United777 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 1648 posts, RR: 1 Posted (9 years 7 months 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 8796 times:
Hello all -
Do you think BA will retire the B744 soon from it's entire fleet and maybe replace them with the new 773ER or 772LR for the longer routes such as Asia and Australia. What plans does BA have for there B744's?
Navigator From Sweden, joined Jul 2001, 1036 posts, RR: 15 Reply 1, posted (9 years 7 months 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 8716 times:
I see no reason why they would phase out any 747-400:s anytime soon except in a further downturn in intercontinental traffic. A replacement would, I think, be financially unwise in their present position. But eventually of course they will be phased out. But I don´t think that will happen inside five years.
United Airline From Hong Kong, joined Jan 2001, 8803 posts, RR: 17 Reply 2, posted (9 years 7 months 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 8622 times:
BA is the world's largest B 747-400 operator. From what I heard they have the highest number of international routes. So I would say it is unwise to retire them now. They need them.
Besides they are still very new.
They should just wait for a true-replacement to come. Could be the B 747 Advanced or the A 380. Or even a stretched 747 if Boeing builds one.
MD-11 forever From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (9 years 7 months 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 8607 times:
As I mentioned already in a different thread, BA will soon retire 15 B744 and replace them with 773ER's. The 15 744's will head to Cathay Pacific....... Not offially confirmed, but I consider the source of this information as reliable (GE).
Na From Germany, joined Dec 1999, 9705 posts, RR: 10 Reply 7, posted (9 years 7 months 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 8423 times:
As all 777s are smaller than 744s there is no way that BA will retire ALL Jumbos with its smaller sister. They would be dump stupid.
In the longterm they will have to plan for replacements of cause as the first batch of 744s is passing mid-life. A mix of 773ERs (some of them might even replace older 772s), 747 "NG"s and A380s is the most likely scenario in 10 years time, when this transformation away from the then old 744s will be nearly over.
But I expect BA still operating 744s after 2010. They have many that will still be under 15 years old by then.
To your original question "Will BA Ever Retire The 747-400?": of cause they will. And the 767, 757, 777, A320, ... too.
Ssides From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 4059 posts, RR: 23 Reply 9, posted (9 years 7 months 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 8198 times:
A brief trip to Heathrow will explain why BA will not retire the 747-400 en masse. They are everywhere. Retiring this plane simply isn't feasible for BA right now. It will likely give them another good 10 years or so, then start looking for a good replacement.
Killerbabe From Netherlands, joined Aug 2003, 186 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (9 years 7 months 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 8126 times:
This is not the case with BA, but to all the carriers who launched the 747-400 at the end of the 80's. The 777-300ER is a very good replacement and a much more modern design.already mentioned is SQ who is planning to replace the 744 with the 773. BA Could be next and who knows who is next. LH, KL, NW.......
JGPH1A From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 11, posted (9 years 7 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 8115 times:
It may make economic sense, but where's the fun in flying a 777-300 ? Just a great long tube, not sexy at all. I hope BA keep the 744 until they realise the error of their ways and order the A380 to compete with SQ and EK on Far East/Oz routes.
COAB767 From Guam, joined Nov 2003, 1377 posts, RR: 9 Reply 14, posted (9 years 7 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 7863 times:
Is British Airways seriously considering purchasing the A380? If so than that's a joke cause that's the ugliest plane i've ever seen in my life, If that plane actually flies you know how many airports will have to make modifications just to accomodate the size of that plane.
Continental Micronesia: "Fly With The Warmth Of Paradise"
JGPH1A From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 15, posted (9 years 7 months 3 days ago) and read 7846 times:
Apparently very few airports in markets that the A380 will serve will have to make any modifications at all - most new terminals have been built with the A380 specifically in mind, and it was designed specifically to fit into the same size ground footprint as the 747, to allow it to used the same hard stands. I think that some airports will have to widen the corners of some taxiways, but its not big changes overall.
Shamrock_747 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (9 years 7 months 3 days ago) and read 7816 times:
Slots at LHR are very hard to get so BA need high capcity aircaft. They are very likely to order the A380 at some point in the future. Even if there is a downturn in traffic some routes still require 744s for example the daily LHR-LOS-LHR flight which is one of the most profitable routes for BA, and the 7 daily 744s to JFK.
Donder10 From Canada, joined Oct 2001, 6659 posts, RR: 23 Reply 18, posted (9 years 7 months 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 7581 times:
I wouldn't be surprised to see JFK be one of the first routes to see the 773ER.Too much economy capacity on the route.But it depends on the configuration of the 773ERs.
LH423 From Canada, joined Jul 1999, 6501 posts, RR: 55 Reply 24, posted (9 years 7 months 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 7227 times:
wouldn't be surprised to see JFK be one of the first routes to see the 773ER.Too much economy capacity on the route.But it depends on the configuration of the 773ERs.
That's absolutely correct and it's for this reason that BA flights their lower density 744s on the JFK flights (14/70/30/177 v 14/38/36/263).
LH423
« On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux » Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
26 Gigneil: I think the reason BA flies lower density 744s to JFK is due to the high volume of J class passengers. The 773ER and 744 are both overkill for the JFK
27 JGPH1A: I wonder why BA don't put an all Club aircraft on this route, like a shuttle - 7 a day is great for businessmen, but they must struggle to fill the ba
28 Shamrock_747: It seems there is a very high demand for Club on the JFK route - on my JFK-LHR flight in August all of the upper deck was full and most passengers loo
29 LH423: Actually, JGPH1A, I can attest that most of the time BA will leave with at most 20 seats open (I'm a BA employee and if it's slow on the counter I che
30 Bmacleod: The 744 is BA's flagship airliner; it would be like United phasing out the 777.
31 United Airline: THe B 747-400 is also United's flagship airliner.
32 RayChuang: I think right now BA is looking at the economics of operating the A380 VERY carefully before buying the plane. I think BA will get the A380 but not un
33 RiverVisualNYC: BA retiring the 744 in favor of a twin would be a big marketing mistake. Yes, I know the twins are very efficient, and not uncomfortable, but part of
34 LH423: With Concorde gone and without the 744, BA would be just another European airline like Air France or Lufthansa without a 'prestige' aircraft in its fl
35 BAJax: Going back to the original question, I don't think the 744's will be retired from the BA fleet within the next 10 years. Most of them are still what w
36 LH423: BAJax: You work in res? Ah, so you're my new worst enemy. If only you knew the crap you guys put us through on the front lines No, in all serious thou
37 BAJax: LH423/ I will "kind of" agree with you about the crap that the counters have to deal with. The really sad thing is a lot of it can be handled in res b
38 ZK-NBT: Of course BA will retire the 747-400 oneday but not for another probably 15 years. They need the capacity of this aircraft for long haul routes and pl
39 AirxLiban: personally i think that it will be a sad day when that final 744 leaves BA's fleet. they are stunning. i would think it would be at least 10 years bef
40 Lehpron: Even if they purchase some A380's, I doubt they will, unless Boeing can improve on it.
41 JBirdAV8r: BAJax, You work in that big office building with the BA ribbon off of JTB (Flytele)? Always wanted a job out there To add my $.02....744 is the flagsh
42 BAJax: JBirdAV8r: Yup, that's my building. I think there is a new training class that begins 08DEC03, I think? One of the few airlines that are hiring. It's
43 Maiznblu_757: Will BA Ever Retire The 747-400? Yes, someday they will replace the 747-400.
44 Donder10: A340600, SLIGHT chance LGW may see 1 more daily BA 744 but unlikely and 0 chance if UK-US Open Skies occur.
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