SKAirbus From Norway, joined Oct 2007, 1345 posts, RR: 2 Posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 44912 times:
This has probably been discussed a lot before but now that it is 2010 it might be interesting to look at any progress with British Airways and how they will operate their A380s.
I have a few questions that maybe can be answered:
- Will the aircraft be deferred due to BA's financial difficulties or could they be brought forward as a result of other airlines pushing theirs back?
- How will the aircraft be configured? Any news on a new economy and first class product to debut on the WhaleJet?
- What routes will they be operated on?
- Any idea on registrations and if a new livery/corporate identity could be revealed with the arrival of the A380?
BA changed their livery in 1984, 1997 and then again in about 1999 (?) although the latter change was only the tails due to public opposition to the concept. So 2012 could be the time for a new identity although the new one is pretty timeless imho.
Looking forward to hearing your responses!
Next Flights: LHR-OSL (319), OSL-LHR (321), LHR-ARN (320), ARN-VXO (S34), VXO-BMA (ATP), ARN-LHR (763), LHR-CPH (320), C
Danfearn77 From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2008, 1782 posts, RR: 9 Reply 1, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 44760 times:
I would expect them to want them in service pretty soon. The travelling public love it. I flew SIN-LHR yesterday and i chose the flight because i wanted to go on the A380. From what i could tell it was full to bursting to. Even people who dont mind so much want to travel on it and i think for that fact they can help rake money in for an airline. My Uncle is actually flying MAN-LHR-SIN just to travel in F on the A380. He could have done so MAN-SIN on a 772.
Is their EIS with BA in 2012?
As for the livery, i love the BA livery but strangely i dont know whether it will suit the A380? I dont know just my opinion.
Eagles may soar high, but weasels dont get sucked into jet engines!
ManchesterMAN From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2003, 1193 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 44665 times:
Quoting Danfearn77 (Reply 1): My Uncle is actually flying MAN-LHR-SIN just to travel in F on the A380. He could have done so MAN-SIN on a 772.
Well to be fair he couldn't have travelled in F from MAN as SQ operate the 772 which only has Business and Economy cabins (this will change at the end of March then the 77W comes to MAN with an F class cabin but with a stop in MUC). Also being very pedantic SQ don't have F on the A380 either, rather they have the Suites (R) class which is supposed to be a "class beyond first" although IMO it is just F with a door!
Back on topic, I expect BA to take a LH style approach to the A380, i.e. do nothing special. BA have already announced a new F seat which I think is to be introduced this year (?) so I doubt they will change again for the A380. J class is ok as it is. WT+ and WT are the only classes where they need a new product really. As for new livery - no chance.
Quoting SKAirbus (Thread starter): Will the aircraft be deferred due to BA's financial difficulties or could they be brought forward as a result of other airlines pushing theirs back?
EIS was originally 2012, but the deliveries were deferred due to the financial situation (I think this was announced sometime before Christmas).
Avek00 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 4094 posts, RR: 18 Reply 4, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 44012 times:
Quoting SKAirbus (Thread starter): Will the aircraft be deferred due to BA's financial difficulties or could they be brought forward as a result of other airlines pushing theirs back?
BA is likely in no rush to take delivery of the A380. Under current and near-term economic conditions, the aircraft would be a costly monster in its existing network which could only be accomodated by cannibalizing frequencies.
GDB From United Kingdom, joined May 2001, 12735 posts, RR: 79 Reply 5, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 43729 times:
Quoting Avek00 (Reply 4): No one -- probably not even Willie Walsh himself -- can give an answer with a straight face on this one.
The sorts of routes the BA A380's will be operated on have been discussed by the airline, internally and externally.
With a straight face since there was no reason not to have one, being in the real world.
LAX, India, Asia being the mainstay, not to JFK though, since frequency counts there.
Reply 3 was right about the reason for the 1 year deferment, cash flow, unlike the much longer delays for the other aircraft BA brought in 2007, the one that was due in our fleet this year, but which only flew for the first time last month. That's the one which has caused much revision in our fleet planning, still at least we got some B777-300ER's as compensation, (I should think so too), which are coming this year.
KL911 From Ireland, joined Jul 2003, 4993 posts, RR: 13 Reply 7, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 41872 times:
Quoting GDB (Reply 5): LAX, India, Asia being the mainstay, not to JFK though, since frequency counts there.
Why not JFK? between 7PM and 9PM you have 3 BA departures to LHR. Im sure 2 will be enough with one of them the A380. They have actually 6 departures in a 4 hour period. 7PM-11PM.
MogandoCI From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 41280 times:
Quoting GDB (Reply 5):
LAX, India, Asia being the mainstay, not to JFK though, since frequency counts there.
since they operate like 5-7x daily, with most of them being 744, they can just put 1 of those flights as A380 for a slight upgauge of capacity. Won't kill them.
And if it's true that people would go out of their way to travel on the A380, with JFK's huge premium market, maybe that's a winning formula.
