BA Fleet Age
Join Date: May 2009
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 56
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WHBM, I agree.
I have flown SU two months ago (London-Moscow-Hong Kong) and the service was very good, as well as the aircrafts (320 and 330).
As a result I booked another "series" with them (London-Moscow-Shanghai).
They have improved considerably since I used them early 2000 (Venice-Moscow-Hong Kong). At that time the Venice-Moscow sector was flown by TU-154M (superb bird, I loved it).
However I would not recommend these routes if the transit time is longer than 2 hours. The new Terminal D has not been completed yet and the business lounge is not available.
SU ground staff told me it will take some "russian" time to complete it
I have flown SU two months ago (London-Moscow-Hong Kong) and the service was very good, as well as the aircrafts (320 and 330).
As a result I booked another "series" with them (London-Moscow-Shanghai).
They have improved considerably since I used them early 2000 (Venice-Moscow-Hong Kong). At that time the Venice-Moscow sector was flown by TU-154M (superb bird, I loved it).
However I would not recommend these routes if the transit time is longer than 2 hours. The new Terminal D has not been completed yet and the business lounge is not available.
SU ground staff told me it will take some "russian" time to complete it
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: London
Age: 60
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I agree wholeheartedly about Aeroflot. I just travelled with them LHR-SVO-TAS and back (only because hardly anyone else flies that route), and they were surprisingly good. The aircraft were young and spotless.
The only downside is the inter-terminal transfer at SVO. Stand there, go over there, wait here, stand there, follow me, please wait... it was painfully old-school Soviet.
The only downside is the inter-terminal transfer at SVO. Stand there, go over there, wait here, stand there, follow me, please wait... it was painfully old-school Soviet.
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: The Med
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One of the fleet (there are what, about 8 aircraft) became known to regulars as "The Disco" because of the constant flickering and flashing cabin lights that Engineering were never given the funds to fix properly.
One of the fleet (there are what, about 8 aircraft) became known to regulars as "The Disco" because of the constant flickering and flashing cabin lights that Engineering were never given the funds to fix properly.
Came back on G-BZHC today. What a wreck that plane is.
Flashing disco lights started while still on the ground. Rectified by shutting down the overhead electrics, allowing it to "cool down", and leaving the door open to the IFE equipment for the entire duration of the flight, to stop it overheating and going into a disco light frenzy.
All 3 bulkhead monitors are broken and will never be fixed. In front of 2AB and 2JK completely dead. In front of 1DF, almost pitch black, you might be able to make out something with night vision glasses. Noone in the front row can see the screens, so none of us were able to see the safety demo.
One of the ceiling mounted TVs (above rows 4/5 on LHS) broken. So, a total of 4 out of 7 monitors broken in the forward cabin.
No sound was working in the JK seats throughout the plane.
The bulkhead mounted pocket infront of 1D has almost completely ripped off the wall, leaving the magazines and sickbags dangling into the floor area.
No magazines loaded. No menus loaded.
The oven in the forward galley barely works, so it took an hour to heat the food. Imagine what chicken and rice tastes like after an hour in a warm oven. It was completely hard and came out in lumps, but had to be left in the oven this long to heat through. The outward breakfast was similarly baked for an hour in the mal-functioning oven, and the scrambled eggs came out in one vile lump.
Flashing disco lights started while still on the ground. Rectified by shutting down the overhead electrics, allowing it to "cool down", and leaving the door open to the IFE equipment for the entire duration of the flight, to stop it overheating and going into a disco light frenzy.
All 3 bulkhead monitors are broken and will never be fixed. In front of 2AB and 2JK completely dead. In front of 1DF, almost pitch black, you might be able to make out something with night vision glasses. Noone in the front row can see the screens, so none of us were able to see the safety demo.
One of the ceiling mounted TVs (above rows 4/5 on LHS) broken. So, a total of 4 out of 7 monitors broken in the forward cabin.
No sound was working in the JK seats throughout the plane.
