BA 747 SERVICEABILITY!!!

[fincastle84]

I'll be flying on BA 43 LHR-CPT on 21 Feb. Recently I've been checking on the punctuality of the departure times. During the past 3 weeks it's been horrendous. Tonight for example there is a 3 hour delay. The Jo'burg flight is also 2 hours late.

Are BA suffering a major problem with the serviceability of the 747 fleet?

[irishlad06]

Tonight it has nothin to do with the serviceability of the b744 fleet, Lhr is fogged out with freezing fog predicted for tomorrow, this is why there are delays today, delays at an airport which is already operating to 99% capacity, this is expected.

[champair79]

The 747 fleet is rather thin on the ground at the moment. 2 aircraft have been out long term with quite serious damage. One is due back this week and the other may take a few more weeks to fix. Factor in a few ad-hoc casualties and the fleet just can't cover the schedule.

I wouldn't worry. Some weeks things run smoothly and other times it's hell!

Champ

[fincastle84]

Thanks Champ. With an address like yours I guess that you are providing inside information.:ok:

I'll keep my fingers crossed. As long as we arrive at some time on the 22nd then I'll be happy.

I hadn't realised the fog was so bad until I saw the news this morning. LHR won't have as many problems once the 3rd runway opens. :ugh:

[BALHR]

Do BA plan to put all 55 (2 have been now scraped) of their Boeing 747-400s, currently they have 3 in storage

[CabinCrewe]

No those in storage will not return

[BALHR]

It looks like that the fleet will remain at 52 then...

However the BA 747-400 look like remaining in in large numbers for some time to come since due to the BA/BMI merger the 12 oldest "mid-J" birds that where due to be withdrawn (after the 12 initial A380-800s where all delivered) have had their retirements delayed

It seems BA will become one of the last operators of the 747-400...

Also another question, when (or if) will all 52 BA 747-400s have the latest version of First/World Traveller Plus/World Traveller?

[goldeneye]

I flew on a 747 from SYD to SIN recently and I could not believe the state of inside. Plastic panels loose, broken seats, dirty carpets, dodgy seat back TVs. Having flown into Oz on a QF A380 I was very disappointed as to how shabby the jumbo was.
My previous BA experience was on a 777 and coud not fault it.

[Heathrow Harry]

Some of them are definitely a bit shop-soiled - presumably they were scheduled for replacement by 787/380's and no -one bothers to keep them in a decent state

[Norman.D.Landing]

13th Dec 2012 18:06 goldeneye
I flew on a 747 from SYD to SYD recently and I could not believe the state of inside. Plastic panels loose, broken seats, dirty carpets, dodgy seat back TVs. Having flown into Oz on a QF A380 I was very disappointed as to how shabby the jumbo was.
My previous BA experience was on a 777 and coud not fault it.

Agree. Flying to SIN on a BA 744 felt fine. Until I got on the QF 380 to MEL at which point I thought,

"Why have I just spent 13 hours on that heap of ****" :=

I love the 744 but by God BA need to refresh them soon.

[Dannyboy39]

Blimey SYD-SYD must've been a long flight! :ok:

Last time I flew SEA-LHR the IFE didn't work! Fortunately there was a backup system and IIRC, I ended up watching the same episodes of The Simpsons about 4 times in a 9 hour night flight!

You can't really knock the 747. Out of the 1400ish+ aircraft that have been produced, 51% are still active in either passenger or cargo configurations. An outstanding design 43 years old and still going strong. And for me, its still the pinnacle. To quote someone on another thread "the only way an A380 will crash is when the sky rejects it for ugliness!"

What sort of timescale is the Boeing "Y3" project? In service by around 2025?

[champair79]

Also another question, when (or if) will all 52 BA 747-400s have the latest version of First/World Traveller Plus/World Traveller?

All of the 747's are equipped with AVOD in the same way as the long haul 767's and the RR powered 777's. All of them have 'New Club' and the standard Traveller and Traveller Plus cabins (non-Thales).

The majority have New First installed. The older ones are not having New First installed as they will be retired first on delivery of the A380's. As far as I'm aware, this strategy is not changing even with the acquisition of bmi but I stand to be corrected. 747's NOT fitted with New First include:

G-BNLF
G-BNLI
G-BNLJ
G-BNLL
G-BNLM
G-BNLR
G-BNLS
G-BNLW
G-BNLX
G-BNLY
G-BNLZ
G-CIVA
G-CIVB
G-CIVC

These aircraft are all the oldest 'Mid-J' configured aircraft(14F/52J/36W/235Y). Only G-BNLU and G-BNLV have New First installed as 'older' Mid-J aircraft as these two aircraft were brought back from storage last year and BA took the opportunity to refit them as part of the ensuing D-check - even though they are older than 'NLY, 'NLZ etc. There are a number of newer Mid-J's and all the Hi-J's have been fitted with New First.

Yes I work for BA fincastle84. ;)

Champ

[fincastle84]

Last night's BA 43 is not departing until 1700 on Saturday, nearly 24 hours late. It gets worse! Come on BA, buck up.:{

[Dannyboy39]

Fincastle - I'm sure its not intentional to be delayed by 24 hours! Especially as the fleet is thin on the ground.