Besides, do you need 3 departures within a 60 minute span for a 7-hour overnight flight ? Unless they want to cede the creme-de-la-creme to VS's A380s
Stitch From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 26935 posts, RR: 83 Reply 9, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 41210 times:
Is BA still scheduled to get the "improved" A380-800, or with the extended production cycle is Airbus pushing back the EIS of that model?
Mutu From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2006, 506 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 40597 times:
Quoting MogandoCI (Reply 8): Besides, do you need 3 departures within a 60 minute span for a 7-hour overnight flight ?
well dont forget that those flights ex LHR are spread out across the day, its just ex JFK with the restrictions on movements at LHR during the early hours, some bunching up is inevitable to get al those planes home. Dont overlook that there are a further 3 departures after your 60 minute span plus the breakfast departure.....
Quoting MogandoCI (Reply 8): Unless they want to cede the creme-de-la-creme to VS's A380s
You raise a good point...we are long overdue a thread on whether this order will be delivered the last I heard they were indefinitely delayed?
Quoting Slinky09 (Reply 3): EIS was originally 2012, but the deliveries were deferred due to the financial situation (I think this was announced sometime before Christmas).
yes thats correct, the economic climate that is. The facilities for the acquisition of the 380 fleet is in place ( a chinese bank I believe) but with demand depressed, a decision was taken last year to push out deliveries a further year ( a decision made easier by the fact Airbus had not yet determined a delivery estimate for the BA production) in the hope demand would have recovered.
As a result should traffic levels rebound quickly (which is unlikely) BA could look to accelerate again subject to production slots
Prince From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2005, 14 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 40538 times:
Quoting MogandoCI (Reply 8): since they operate like 5-7x daily, with most of them being 744, they can just put 1 of those flights as A380 for a slight upgauge of capacity. Won't kill them.
And if it's true that people would go out of their way to travel on the A380, with JFK's huge premium market, maybe that's a winning formula.
Besides, do you need 3 departures within a 60 minute span for a 7-hour overnight flight ? Unless they want to cede the creme-de-la-creme to VS's A380s
No offense, but if you are even vaguely familar with the typical customer base of VS you will find the likelihood of any 'creme-de-la-creme' switching to VS to be close to nil.
Same goes for using the plane on JFK - the great advantage of BA is its ability to offer multiple frequencies per day, not umpteen seats. Consolidating flights might sound like a great idea, but what you forget is the main customers - i.e. business - want to have the flexibility of heading home just that hour earlier/later than planned if a meeting overruns/ends early.
I'd actually wager that BA is more likely to increase frequencies on A318s from LCY than put the A380 on the route in light of the recent security scare - if available, would you rather sneak your way through increased (and thus even lengthier) security checks at LHR with 400 pax, or just with 31 others at LCY? I'd go for the latter.
Rj111 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 13, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 40449 times:
Quoting KL911 (Reply 7): Why not JFK? between 7PM and 9PM you have 3 BA departures to LHR. Im sure 2 will be enough with one of them the A380. They have actually 6 departures in a 4 hour period. 7PM-11PM.
That's the case to LHR but from LHR due to timing it's spread out at roughly 2 hour intervals throughout the day. And the same planes they send out have to fly back.
That said i'm sure an A380 will end up at JFK at some point but i can understand why it wouldn't be a primary target, despite the traffic on the route.
Cerecl From Australia, joined Jul 2008, 661 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 39868 times:
Quoting Mutu (Reply 11): the last I heard they were indefinitely delayed?
An A.net rumor that seemed to have started out of nowhere and was never substantiated. VS A380 is deferred to 2013 plus whatever delay resulting from the current production issues. See this thread for reference. VS A380 Order-Deferred Beyond 2013? (by Cerecl Feb 26 2009 in Civil Aviation)
Golli From Iceland, joined May 2007, 150 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 38519 times:
Quoting YOWza (Reply 10): As for the livery (it's never going to happen but) I would love to see a throwback using the Landor scheme.
Looks way better than the current scheme IMHO.
Quoting Prince (Reply 12): No offense, but if you are even vaguely familar with the typical customer base of VS you will find the likelihood of any 'creme-de-la-creme' switching to VS to be close to nil.
Jet-lagged From United States of America, joined Mar 2002, 852 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 38409 times:
Quoting YOWza (Reply 10): As for the livery (it's never going to happen but) I would love to see a throwback using the Landor scheme.
That looks good! The A380 forehead is very unattractive IMHO but in this scheme it fits in pretty well.
Luckyone From United States of America, joined Aug 2008, 1656 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 38191 times:
Luckyone From United States of America, joined Aug 2008, 1656 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 37641 times:
Quoting Asiaflyer (Reply 20): Btw, have you been behind that door or are you just guessing?
