope to order a replacement for the B737 until then.

There are other factors though. I thought read somewhere that the 734s are coming up for major checks - a significant expense for aircraft at 20-odd years old. There may also be significant costs to get out of the leases of the 733s, so despite any interior work needed the case for keeping the 733s and ditching the 734s may be closer than appears at first sight - especially if routes can be arranged to maximise load factors on the 733s. Indeed, I've heard some comments that the 734s need interior work anyway (from a pax perspective) as they are "tired".

MD

I see Aer Lingus and BA have come to an agreement with DUB-LHR route. BA loaded winter timetable with 4 daily M-F, 3 Sat, 5 Sun

The BA flight for the most part are operated when there is gaps with EI hourly DUB-LHR schedule.

I assume that the EI flights continue to carry the BA flight number but will the BA flights carry the EI flight code ?


cs

Non connecting passengers can either book EI flights via EI website and BA can bookin BA flights via BA website. For passengers connectiong at LHR it will show all EI and BA flights when booking through BA.

How many flights did BM have last winter?

733s vs 734s
 

Bear in mind that the Gatwick 737-436 fleet is supplemented each summer with three A319s moving down from Heathrow. With the expansion of short-haul routes at Heathrow and removal of the bmi Regional Embraer 145 at the end of the summer, BA can probably ill afford to keep sending the A319s down to Gatwick and the mixed Airbus/Boeing operation makes the crew tours immensely complicated anyway. Three of the 737-300s could well be replacements for the 319s and a fourth could sensibly be used to create a standby aircraft. This approach would only leave two as 737-436 replacements or growth aircraft , and BA does have a lot of LGW slots leased out to other airlines including Aer Lingus.

733s
 

There is another option here. The 734 fleet is often short due to serviceability issues. BA have leased Titan aircraft to cover. They could use 733s from baby as maintenance spares and to save using 319s from LHR.

If the 733 leases are power by the hour, this would make a lot of sense. Does anyone know the details of the leases?

"The new subsidiary, British Airways Limited, is securing its own air operator's certificate and operating licence. It will operate the two Airbus A318s in the fleet under a wet-lease arrangement with British Airways."

On a related note, why does British Airways still refer to itself as a PLC when it's shares are no longer traded? it's stock market symbol was made redundant with the formation of IAG, and you can only buy shares in the parent company.