I find it strange how even during a crisis like this, airlines cutting countless jobs, shedding every pound possible to save pennies, BACF of all airlines are getting new aircraft, 190LRs at that.

What’s the plan here? They won’t ship them all over straight to storage at NWI surely? There must be something in works, or am I totally missing something.

Any substance to the rumours of them moving the odd Embraer to operate out of LGW or is that all duff gen

E190's replacing the E170's

The same reason BA are taking delivery of new A32Xneo/350/787-10s, Virgin are taking A350s and TUI have a load of second hand 737-800s painted up ready to go. These aircraft were ordered and contracted months or years ago, just because COVID happened, you can’t just walk away from the deal without hefty penalties. Manufacturers and leasing companies have been accommodating with delivery delays and deferments given the circumstances, but still... its very difficult for an airline to walk away from their commitments at the last minute.

I’m sure every airline globally who had aircraft on order is stuck with some they’d now rather not have, Cityflyer is hardly unique.

The main problem now with DUS is the loss of Air Berlin as a one world partner. Like using DUB to go west, DUS was ideal for those near LCY or who hate LHR. You could check in in under 30 mins and going through DUS allowed connections to all over the world with minimum fuss. That loss has affected loads I would wager and that traffic now seemed to be passing through FRA pre-covid from what I could see.

That said, the city is lovely and hence the loads are still worthy of the route for point to point, esp now FlyBe are no longer in the picture.

I have to say I never saw a OneWorld connection offered through Dusseldorf, either on the BA website or through the independent Web ones. KLM, Lufthansa and (notably) Swiss seem to do them extensively from LCY, but it seems that fares from the UK are marketed by BA rather than OneWorld, who want you to use BA all the way.

In passing both Lufthansa and Swiss, when we have been travelling from LCY to Athens, St Petersburg, etc, have seemed to make every effort to get short connection passengers through and away, with special staff, ramp car transfers, etc, whereas BA at Heathrow leave you to your own devices, follow the signs, and general queues etc, and if you miss it - too bad.

I was originally booked DRS-DUS-LHR a couple of years ago (AB connecting to BA). With their collapse, ended up getting the train from DRS to FRA, and flying back from FRA.

Never say never as it briefly happened a few years ago as cover but there would have to a serious negotiation with BALPA and changes to the Scope agreement for it ever to happen on a permanent basis.

I might be far off the mark here, hopefully a BACF/BA chap can correct me, but as far as I’m aware the scope clause is well and truly in the gutter at this point.

The scope clause has effectively disappeared as part of the recent vote. BACF can operate aircraft with more than 100 seats and from LHR and LGW if they wish.

That does not give an entirely accurate picture. They can operate aircraft with more than 100 seat “as long as flights continue to mainly transit through LCY” so yes they could operate into LGW for example, the bulk of CF flights would still be transiting through LCY.

Wonder if the ability to run the E190 into LHR in the past might have saved thin routes like LBA? Maybe we will see them run to NQY in the winter if BA wins the PSO?

Sounds to me like opening the door to Cityflyer operating weekend leisure routes out of LHR & LGW strengthening BA's grip on this market.

BA have the PSO (under an emergency order) until March 21, this was announced back in July NQY announcement

Yes, I was aware of that, maybe I should have added if they win the PSO in the long term. As it stands, you can't book LHR-NQY between 24 Feb and 30 June.

I don’t think we’ll ever see BACF operating out of a LHR. LGW possibly but still doubtful.

Pre COVID no, but the market is on it's arse and the 80/20 rule at LHR is on the way back. So as a slot sitter to maintain frequency it may have some merit.
LGW makes less sense unless the aircraft are densified and that involves carrying one other cabin crew IIRC?

One cabin crew member per 50 seats, or part thereof installed. 100 seats - 2 cc is ok, 101 seats requires 3. In a previous life, if we were desperately short of cc, we’d reconfig the RJ100 into a high club config (converting rows of 6Y into 5C) to reduce the seat count so we could operate with 2 cc.

I suppose the BACF E-jets could operate W flights from LHR. LHR-NQY-MAN-NQY-LHR or LHR-NQY-NCL-NQY-LHR. NQY-MAN/NCL post Flybe hasn't been picked up by anyone as yet, & BACF low costs could be of use keeping the e-jets in use & operate a year round daily NQY ex LHR- as I think some days are currently only seasonal.

Announced today that there are to be no cabin crew redundancies at LCY.

Well that’s not true. 8 pilots have been made redundant and 25 pilots have been placed in the community retention pool. Those in the pool have no promise of return, depending on the market. BALPA did a good job of reducing the number down from the original 72. But crew in LCY are definitely losing their jobs. To say nothing of the sad loss of many of our amazing Scottish colleagues.

Originally BA CityFlyer had hoped to fly a 70% schedule this winter but it's now looking like 10-15%.

Good news for the cabin crew though, or so it seems. Appears everybody is returning to roster this month from furlough. Some clever bean counter must have realised it’s cheaper to pay everybody basic rather than paying 2/3rds of furlough/JSS wages

Everyone who wants to return to work next month is being recalled. As far as I know a decision hasn't been taken on how pay will work - appears in my case that taking advantage of the JSS scheme would still be cheaper for the company than just paying my basic.

I think a main issue for both BA and BACF is the pain may not be over yet. Both outfits will struggle to pay bills on such a reduced programme. What is the permitted load factor and how many seats are being filled?