A350 into LHR?

[SpringHeeledJack]

Did I see a white A350 (possibly Finnair) going into LHR this morning (30th Nov) ??? It mint have been a 787, but didn't look right.

[DaveReidUK]

Did I see a white A350 (possibly Finnair) going into LHR this morning (30th Nov) ??? It mint have been a 787, but didn't look right.There are 3 x A350 rotations most days at Heathrow. Finnair's are mostly white. Today's AY831/832 was OH-LWE.

[SpringHeeledJack]

Thankyou Dave, that's funny that the type has been operating for a couple of months already and i didn't notice! Probably saw the Qatar and Ethiopian examples and thought they were B787's. I didn't realise that both airlines had both types on their fleets..

[Wycombe]

.....and so will Virgin and BA in a couple of years. Their's will be the A350-1000 which is of similar size to the 777-300.

[treadigraph]

Ethiopian have been operating A350s in there for a few months, saw one overhead Purley a while back, thought "'ello, winglets...?" Qatar's are quite regular going over the top, dunno if they are going into Heathrow.

[DaveReidUK]

Qatar's are quite regular going over the top, dunno if they are going into Heathrow.

Yes. Most days see one A350 each from AY, ET and QR at Heathrow.

[treadigraph]

So they are, just noticed one lifting off on ADS-B Exchange... :ok:

[TurboTomato]

Cathay ones into Gatwick now as well.

[Dockwell]

Finnairs have been operating for nearly a year now into LHR and Ive seen 2 QR examples on the ground at the same time in the last couple of nights, although saying that last night only one appeared and the other flight was a 787

[joy ride]

Until I moved out of London 3 weeks ago I only spotted one A350 (Finnair) heading to LHR, I was keen to identify at least one before I left! LHR-bound planes pass over my old home at about 4-5000 ft, and from that angle and height it is not easy to distinguish A350 from B787.

[RexBanner]

.....and so will Virgin and BA in a couple of years. Their's will be the A350-1000 which is of similar size to the 777-300.

I think you may be waiting a little longer to see the BA A350's than a couple of years going by recent developments (Alex Cruz's arrival), that's if we see them at all. The whole fleet plan is under review. I'd wager deferral for absolute certain if not full on cancellation and a 777X order.

[DaveReidUK]

Yes, QR001/002 swapped from a 777 to an A350 at the beginning of this month (though yesterday evening's flight was a B77L), adding to the existing QR015/016. Both flights from now on are timetabled as A350.

Finnair operated their first scheduled A350 into LHR in October 2015.

[beerdrinker]

Don't count on BA operating the 350 any time soon. Rumour control has it that when the Training Dept asked the beencounters for the dosh to buy a 350 Sim they were told that there was no need in hurrying to buy such a Sim.

[SpringHeeledJack]

On watching the aforementioned Finnair A350 float past me this misty morning, I was taken by how much it seemed to resemble the 777 from a gauge perspective, rather than it's nemesis, the 787.

[crablab]

Don't count on BA operating the 350 any time soon.

Be a pity if they don't - I understand it is a very nice aircraft to fly in.

[DaveReidUK]

Be a pity if they don't - I understand it is a very nice aircraft to fly in.

The airline that's about to put 10-abreast into its 777s isn't swayed by such considerations. :O