The bulkhead mounted pocket infront of 1D has almost completely ripped off the wall, leaving the magazines and sickbags dangling into the floor area.
No magazines loaded. No menus loaded.
The oven in the forward galley barely works, so it took an hour to heat the food. Imagine what chicken and rice tastes like after an hour in a warm oven. It was completely hard and came out in lumps, but had to be left in the oven this long to heat through. The outward breakfast was similarly baked for an hour in the mal-functioning oven, and the scrambled eggs came out in one vile lump.
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: North, UK
Age: 67
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Just done MAN-LHR-IST-LHR-MAN
Have to say the shuttles between London and Manchester always seem airey and clean, the 767 in Club Europe to IST was dismal and uncomfortable. I said after a recent trip to HKG I would look at other airlines but this trip had already been booked, it merely reinforced my opinion.
Have to say the shuttles between London and Manchester always seem airey and clean, the 767 in Club Europe to IST was dismal and uncomfortable. I said after a recent trip to HKG I would look at other airlines but this trip had already been booked, it merely reinforced my opinion.
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: The Med
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Noone in the front row can see the screens, so none of us were able to see the safety demo.
However, one to quote when some of our CC friends starting hufflepuffing about pax not paying attention to the demo.
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Stockport
Age: 84
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Noone in the front row can see the screens, so none of us were able to see the safety demo.
This is disgraceful.
However, one to quote when some of our CC friends starting hufflepuffing about pax not paying attention to the demo.
This is disgraceful.
However, one to quote when some of our CC friends starting hufflepuffing about pax not paying attention to the demo.
Paxing All Over The World
OK, so F3G is blunt in manner but he/she is correct:
BA should not allow this and these are the people who have failed (not in order of direct responsibility but of a simplified reporting structure)
The people who are, ultimately, responsible are the Board of Directors. For they have not given clear enough instructions to their CEO and CFO to ensure that the machines look as good as the ones used in their advertisements. The money men have, once again, lost the company the respect of some of their customers. If it was an isolated incident, it would be a bell weather - but the storm has already arrived.
[rant mode off]
This is disgraceful.
- CC report to FC
- FC write tech log
- Tech staff request time and spare parts to fix problem
- Mgmt [clearly must have] refused/delayed/obfuscated
- A simple repeat of the above?
- Perhaps some senior tech staff tell their mgmt that this a/c is all messed up?
- Perhaps some CC ensure that their mgmt know how terrible the interior is?
- Perhaps some Customer service staff point out to mgmt that this is being written about on the internet and that, therefore, the money they saved is now costing them more than the money?
The people who are, ultimately, responsible are the Board of Directors. For they have not given clear enough instructions to their CEO and CFO to ensure that the machines look as good as the ones used in their advertisements. The money men have, once again, lost the company the respect of some of their customers. If it was an isolated incident, it would be a bell weather - but the storm has already arrived.
[rant mode off]
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: UK
Age: 64
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There is a very simple procedure in place for u/s screens as described - a manual safety demonstration. It isn't optional, it is mandatory for the CC to do so. If a passenger believes that he/she has not received a satisfactory safety briefing, as required, their first stop should be the CAA. It is absolutely appropriate that (as discussed by PAXboy) managers are held to account by customers for their decisions: Such accounting is done by the CAA.
F3G may be correct (despite the dramatic prose) that this is not acceptable - what makes his post tedious is the immaturity of the linkage to another perceived issue, yet again, for no visible reason beyond the usual malice and self-aggrandisemnt.
F3G may be correct (despite the dramatic prose) that this is not acceptable - what makes his post tedious is the immaturity of the linkage to another perceived issue, yet again, for no visible reason beyond the usual malice and self-aggrandisemnt.
F3G might be direct, but other than their pointing out that they often turn left, I don't see too much self-aggrandisement in their posts.
One of the delights of pprune is its ability to allow strongly held different views to emerge, and to not take it personally.
