BA lay-up locations

[Ancient-Mariner]

Why do airlines, such as BA move their fleets to diverse airports to park them - as seen today with the A380 fleet going to Chateaurous and previously large numbers flying to Bournemouth? Why can they not park a large number at Heathrow? Especially as there are very few non-UK aircraft there using stands or gates?

Is it simply the cost per day?

[Bksmithca]

Why do airlines, such as BA move their fleets to diverse airports to park them - as seen today with the A380 fleet going to Chateaurous and previously large numbers flying to Bournemouth? Why can they not park a large number at Heathrow? Especially as there are very few non-UK aircraft there using stands or gates?

Is it simply the cost per day?
Ancient Mariner. Given the costs quoted in the spotters corner with regards to a small plane landing at LHR its likely that airports like LHR have priced themselves out of the market for storage. I know I looked at YEG and at the time WestJet had a half dozen planes parked around the outer edge of the tarmac by the main terminal area.

BK

[DaveReidUK]

Why can they not park a large number at Heathrow?

There are typically between 110 and 130 aircraft at Heathrow overnight, parked at most of the gates, remote stands and the BA/VS engineering bases.

BA's fleet on its own numbers about 280 aircraft.

Does that answer your question?

[Mr @ Spotty M]

I thought l read some time back that Heathrow had stated that they were waiving parking charges for grounded aircraft.
Was l mistaken?
But as with all the major airports, spaces are limited and don't meet the number required by the based fleets.

[DaveReidUK]

I thought l read some time back that Heathrow had stated that they were waiving parking charges for grounded aircraft.
Was l mistaken?
But as with all the major airports, spaces are limited and don't meet the number required by the based fleets.

You are correct. The constraint is space, hence the number of aircraft going elsewhere, but for those remaining at LHR parking charges are indeed being waived.

[bobward]

BA Cityjet have been stacking some of their ERJ 170/190 fleet at Norwich of late. Not only Ba, but several other operators are also
doing this. When I was last there (31 Mar 20) there were over 20 jets of different types parked along the north west, north east and
south east parts of the airport.

It keeps the spotters happy......

[L1649]

It keeps the spotters happy......

Except those spotters should not be making any unnecessary journeys. The local rozzers would not be too chuffed.

[Seloco]

A BA 747 flew low-level from Heathrow to Kemble this morning. Just laying up there perhaps, or ending its days?

[Gulf4uk]

A BA 747 flew low-level from Heathrow to Kemble this morning. Just laying up there perhaps, or ending its days?

there are 5 Going for Part out and scrap

G-CIVL Due there today

G-CIVJ

G-CIVK

G-CIVN

G-CIVH

[BRISTOLRE]

744s - I think these were due to be withdrawn this year anyway with high Mid J config. I think you can safely say any of these are unlikely to return from Kemble, most stuff gets broken up and doesnt come out. These would be the last to be returned from storage if at all.
This leaves the ones in Tereul (long term storage) in question and the ones at BOH mid term storage only (hopefully).

[Seloco]

there are 5 Going for Part out and scrap

G-CIVL Due there today

G-CIVJ

G-CIVK

G-CIVN

G-CIVH
Thanks for this; it was indeed G-CIVL which went over us earlier - always sad to see a magnificent aircraft making its final flight.

[treadigraph]

I noticed it going into Kemble, shame...

[pax britanica]

Must be a sad day for the crews especially the skippers , many will have flown a huge part of their career on 747s and to take it on its last trip a short 20 minute hop to the breakers is sad I think

[Gulf4uk]

Update on movements to Kemble

Tuesday 14th G-CIVL

Wednesday 15th G-CIVJ

Thursday 16th G-CIVK G-CIVN

Friday 17th G-CIVH

[BRISTOLRE]

Must be a sad day for the crews especially the skippers , many will have flown a huge part of their career on 747s and to take it on its last trip a short 20 minute hop to the breakers is sad I think
well said, quite. Same said those very same crews would have mostly built their hours on solid craft like the RR powered 757 & 767 no longer part of the BA fleet.
The uncertainly of not knowing if these a/c will ever come out of storage is a tough one. I guess not - especially when destinations like St Athan and Kemble come into it.
The chap that runs "BIGJET TV" (website/social media/YOUTUBE) managed to get a great video today seemingly from his garden over Staines way earlier on of CIVL making its final climb out and level out - beautiful sound but probably its last. Glad he was able to record this.

[DaveReidUK]

Update on movements to Kemble

Tuesday 14th G-CIVL

Wednesday 15th G-CIVJ

Thursday 16th G-CIVK G-CIVN

Friday 17th G-CIVH

Do you know what the plans are for the other 10 that will be left at LHR by Friday ?

[SpringHeeledJack]

What will happen with the historical liveried 747's ?

[The AvgasDinosaur]

What will happen with the historical liveried 747's ?
They are just airframes to high command.
David

[Gulf4uk]

G-CIVJ Well on way to Kemble at 1145 this morning.

[BRISTOLRE]

as far as I know the plans with LY, GC, VB are to stay in the fleet onto their planned retirements in 2023 (although VB may on paper be due to go sooner).
All of this of course is fluid given this horrendous global position of traffic levels, travel restrictions etc on how soon things start to get moving again and how the industry is able to recover at what pace who knows. Nobody has the answers really... Lets hope these three stay on right to the end as they still look splendid. LY is stored at BOH at the moment and the other two are at LHR. EUPJ the A319 is seeing fairly regular use still in traffic doing mainly domestic shuttles.

[DaveReidUK]

EUPJ the A319 is seeing fairly regular use still in traffic doing mainly domestic shuttles.

BA domestics seem to be winding down, with only a single rotation yesterday (to/from MAN) and only 2 departures so far today (to EDI and MAN).

G-EUPJ hasn't been north since Saturday.

[BRISTOLRE]

I think its probably a number of UK DOM flights to move mail/freight? Cant be many passenger flights even shuttles as its down to "essential travel and key workers" moving around. I do wonder how much of BAs scheduled overall network is operating now - must be 5-10% only. Its decimated when you look at the flight radars and trackers, a lot of that at the moment are repatriation flights from India at present. There have been a number of adhoc BA cargo flights using belly space on various pax aircraft recently to likes of Sao Paulo, Larnaca, USA etc

[DaveReidUK]

I think its probably a number of UK DOM flights to move mail/freight? Cant be many passenger flights even shuttles as its down to "essential travel and key workers" moving around. I do wonder how much of BAs scheduled overall network is operating now - must be 5-10% only. Its decimated when you look at the flight radars and trackers, a lot of that at the moment are repatriation flights from India at present. There have been a number of adhoc BA cargo flights using belly space on various pax aircraft recently to likes of Sao Paulo, Larnaca, USA etc

LHR had 132 movements yesterday (lowest total to date during the pandemic), of which 42 were BA, including positioning and freight-only flights.