Short haul a380! London to Paris

[sprthompson]

The a380 is going to be doing short haul LHR to CDG this summer!

I might get a ticket just to have a ride on it!

London to Paris on the a380! | Heathrow Airport Information (http://www.heathrow-london.co.uk/airport/news/london-to-paris-on-the-a380)

[Skipness One Echo]

Saw this on Airliners.net last week and was tempted. Just booked for £79 return which is pretty good! I know they might switch equipment at the last mo byt the temptation was too great. Should be fun alongwith some time in Paris.

Be good for T4 to get some more use out of those gates they re-built for QANTAS who moved out to T3 !

[ConstantFlyer]

The A380 will operate flight AF1980 from CDG at 1005, arriving Heathrow at 1025. After a decent turnaround it will depart LHR as AF1981 at 1250, arriving at CDG at 1505.

The flights will operate from:

12 June to 30 June and 1 August to 30 August - every Saturday, Sunday and Monday
1 July to 31 July - every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and MondayThe Air France website warns, though, that “For internal or operating reasons, the carrier may change the type of aircraft without advance warning”.

Must be the only route anywhere that offers a service by A380 and ATR 72 by the same airline!

[sprthompson]

Thanks for the info.

My girlfriend is goign to think I'm so romantic taking her to Paris... :ok:

[Lancelot37]

A non aircraft enthusiast friend did the Dubai to Sydney route and back in one. I asked what it was like and his reply was that he didn't notice any difference to any other a/c. Wish it had been me though.

[Avman]

Rather have a ride in a real aeroplane any day :E

[Alsacienne]

DC 3 anybody?

[QWERTY9]

The ATR'72's are being withdrawn in September.

[silly walks]

Skipness
The Gates weren't specifically rebuilt for QANTAS. When the terminal moves were proposed Malaysian, Korean, and Etihad had all ordered A380's, and thus T4 needed to have gates for the A380.
The fact QANTAS had the primary use of the gates was due to the delay in moving terminals as a result of the farce of the BA T5 switch

[WHBM]

This is a common event in the introduction of long-haul aircraft. BA did exactly the same when the 777 first came along, using it on London to Paris for a while. It enables all the newly-rated crews to get some sectors completed, which is more difficult to achieve in the hours available in a month on long-haul routes. Without this you may be reduced to non-revenue training flights.

It also gives the airline a bit of a PR lift. The flights may well go out full.

[Ray D'Avecta]

A380 Flight numbers & times:

AF1980 CDG 1005 - LHR 1025

AF1981 LHR 1250 - CDG 1505

Days of operation:

12-30 June: Saturdays, Sundays & Mondays

1-31 July: Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays & Mondays

1-30 August: : Saturdays, Sundays & Mondays

Capacity:

449 seats in Economy

80 seats in Business

Special Pricing (published fares):

Economy Return: £80 all inclusive

Premium Return: £280 all inclusive

Premium One way: £180 all inclusive

[Mr Angry from Purley]

Noting this info is posted in Spectators Corner, can anyone tell me if picture taking is still allowed in CDG with a permit or is it a complete no-no?
And no i'm not a number cruncher in case 007 is lurking! :\

[R2112]

Flew the 380 from SYD-DXB-LHR a couple of months ago with EK. very nice interior, less legroom in cattle than 777´s with the same carrier. sure it´s damm quiet even at a high weight departure, but it´s only something special on the inside if you have the bucks to get you upstairs!

[Pugilistic Animus]

well I'm not in love with the A380 [ugly to me] I think that if they don't do that TO at full thrust then they are a bunch of saps:}:}:}

[Malaysian28]

A380 Flight numbers & times:

AF1980 CDG 1005 - LHR 1025

AF1981 LHR 1250 - CDG 1505

Days of operation:

12-30 June: Saturdays, Sundays & Mondays

1-31 July: Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays & Mondays

1-30 August: : Saturdays, Sundays & Mondays

Does Anyone know if there is one there today 12/06/10.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Yep - it landed about an hour ago. F-HPJB.

[Malaysian28]

Super! Thanks HD.

MH28

[iranair777]

MA28, did you manage to get any pics or were you busy watching the flypast on horseden hill? I managed to see them from my house but it did to be a low count on todays flypast :(

[trident3A]

It looks lovely in the new livery!

[Pompey]

I was on the AF flight from LHR to CDG on Saturday. I've attached a few photos from the flight. Apologies for the quality, I was only using a digital camera.

http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af1/pompey72/HPIM4550.jpg

At LHR

http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af1/pompey72/HPIM4608.jpg

Landing at CDG (photo taken on from the video screen on the back of the seat, the view is from the camera mounted on the vertical stabiliser).

http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af1/pompey72/HPIM4631.jpg
On stand a CDG

[Ridge Runner]

can anyone tell me if picture taking is still allowed in CDG with a permit

you need a police permit

[LogieBear]

Pompey, Great Pics. Never knew that you had forward vision by tail-mounted camera. This makes flying in airliners fun at last depending of course, which airline you are flying. Going on this 'Biggie' on July 10. Cannot wait.

[A2QFI]

I recall, very many years ago, when BA flew an hourly "Shuttle" to LHR from some airports. DanAir got the right to fly their own service from Manchester and on the day and hour of their first flight BA used a Concorde for their first shuttle flight of the day! Just a bit of one-up-manship!

[WHBM]

I recall, very many years ago, when BA flew an hourly "Shuttle" to LHR from some airports. DanAir got the right to fly their own service from Manchester and on the day and hour of their first flight BA used a Concorde for their first shuttle flight of the day! Just a bit of one-up-manship!
Use of Concorde on the Shuttle happened at various times when there was some new service, or indeed competitor, for BA to show off against. In fact they weren't such a marketing expense as they used what would otherwise have been training trips, which normally went to Shannon.

I think I was one of the vey few who actually used the Dan-Air service from Manchester to Heathrow, just for the sake of it one afternoon when I was returning to London after a business trip. Surprisingly my BA ticket was fully transferable, it just had to be endorsed over. About 10 passengers on board, in a One-Eleven. It didn't last for long.

[LogieBear]

Mr Angry, You need a permit for CDG only. Information can be found at aircraftspotting.co.uk\france Hope this helps. LB

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

I think BA also used a Concorde on one or two Glasgow shuttles to celebrate the 10th anniversary of services in 1986.

[Aero Mad]

The idea of a camera to show the passengers is lovely...

except in a 40kt crosswind in an autumn dusk with sheeting rain when the pilot is fighting not to overshoot e.t.c. :) May well be taking the A380 over to Paris in early July

[ConstantFlyer]

Enjoyed my first spin on the A380 yesterday. Huge queues to get on a the gate at LHR T4 - 500 pax using one gate and airbridge that only splits into two (for upper and lower decks) some way down. Great flight, with the vertical stabiliser camera being a highlight.