qf002 From Australia, joined Jul 2011, 2558 posts, RR: 1 Reply 4, posted (5 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 9197 times:
Quoting fcogafa (Reply 3): Strange that they are not starting up a route like this with a smaller aircraft, B787 or 767.
The 77E has quite a premium heavy configuration, while both the 788 and 736ER (which wouldn't have the necessary range anyway) have much smaller J cabins and no F. I'm sure that these are the sorts of routes that BA will be sending 4 class 789s on in a few years time.
rutankrd From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2003, 2000 posts, RR: 5 Reply 5, posted (5 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 9076 times:
Quoting fcogafa (Reply 3):
Strange that they are not starting up a route like this with a smaller aircraft, B787 or 767.
Presumably there will be another route announced for the aircraft on the other 4 days a week?
Quoting fcogafa (Reply 3):
Strange that they are not starting up a route like this with a smaller aircraft, B787 or 767.
Presumably there will be another route announced for the aircraft on the other 4 days a week?
There is a demand for cargo footage neither the traditional 767 or plastic upgrade come close in the number of LD3 containers of the 772ER !
Destination is a good choice for high value boxes and high yield SLF plus some tourists (Wanting to see the clay army !)
May also have to do with the growing financial sector in this city combined with the aerospace industries, more so than the alternative and much larger and industrial regional city of Chongqing served by others (Mainly all cargo carriers)
seansasLCY From Hong Kong, joined Mar 2007, 719 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (5 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 8889 times:
Quoting rutankrd (Reply 5): Destination is a good choice for high value boxes and high yield SLF plus some tourists (Wanting to see the clay army !)
Slightly out there. The Clay Army are in Xian
Chengdu is a popular tourist sight though and growing business city. I hope this is the start of wider BA expansion into China. Maybe they can beat the others and become the first to link Kunming or Xian to Europe?
justinlee From China, joined Aug 2012, 306 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (5 months 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 8477 times:
Quoting rutankrd (Reply 5): There is a demand for cargo footage neither the traditional 767 or plastic upgrade come close in the number of LD3 containers of the 772ER !
That's true. There is a rumor said, even the KLM's CTU-AMS route has no passenger, they can still earn some money. Chengdu is a massive manufacturing base for smartphone and laptop. If you order an iPad online, there is a big opportunity that it will be shipped from CTU.
SKAirbus From Norway, joined Oct 2007, 1330 posts, RR: 2 Reply 8, posted (5 months 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 8139 times:
Quoting qf002 (Reply 4): The 77E has quite a premium heavy configuration, while both the 788 and 736ER (which wouldn't have the necessary range anyway) have much smaller J cabins and no F. I'm sure that these are the sorts of routes that BA will be sending 4 class 789s on in a few years time.
The 767 most defnitely does have the range. Chengdu is in western China and SAS used to fly their 763s from Copenhagen to Hong Kong, Beijing, Bangkok... It's more a premium capacity thing.
Next Flights: LHR-OSL (319), OSL-LHR (321), LHR-ARN (320), ARN-VXO (S34), VXO-BMA (ATP), ARN-LHR (763), LHR-CPH (320), C
Bongodog1964 From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2006, 3019 posts, RR: 2 Reply 10, posted (5 months 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 7672 times:
Quoting fcogafa (Reply 3): Strange that they are not starting up a route like this with a smaller aircraft, B787 or 767.
Their 787's won't be available in time, and the 767 fleet is fairly stretched anyway. 772's are the one thing they do have available as they take delivery of a few more 773's
GSTBA From UK - England, joined Apr 2010, 400 posts, RR: 1 Reply 13, posted (5 months 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 6564 times:
Quoting Bongodog1964 (Reply 10): Their 787's won't be available in time, and the 767 fleet is fairly stretched anyway. 772's are the one thing they do have available as they take delivery of a few more 773's
I agree
China is a country BA are focussed increasing there presence in. I think what has happend is BA have been offered the chance to take up slots at CTU rather than turn them down they have taken them and decided to use what aircraft they have available hence the route will initially operate on the 772ER configured 12F/48J/32W/127Y.
What will probably happen is BA will switch the 772ER with a 788 in mid 2013 and at the same time they will increase the frequency,
KaiTak747 From Switzerland, joined Aug 2012, 147 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (5 months 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 6261 times:
Quoting rutankrd (Reply 5): plus some tourists (Wanting to see the clay army !)
I've been to Chengdu and apart from the Panda Research Centre there is not a lot for tourists. I would imagine that tourists wil primarily continue to connect through Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Maybe a lot of tourists coming to London from CTU? Even with not many tourists, I would imagine that cargo and business demand will be strong.