Without getting off topic, no, I have not. On the flipside you don't have to bite the doughnut to know that it's sweet. Personally I think paying that much money is insane, and not worth the return no matter how terrific the product is. I also realize there are people who have different opinions. I also believe I fully understand that there are different fare codes, redemption rules, upgrades, yaddah yaddah, that Suites has that First class doesn't. Still, the fact that "First" class isn't anywhere to be found on the A380, IMHO makes it the first class product and given Singapore Airline's current seat disparity across their fleet I don't think that's too much of a stretch. They charged a premium for the new business class (are they still?) when the 77W came online, but it was still business class despite hard and soft product enhancements. Obviously we can argue until Christ returns about this one, but I digress...Also, the Suites class doesn't appear appreciably different from a seat and what's written about other FIRST class products found on airlines like Emirates and Jet, and I'm sure a few others. To me, it's a marketing gimmick. Does that diminish the product in my opinion, no.
Chasing a pipe dream, but how long until we see the WhaleJet in ATL??????
LACA773 From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 3752 posts, RR: 2 Reply 24, posted (3 years 5 months 2 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 37039 times:
Quoting GDB (Reply 5): LAX, India, Asia being the mainstay, not to JFK though, since frequency counts there
If they do send the 380 to LAX will they go down to two daily flights from 3? Or will we see a 380/77E/77W to keep three flights going?
I could also see SFO going 380 also as well as HKG.
Quoting Stitch (Reply 9): Is BA still scheduled to get the "improved" A380-800, or with the extended production cycle is Airbus pushing back the EIS of that model?
What is this "EIS" model?
Quoting Prince (Reply 12): No offense, but if you are even vaguely familar with the typical customer base of VS you will find the likelihood of any 'creme-de-la-creme' switching to VS to be close to nil.
I do believe VS has indefinitely defered their order for 380s. It was done at about the same time they placed an order for the 787s.
Quoting BlueSky1976 (Reply 22): BA livery on the Mighty Triple Seven OWNS the one on the 747 BIG TIME. I cannot wait to see it on the 777-300ER.
When will we see their first 77W come off the Boeing Assembly line?
25 BMI727: I think that delivery should be sometime in Summer 2010.
26 Slinky09: Odd thing to say, depending on what you term 'creme-de-la-creme' I'd disagree, having had the pleasure of chatting at the bar over a drink or few on
27 B747-4U3: The trouble with doing that would be the reduction in premium seats, which are under normal economic conditions, very profitable for BA. 3 departures
28 YXXMIKE: Could LHR - YVR support the A380? I know that the daily double during the summer is quite popular but would the extra capacity still support during th
29 Pumaknight: They have a mock up of the current livery on a A380 model outside the lounges in T5. I have a piccie, but cannot upload it at the moment - will do in
30 Frigatebird: Still, somewhat surprising to me that they don't want them by the time of the Olympics. You'd expect they'll need some extra capacity then Or, instea
31 Planesmith: Just a thought - I was at LHR T3 & T5 last Sunday - it was a special kind of hell with barely room to breath, let alone move - add a few more 777/340/
32 AirNz: No offence either, but using your own 'compatibility measurement' you'll find that you, yourself, are way out. Can you enlarge on what you seem to th
33 Brilondon: These are important departures as it leads to frequency and choice as that is the reason for the JFK-LHR frequencies from all airlines.
34 GDB: Sure BA A380's could well be seen at JFK, for a sudden need to surge capacity, for whatever reason. But most unlikely as part of a regular scheduled s
35 EGNR: Could BA A380s be seen on the JFK runs (as well as other US destinations) as part of a deal to relinquish slots to get ATI with AA? In essence combine
36 Yellowtail: If I was a betting man...look for one on JNB, MIA and maybe GRU...it offers the ideal "class" mix for those markets.
37 Theginge: Not sure about this one as at the moment BA seem to be swapping 744's on the JFK flights to 777's so are reducing capacity slightly.
38 VV701: Currently six daily - five on Saturdays. On weekdays it is 2 x 744 and 4 x 772. On Saturdays it is 2 x 744 and 3 x 772. On Sundays it is 1 x 744 and
39 Jfk777: JFK to LHR is that rare route with 744 and 5-8 daily flights, so an A380 doesn't make sense ? Well if Lufthansa and Air France also with multiple JFK
40 MAH4546: Absent a special and very elevated on-board product, JFK-LHR does not make sense for BA. JFK-LHR is a high-frequency market and will remain so. In the
41 Astuteman: It had a fairly specific origin IMO (not authoritative, I hasten to add) A fair question. Moving up from 2 x 744 and 4 x 772 to say, 2 x A380 and 4 x
42 Slinky09: Let's also not confuse the current climate with the economy at its peak. All airlines have reduced LHR-JFK capacity as the economy slumped. If that r
43 LACA773: Do the 744s leaving JFK always go out with the hightest load factors or do we see the 77Es consistently see higher loads? Wouldn't the best option be
44 Astuteman: Have you presupposed there that the two 744 departures aren't those with the most consistent high load factors? I for certain presume BA fly the 744'
45 LACA773: Exactly. Thank you and my apologies I should have stated as an example.......
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