Shamrock_747 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (10 years 11 months 3 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 812 times:
British Airways' BA002 JFK-LHR Concorde flight has been rescheduled to the BA004 timings, not arriving in London until 2115. This arrangement was used when Concorde was first relaunched, but after a few months it went back to the original BA002 timings. Why have BA done this - is there a problem with keeping the a/c overnight at JFK?
GDB From United Kingdom, joined May 2001, 12715 posts, RR: 80 Reply 1, posted (10 years 11 months 3 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 787 times:
BA require each BA001 service to have a service aircraft and a serviceable standby.
When the relaunch started, we had 3 operational aircraft. So one for the BA001, one standby, and one being serviced, usually the one which did a BA001, then turned around for the BA002 the previous day, but all 3 were often operational.
When the 4th aircraft returned to service, we could overnight at JFK allowing the BA002 to return to it's usual morning JFK departure.
But as periods of significant maintenace downtimes approached, (OAG is scheduled for a big Inter 3 check in about 80 flying hours), you would need the 5th aircraft to maintain this service.
OAC is the 5th aircraft and OAC's mods are complete, but the big problem with operating such a such, specialised fleet hit yet again.
When each aircraft starts flying, it's 'clock' counting down to scheduled maintenance started ticking again.
OAC was found to require a new lower rudder late into the input, the next available one was scheduled for delivery in late July, OAD also needed one as it's lower rudder would be time-ex on 13th June, and that aircraft is now in for a week-long scheduled service check now, the rudder is expected on the 15th June.
(AF had no spares, and where else can you go to with no other operators?)
So BA had a choice, maintain services as they are and risk possible cancellations when the usual maint problems possibly combined with one or two aircraft also in scheduled maintenance, or do a temporary retiming of the BA002.
(So far this year we've only had to use the 001 standby aircraft twice, but robustness of service is the top priority).
As loads dip somewhat between late June-August, if a retiming had to be done, now's the time, though no one is pretending it's an ideal situation, customers were informed well in advance.
The operational aircraft have been worked hard since November, there is another Service check input on OAE right after OAD completes.
So the return of the BA002 to it's normal slot so early in the relaunch was a calculated gamble, and this time it did not go our way.
Expect the BA002 to return to the 08:30 JFK departure by early/mid August.
Stretch 8 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 2561 posts, RR: 19 Reply 3, posted (10 years 11 months 3 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 703 times:
GDB: A few years ago, BA was running Concorde in and out of IAD, I believe for World Bank customers on a charter (for which members of the public could also purchase tickets). Any chance such a service could resume at any point? (From your detailed response above, I would think not) Also, how likely is BA to reprise the New Year's '02 $2002 return fare next year at the holidays?
Maggs swings, it's a drive deep to left! The Tigers are going to the World Series!!!
Shamrock_747 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (10 years 11 months 3 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 691 times:
GDB,
Thanks very much for the excellent detailed information. BA002 has just flown over my house - I'm lucky to see such a beutiful plane almost every day!
Donder10 From Canada, joined Oct 2001, 6659 posts, RR: 23 Reply 6, posted (10 years 11 months 3 weeks 21 hours ago) and read 650 times:
That would explain why it went over my house at about 8 30 pm last night or so (maybe 9)heading North before turning right for a downwind leg and landing 8 minutes later!
GDB From United Kingdom, joined May 2001, 12715 posts, RR: 80 Reply 7, posted (10 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 599 times:
Stretch 8, as you know the IAD service ended in 1994, I flew on a IAD-LHR sector on G-BOAF in November 1993, and the aircraft was pretty empty.
IAD only started because it was the nearest we could get into New York, before the NY Port Authority ban was declared illegal in November 1977.
As you said, it did have a market of it's own, but limited.
With mounting losses on the route, and new opportunities such as BGI, the IAD service was finally axed, for a long time it had really been symbolic.
We have done IAD charters since, supporting IMF conferences and the like.
It remains to be seen if we'll do any again, if we do operate charters again, it will be something like an IMF related one.
GDB From United Kingdom, joined May 2001, 12715 posts, RR: 80 Reply 8, posted (10 years 11 months 2 weeks 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 562 times:
Don't know if BA are planning a repeat of the new years offer, they recently did a summer offer, usable by year end, I posted a thread about it, but tickets were only on sale for a short time ending 4th June.
We did a couple a IAD charters per year from 1995-2000.
Gordonroxburgh From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2000, 550 posts, RR: 21 Reply 9, posted (10 years 11 months 2 weeks 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 505 times:
If you book via the BA website, most flights booked enough in advance, can be bought for under £4K return to New York.
Unfortunately a one way with a an economy return is not £2K
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