"In Summer 2013, British Airways will also be increasing frequencies on services from London Heathrow to Amman, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jeddah, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro and Toronto."
Interesting to know. MEX has received a large increase in service recently, with AM announcing service to LHR and BA planning to increase frequencies to MEX.
Pe@rson From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18847 posts, RR: 54 Reply 17, posted (5 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 5340 times:
"As the largest country market, the UK accounts for 23.4 per cent of the estimated 116,644 passengers that flew between Europe and Chengdu last year with notable flows from London Heathrow (approximately 14,000 passengers), Manchester (around 5,000 passengers) and Birmingham (about 3,000 travellers)."
justinlee From China, joined Aug 2012, 306 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (5 months 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 5085 times:
Quoting SCQ83 (Reply 12):
Is CTU the airport in mainland China with more EMEA carriers out of the big 3 (CAN/PEK/PVG)?
EY and KL are already flying to CTU, and BA and QR already announced flights.
Just wondering is there any possibility that Oneworld acquires Sichuan Airline as their chinese partner as both BA and QR will fly to their base CTU? As Hainan Airlines seems to meet a lot of obstacles in joining Oneworld, Sichuan Airline, with a fleet size of 67 planes, may be an option.
AirbusA6 From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2005, 1913 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (5 months 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 4066 times:
Quoting Pe@rson (Reply 17): "As the largest country market, the UK accounts for 23.4 per cent of the estimated 116,644 passengers that flew between Europe and Chengdu last year with notable flows from London Heathrow (approximately 14,000 passengers), Manchester (around 5,000 passengers) and Birmingham (about 3,000 travellers)."
That source has a good and comprehensive article on this route.
Those are really interesting stats, it's hard to see why the UK has more passengers going to Chengdu than other European countries, I can only presume that there must be certain key multinationals who fly there from the UK on a regular basis, and I'm BA will expect their business!
it's the bus to stansted (now renamed national express a4 to ruin my username)
DolphinAir747 From United States of America, joined Jun 2012, 220 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (5 months 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 3956 times:
Wow, congrats to the folks in central China, with KL, then AY, then QR, and now BA serving them!
Still, I fear that CTU-Europe will soon see lower yields if so many carriers fly westward from there! I'm surprised that BA didn't instead target TSN, which has no passenger flights to Europe so far.
steex From United States of America, joined Jun 2007, 1435 posts, RR: 9 Reply 22, posted (5 months 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 3682 times:
Quoting DolphinAir747 (Reply 21): I'm surprised that BA didn't instead target TSN, which has no passenger flights to Europe so far.
Tianjin is hurt by its relative proximity to Beijing and the much larger PEK. While there would be some market for flights to Tianjin, the airlines know they can capture much of that market at PEK without the cost of an additional longhaul flight.
Once Beijing Daxing International Airport is constructed and opened, it will essentially serve both Beijing and Tianjin due to its more central location. That probably puts a damper on the long-term potential of intercontinental flights to TSN.
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21498 posts, RR: 24 Reply 23, posted (5 months 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 3601 times:
Quoting AirbusA6 (Reply 20): it's hard to see why the UK has more passengers going to Chengdu than other European countries, I can only presume that there must be certain key multinationals who fly there from the UK on a regular basis,
Chinese students in the UK must be a significant source of traffic. As of 2010 there were 1.27 million Chinese studying abroad, and the UK was the 4th most popular country (and #1 in Europe). The top 10 destinations for Chinese students in 2010:
USA
Australia
Japan
UK
South Korea
Canada
Singapore
France
Germany
Russia
123 From Bolivia, joined Nov 2003, 739 posts, RR: 4 Reply 24, posted (5 months 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 2345 times:
Quoting steex (Reply 22): Tianjin is hurt by its relative proximity to Beijing and the much larger PEK.
True, but travelling international into TSN (I did several times to/from HKG) is a thrill, customs/immigration is speedy due to low quantity of in/outgoing international flights.
While PEK has improved international pax handling considerably, TSN (inspite of serving a city of +10mill inhabitants) is like a provincial airport.
So those seeking to enter China with speed and low customs/immigration lines, should seriously consider TSN.
25 gabrielchew: Tianjin is only 30 minutes away from Beijing on the bullet train....no point in flying to Tianjin. Air Asia X started flights to TSN, but not long af
26 LJ: Sichuan Airlines is 39% owned by CZ and 10% owned by Shanghai Airlines, thus 49%of the shareholding is owned by Skyteam Airlines.... I doubt Oneworld
27 AAIL86: Funny you mention Xi'an ... AY To Launch HEL-XIY In S13 (by AAIL86 Dec 20 2012 in Civil Aviation)
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