ual777uk From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2005, 3355 posts, RR: 1 Posted (1 year 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 9237 times:
Hi All
The title says it all really. I just wondered who the first operator will likely be, has any airline with impending 787 deliveries expected loaded LHR into their schedules yet? I dont think anyone has but would love to be corrected on that point.
I am almost certain that at least one of the 3 daily ORD-LHR v v. flights will be operated by a 787 once UA gets its hands on them.
At least that's what the UA guys here in FRA are saying; they are pretty pi**ed off that UA won't send the 787 to FRA on a scheduled service before 2014-15. Some promo-flights possibly but no scheduled 787 flights to FRA.
But then again; the demand for the FRA Hub and LH as a feeder/connector is too high, 777/744's all year round for UA here in FRA apart from the odd 763 every now and then. That's why the 787 would be too small for UA in FRA; but just about the right size for the medium-high demand on the ORD-LHR route where they are competing with AA, BA and VS.
Plus they need a good pokercard on the ORD-LHR routes; their 763 are super-dated, albeit being fitted with a nice F and C class. But Y is horrible on the UA 763's.
-BA sends 777's & 747's which are bigger but BA sells the "britishness" and is in codeshare with AA which have a huge customer base in ORD and are in direct competition with UA
-AA sends almost only 777's to LHR which are also bigger and less dated than the UA 763's in addition to BA being its feeder/connector in LHR
-VS sends the 343 and the 346 but VS sells the blonde girls and the fancy on-board bars and the Upper Class etc.
-UA sends dated 763's and the odd 744 in the summer and together with the loss of bmi in LHR they really have to up their ante on that route and therefore they will throw in the 787 asap.
Worked on: A300,310,319,320,321,332,333,342,343,346,380,B732/3/4/5,744,DC10 -- Currently working on: A380 only
konrad From United States of America, joined Mar 2002, 494 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (1 year 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 5908 times:
LOT has announced that they will use their first 787 to be delivered in November on a number of EU flights for crew training. I bet LHR will be one of them.
ual777uk From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2005, 3355 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (1 year 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 5876 times:
Quoting irregking (Reply 10): I am almost certain that at least one of the 3 daily ORD-LHR v v. flights will be operated by a 787 once UA gets its hands on them.
Whilst I would love to see the 787 in UAs colours come to LHR I am not so sure it will be in the near future and if it is not on the ORD - LHR route. I say this as the 787s that are coming initially all seem to be two class and thats not consistant with whats on offer on the 763 and up front in F and J on those 763 they are doing extremely well by all accounts from a yield point of view.
If anything maybe we might see them on EWR - LHR but again I am not so sure.
I hope I am wrong. When UA announce the config of three class 787 then us LHR boys can hopefully get excited and then they will replace the 763 which is what they are of course intended to do.
Candid76 From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2005, 711 posts, RR: 5 Reply 13, posted (1 year 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 5437 times:
Quoting ual777uk (Reply 12): I say this as the 787s that are coming initially all seem to be two class and thats not consistant with whats on offer on the 763 and up front in F and J on those 763 they are doing extremely well by all accounts from a yield point of view.
skipness1E From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2007, 2381 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (1 year 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 3768 times:
I think LHR is going to be knee deep in B787s soon enough, they'll be as common as muck. I go the other way, I get more excited about old and rare than new and shiny. New and shiny I can see again tomorrow!
ordjoe From United States of America, joined Aug 2010, 583 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (1 year 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 3592 times:
If the 787s had F I would say they would be a perfect match for the ORD-LHR, but I think UA actually sells F seats on this route, I have a few banker friends in Chicago whose firm is contracted with UA and know they are buying those seats. Then again even if they are selling F it might be more profitable to send the 787.
ual777uk From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2005, 3355 posts, RR: 1 Reply 17, posted (1 year 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 3067 times:
Quoting skipness1E (Reply 14): I think LHR is going to be knee deep in B787s soon enough, they'll be as common as muck.
Excellant
Joking aside, I just want to see a few in my back yard so that I can take a trip on one, then in a few years time I can ask the same question about the A350.
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