Tony Blair's B777

[rjemery]

When PM Tony Blair recently met with President Bush in the USA, he flew in a BA chartered B777. I am curious, why a B777? I would have thought he would have flown in an Airbus.

Does the B777 offer something over other Airbus models?

[Lucifer]

Because BA doens't own long-haul Airbuses, and BA provide the best deal.

[seacue]

Given the present US political climate, can you imagine what would happen if Mr. B. arrived in an Airbus, a FRENCH airplane?

The details of ownership of EADS and the Airbus consortium wouldn't soften the perceived insult. "It was built at Toulouse so it must be French."

But why a B777? Wouldn't a B767 have been adequate?

seacue

[rjemery]

My initial inquiry seems to have spawned more questions in my mind.

I'm not that familiar with the differences in later Boeing and Airbus models. If no Airbus in the BA fleet could make it across the Atlantic, then the B7x7 is an obvious choice.

Regardless of BA ownership, what Airbus models regularly fly the Atlantic? Is it just the A340?

True, most Americans think of the Airbus as French, but it is a consortium, is it not, of which the UK is a part? And wasn't this consortium an outgrowth of the Concorde SST effort? And isn't British Aerospace's major contribution the wings?

Finally, the abbreviation BA could mean both British Airways and British Aerospace, so how is the latter distinguished from the former?

I appreciate the answers and insights that all of you have shared with me in this and other threads.

[amanoffewwords]

US Air flies A330-300s across the big pond, and very comfortable they are too (or they were when I last went in 2001).

British Aerospace is abbreviated to BAe (http://www.baesystems.com/coolstuff/index.htm) .

As I recall, Concorde was an inter-government 'partnership' between France and UK, Airbus is an consortium of private European companies including Germany, Spain, UK, France and others - see here for more info (http://www.airbus.com/about/history.asp)

HTH
amofw

[seacue]

Lots of A330s and A340s fly the Atlantic daily. US Airways flys the A330, for example.

Airbus ownership, IIRC, is 20% BAE and 80% EADS. EDS ownership is Daimler-chrysler (30%), Aerospatiale Marta (30%)(French govt & Lagardere) and CASA (5.5%)(Spain), and the rest is for investors according to initial plans.

[FLEXJET]

The reason for the 777 instead of the 767 are (presumably):

-First Class seats provide greater room.

-Cruise Mach number is about 0.02 faster for the 777, so you save about 30 minutes on a round trip to Washington.

-You fight against over-capacity by dispatching a 777.

What do you thing?


FLEXJET

[Genghis the Engineer]

Sounds to me that you are reading more into it than is probably there.

I'd guess that somebody from No.10 phoned BA and said "we want an aeroplane with the following accomodation", and BA looked up what was available when they wanted it and found a B777.

Bit of an embarrassement to the Royal Squadron however.

G

[amanoffewwords]

I think it's more to do with the number of passengers to be carried - apart from his aides etc he also travels with a number of journalist and associated personel + gear. And I have read somewhere that said journalist pay a hefty amount for the priviledge of travelling with the President ;) so it does not cost the British tax payer a penny. Or so they say....

[Gaza]

-First Class seats provide greater room.

BA have a number of 767's in 3 class config. The First Class suite is the same as in a 777 and 747.

[Smoketrails]

By the way, just for the record, the A320 flies the atlantic regularly too - albeit with corporate pax.

[FLEXJET]

You don't have the same aisle width in both 777 and 767.

The A319CJ, not the A320, fly across the Atlantic regularly.


FLEXJET

[aluminum overcast]

This is a ridiculous thread. I'm with Genghis on this one. You folks have way too much time on youyr hands. No need to read into this one. Firstly, it's fairly logical that Blair would travel on the flag carrier. Second, of the trans-atlantic range a/c in the BA fleet, you have the 767, 777 and 747, possible even 757, though rather uncomfortable. I figure the 74 is too large. The Triple7 likely carriers the optimum number of business class seat for Blair and his posse. I seriously doubt politics had anything to do with the type choice.

[5milesbaby]

Isn't the B777 more economical too on a route such as this compared to BA's other offerings???

On the Airbus across Atlantic thing,

AAL operate A300's into LHR
Tarom, DLH and AFR used to do A310's to various destinations (don't know if they still do)
A319's are corporate ones only
A330/340 are used by multiple airlines to multiple destinations

The most impressive pax a/c to do the Atlantic regularly HAS to be the DLH B737-700 that I think does Washington-Dusseldorf regularly for business pax only! :eek:

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

Most of BA's 767s are away on lease to QANTAS. The remaining few are fully occupied.

[Smoketrails]

I stand corrected in that at present the regular crosser is the A319CJ. However, an A320 (N573DC) did cross the atlantic on a regular basis circa 1999/2000.