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View Full Version : BAs Route Cuts From LGW ....


bjghi3
15th Feb 2002, 10:22
I have heard from a variety of sources that the following are quite likely BA long haul cuts from LGW, to be announced soon. LGW-ATL is having tremendous difficulty. Since the US/France openskies and the AF/DL anti trtust immunity in the US, the loads and yeilds are close to non existant. In short they are being hit hard by AF and DL and it will be axed. The LGW-DFW will soon be hit very hard by AA at DFW. AA does not like the way BA handled the fiasco over their propsed alliance. In short look for AA to give BA hell in DFW and the route will be cut.Likewsie look for AA to amke inroads in North Carolina and the flight LGW-Charlotte will be gone. LGW-SAN will be gone, at least as a nonstop. It might be added on to LHR-LAX but that remains undecided. Feeling is that the LGW-MCO is too popular with family groups etc. that it might just survive. It is undecided what will happen to LGW-BWI. It might survive is a LHR flight. But definetly Charlotte is a goner. That leaves LGW-PHX and LGW-DEN, both of which are doing well. The question is than it is profitable to keep staff, equipment etc. at LGW just for these handfull of flights. On a final note, IAH-LGW is feeling pressure from CO and its IAH-LGW flight and so as a last resort the routing this summer will be LHR-IAD-IAH. My feeling is that it will not work becasue of teh extra time in route and by october, that flight may be gone too. One does not have to have an IQ level of a genius to realize that BA is hruting rather badly in the US, without an alliance partner to feed them traffic etc. Regardless of whom they ever team up with in the US, US/UK openskies will be an absolute requirement. The only thing is that if they go with CO,NW or even US again, there will be little or possibly no route overlap. However the basic requirement of openskies will not change. Look for these route cuts to be made public in phases over a couple of weeks, starting perhaps as early as next week.

bjghi3
15th Feb 2002, 10:26
I am sorry I meant to say that the BWI flight is indeed from LHR, but the BWI part may be canceled too. As BWI is so close to PHL and IAD there is an element of BA oversaturation in a small area. The powers that be have not made a decision on this one.

huw stunn
15th Feb 2002, 13:01
I believe only problem with ATL is the front end where loads are not up to scratch - will more likely mean a new setaing layout without F for this and some other LGW Atlantic routes, rather than the withdrawals form the route that you seem to believe. If however it was possible to move the route to LHR ... ...

gurnzee
15th Feb 2002, 13:57
when, or has, BA announcing which routes are being axed?

ETOPS
15th Feb 2002, 13:58
Was in IAD a few days ago - can confirm that the restored third rotation to IAD will continue to IAH for this summer. As for the future...

Gaza
15th Feb 2002, 15:14
[quote]when, or has, BA announcing which routes are being axed?<hr></blockquote>

From <a href="http://press.britishairways.com" target="_blank">http://press.britishairways.com</a>

[quote]Today, the airline announced that - as part of the strategy - a further eight routes will transfer from Gatwick to Heathrow by summer 2002 - four long haul (Mauritius, Buenos Aires, Lagos and Abuja) and four short haul (Bucharest, Kiev, Riga and Zagreb). By summer 2003, Gatwick capacity will have reduced by a total of. .60 per cent, since summer 1999.

The airline also plans to cut a further 10 routes - five long haul and five short haul - as part of the overall reduction in capacity and will announce the details of the route cuts once consultations have been completed.. .<hr></blockquote>

[ 15 February 2002: Message edited by: Gaza ]</p>

Thunderbug
15th Feb 2002, 16:50
My thoughts.....pure guess work & intuition....but we know for sure that BA are going to cut 5 longhaul routes and get rid of an additional 5 longhaul aircraft.

The disposals seem to be some of the early 777s. this seems to indicate that the 767 has had a reprive, especially considering that 3 of the rested 767s have returned to LHR. The 767 tanker project is not due to be decided until next year (earliest) and in comparison the 777 are more likely to sell.

CLT is being served via BWI from LHR. The loads are fairly good for the 767 with a fair amount of premium traffic and freight to & from CLT. I was told (not sure as to accuracy) that Bermuda II agreements prevent CLT being served direct from LHR. ATL used to be a 767 destination and DTW (formly served by 747) now has loads sutiable for the 767. Moving Long Thin routes to the 767 is continuing with TLV, JED and DAR being served by it by March.

Prior to Sept 11, the 767 had a interior revamp package approved and budgetted. I can see this being implamented with the 767 taking over more of these long thin routes. The question is wether a First product is provided or a large Club World cabin with the sleeper seats. These aircraft would all operate from LHR. LGW would be left with Carribean and a scattering of leisure routes. I reckon more routes such as DEN, IAH, DFW etc will be moved to LHR when the oportunity presents itself.

The route closures - not sure will be intersted to see.

More fundamental in the North Atlantic arena is that if UA declare Chapter 11, they will shortly be followed by AA, DL & CO all seeking the protection of the courts while they restructure. This will enable them to utterly swamp the market with cheap tickets which will completely decimate BA; Future Size & Shape or not....

May you live in intersting times..... . <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

Notso Fantastic
16th Feb 2002, 12:04
Well Michael Steven, when did you join the BA Board? You seem to know more than anybody (even the BA Board)! I would suggest you are spouting pure 'guesswork', with what seems a bit of crowing! Sure BA is hurting- so are all the others. Each airline is putting into force what it perceives to be long term survivability measures for itself. I think you are reading too much in your tea leaves! But at the end of the day- if you just want a discussion about 'soft' rumours, why not go to Questions Forum? This is a forum for 'hard' Rumours & News.

SomewhereOverHere
16th Feb 2002, 19:33
Almost all the guesses and assumptions made here are in USA...there's other routes from LGW too! How about some of the Caribbean, or Africa?