bongodog1964 From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2006, 3013 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (3 months 3 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 1936 times:
Quoting Dalavia (Reply 1): 138 passengers seems a pathetic load for a 747.
Its the quietest time of the year for transatlantics anyway, plus a Saturday flight from a destination with a high % of business travel. On that basis a load factor of 40 - 45% depending on which configuration the plane is in is probably not unusual.
It flew in just south of Cork in Ireland and over Swansea. The only physical diversion seems to have been its 180 degree turn to line up east to west on the CWL runway.
steve6666 From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2003, 356 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (3 months 3 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 1193 times:
Quoting Dalavia (Reply 6): So, were the passengers sent to London on a bus (well, two buses)?
Think I would rather take a train.
Somewhat amusingly, last week Sundays BA490 from GIB was diverted to Bournemouth - a whole ooh.... 80 miles from LHR, so somewhat closer than CWL. The passengers were not bussed up - apparently they were told that no bus company was willing to do it - instead they were all overnighted in the Bournemouth Marriott and then flown to LHR the next day.
So not a foregone conclusion that they would have been bussed, especially as I gather the road networks are still somewhat treacherous in large parts of the UK.
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1400mph From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2013, 223 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (3 months 3 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 957 times:
Quoting Dalavia (Reply 1): 138 passengers seems a pathetic load for a 747.
Well it's double daily. There's a 777 that departs four hours earlier. Historically I think it's always been an 'oil' route so lots of premium passengers. Whether that is still the case with new carriers on the route I couldn't say but as I say it is double daily. Can't imagine BA send their planes off to places just for the hell of it.
AZA330 From Italy, joined Feb 2004, 287 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (3 months 3 weeks 9 hours ago) and read 658 times:
I flew LHR-IAH on March 1st last year, and the load was pathetic for a 747 at that point, too. It was BA197 (the later of the two flights) and the plane seemed to be pretty empty, at least judging for the amount of people at the gate before boarding and at customs after the arrival. However, Club World was full in the upper deck, and it seemed to be quite full downstairs, too.
I guess it makes sense to have double daily flights for premium passengers demand? Or is there also enough freight to justify a 777 and a 747?
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