As to the CAA, whilst they have all the powers that they need, they do need an information flow................I hope someone's told them!
One of the delights of pprune is its ability to allow strongly held different views to emerge, and to not take it personally.
As to the CAA, whilst they have all the powers that they need, they do need an information flow................I hope someone's told them!
Just to keep us on course for the original topic, that of fleet age, I would point out that BZHC is actually the newest unit in the BA 767 fleet, dating from 1998, whereas the oldest dates from 1990. Which just shows once again that age has nothing really to do with it.
I hope TS that this is not the case, but that the passenger's first stop should be to speak with the CC and point out that they have been unable to receive the safety briefing. There must be an SOP for what the CC then have to do in this situation, surely ? I would presume it then has to be repeated manually.
If a passenger believes that he/she has not received a satisfactory safety briefing, as required, their first stop should be the CAA.
Join Date: Feb 2000
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...that the passenger's first stop should be to speak with the CC and point out that they have been unable to receive the safety briefing. There must be an SOP for what the CC then have to do in this situation, surely ? I would presume it then has to be repeated manually.
As mentioned by Ancient Observer - the important thing is that the CAA are advised if the situation is not resolved appropriately.
I think some very good points are made ehre , particularlyt he one that BA shoudl realy take notice if passengers actually quote the registration of the shabby 76 thats much discussed.
The point I would like to make is that while crew, airline employees , enthusiasts and other who read PPrune gnerally do understand that the state of the cabin does not reflect the state of the airframe engine avionics etc what about Joe/Jane public who often cannot tella A318 from an A380 since they only see the cabin. It IS REASONABLE for them to conclude that if the bits they can see are shabby, dirty , not working , then like most other things in life the bits they cannot see are actually worse. How many repeat pax have BA lost because most people equate shabby dirty plane with badly maintained plane.
My personal experience has been that BA are generally not good at looking after the cabins, a bit biased as much recent flying has been on LGW shorthaul which until recently as someone pointed out was entirely dependent on the most decrepit 733s and 734s around
The point I would like to make is that while crew, airline employees , enthusiasts and other who read PPrune gnerally do understand that the state of the cabin does not reflect the state of the airframe engine avionics etc what about Joe/Jane public who often cannot tella A318 from an A380 since they only see the cabin. It IS REASONABLE for them to conclude that if the bits they can see are shabby, dirty , not working , then like most other things in life the bits they cannot see are actually worse. How many repeat pax have BA lost because most people equate shabby dirty plane with badly maintained plane.
My personal experience has been that BA are generally not good at looking after the cabins, a bit biased as much recent flying has been on LGW shorthaul which until recently as someone pointed out was entirely dependent on the most decrepit 733s and 734s around
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Very close to the Theatre of Dreams!
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I fky on the shuttles quite a lot and prefer Gatwick to Heathrow because its easier to get in and out of but the 737 fleet is now looking rather shabby.
The one thing BA has going for it however is that despite the airframes and the shennanigans going on at the moment, they have the best crews in the business
Finally talking about age of BAs fleet the most memorable flight for me was on a Trident 3 in 1984 to Alicante (KTours charter) that aircraft used for the shuttle run then was the most comfortable I have ever flown on.
The one thing BA has going for it however is that despite the airframes and the shennanigans going on at the moment, they have the best crews in the business
Finally talking about age of BAs fleet the most memorable flight for me was on a Trident 3 in 1984 to Alicante (KTours charter) that aircraft used for the shuttle run then was the most comfortable I have ever flown on.
I also have been on a Virgin Atlantic 747-400 which was less than two years old. So many of the fittings for the seat controls, items in the washrooms, etc, were broken or worn.
The state of the interior of aircraft is what represents the airline, apart from the cabin crew - a public face if you will. Passengers barely if ever notice how clean the aircraft is on the outside. A shabby interior makes you think, god this is horrible. Nice interior, ooh this is very pleasant. Simple.