You can't forsee tech delays! If we could, it would make mine and everyone else's job far easier! :ugh::ok:

[BALHR]

(I flew on a 747 from SYD to SIN recently and I could not believe the state of inside. Plastic panels loose, broken seats, dirty carpets, dodgy seat back TVs. Having flown into Oz on a QF A380 I was very disappointed as to how shabby the jumbo was.
My previous BA experience was on a 777 and coud not fault it.)


I love the 744 but by God BA need to refresh them soon.

BA have refurbished First (mostly) and Business class, the problem is however both economy classes

However BA's LHR-SIN-SYD flights will be getting the 777-300ER (which has the latest versions of all 4 classes)

Some of them are definitely a bit shop-soiled - presumably they were scheduled for replacement by 787/380's and no -one bothers to keep them in a decent state


With BA buyout of BMI (which has caused a shortful of long-haul planes), I am hearing that BA has decided to keep the 12 "mid-J" 747-400s that where due for withdrawal after the first 12 A380s are delivered

The 787s (which are not replacing the 747-400 fleet) are now expansion aicraft rather than replacing 767s

What sort of timescale is the Boeing "Y3" project? In service by around 2025?

Since the 777X project has been delayed until 2020, I would say 2030, by then it would be too late to replace any of BA 747-400s (the same goes for the 777X, of which EK will take the first aircfraft)

BA's 747-400s (and the stopgap 777-300ERs) are likely to be replaced by the Airbus A350-1000/A380-800

All of the 747's are equipped with AVOD in the same way as the long haul 767's and the RR powered 777's. All of them have 'New Club' and the standard Traveller and Traveller Plus cabins (non-Thales).

The majority have New First installed. The older ones are not having New First installed as they will be retired first on delivery of the A380's. As far as I'm aware, this strategy is not changing even with the acquisition of bmi but I stand to be corrected. 747's NOT fitted with New First include:

G-BNLF
G-BNLI
G-BNLJ
G-BNLL
G-BNLM
G-BNLR
G-BNLS
G-BNLW
G-BNLX
G-BNLY
G-BNLZ
G-CIVA
G-CIVB
G-CIVC

These aircraft are all the oldest 'Mid-J' configured aircraft(14F/52J/36W/235Y). Only G-BNLU and G-BNLV have New First installed as 'older' Mid-J aircraft as these two aircraft were brought back from storage last year and BA took the opportunity to refit them as part of the ensuing D-check - even though they are older than 'NLY, 'NLZ etc. There are a number of newer Mid-J's and all the Hi-J's have been fitted with New First.


Thanks for the info!

According to CAPA, BA is to delay the retirement of the 747-400s (and 767-300ERs) that was due happen after all the A380/787 orsders have been fullfilled (Note: BA has not corfirmed this as far as I know...)

So they will have all 52 747-400s still flying until the end of the decade at least...

Also will any of their 747-400s gain Thales AVOD IFE and the latest version of WT/WT+?

Also should we rule out any chance of a 747-8 order? (it would make a good aircraft for premium heavy routes too small for a A380, as LH has shown)

[VC10man]

Would it be possible to bring back the stored 747s from the desert? This would help when the current ones go tec.

[ETOPS]

Latest from the management is that 8 747s will be withdrawn starting at the end of 2013.

There is only one aircraft curently stored that could be put back into service (G-BNLH) all the others are too far gone and will probably be parted out like 'LB and 'LC. As an aside 'LH is wearing the 4 best engines from the group at VCV so there is a plan to fly her to CWL as a simple method of getting those back into circulation - the alternative would be shipping them which could be more expensive.

[wiggy]

According to CAPA, BA is to delay the retirement of the 747-400s (and 767-300ERs) that was due happen after all the A380/787 orsders have been fullfilled (Note: BA has not corfirmed this as far as I know...)

So they will have all 52 747-400s still flying until the end of the decade at least...



Not so, I'll can back up ETOP's comment that "well placed sources" within BA are now saying that some of the 747's will be leaving the fleet from late 2013.

[fincastle84]

No, I'm not suggesting anything. It's just that this particular flight has suffered some major delays during the past 3 weeks. Maybe it's an unlucky flight number.:bored:

[BALHR]

Would it be possible to bring back the stored 747s from the desert? This
would help when the current ones go tec.


In Theory yes, but I doubt BA would do that, not with the A380s they are getting...


Not so, I'll can back up ETOP's comment that "well placed sources" within BA
are now saying that some of the 747's will be leaving the fleet from late
2013.


Do those same sources also state if the BA/BMI has effected the retirements of the 747-400s

[NWSRG]

Champair...

2 aircraft have been out long term with quite serious damage.

What happened these two?

[ETOPS]

What happened these two?

Nothing sinister - just the usual "ground incidents" that plague most airlines. Takes time to identify exactly what needs to be fixed, work up a repair scheme, get it approved and then find hangar time to do it. Made more difficult if the aircraft isn't at base.