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Bcal & Sabena codeshare Atlanta
Back in the 1980's I often saw a Sabena 747 at LGW. I understand it was a SN/BR codeshare flight operating BRU - LGW - ATL. Why didn't Bcal operate this route themselves - was there not enough demand to operate alone or was there not enough aircraft in the fleet to operate alone ?
Re: Bcal & Sebena codeshare Atlanta
BCAL did not have enough aircraft. This SN operation followed the use of a chartered Royal Jordanian L1011.
Re: Bcal & Sebena codeshare Atlanta
As in...
Such A Bad Experience, Never Again?
To be fair, I flew Sabena short-haul and long-haul and I had no complaints.
Such A Bad Experience, Never Again?
To be fair, I flew Sabena short-haul and long-haul and I had no complaints.
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- oldannyboy
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Re: Bcal & Sebena codeshare Atlanta
I remember Sabena being probably the first European visitor to ATL in the early '80.
I also remember the alliance with BCAL which saw the SN 747 flying through Gatwick three times a week.
I also remember the alliance with BCAL which saw the SN 747 flying through Gatwick three times a week.
Re: Bcal & Sabena codeshare Atlanta
The flights were also jointly manned with half BR half SN cabin crews.
Re: Bcal & Sabena codeshare Atlanta
SN/BR528 - the Sabena 747-100s which used to operate Brussels-Gatwick-Atlanta indeed. It was also open to local traffic on the Brussels/Gatwick legs between Sabena and BCal.
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- globalflyer
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Re: Bcal & Sabena codeshare Atlanta
I know SN was in ATL in 1978 because my first flight as a child was an SN 707 nonstop ATL-BRU Dec 1978.
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- oldannyboy
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Re: Bcal & Sabena codeshare Atlanta
globalflyer wrote:I know SN was in ATL in 1978 because my first flight as a child was an SN 707 nonstop ATL-BRU Dec 1978.
I do too. I have a stack of very old National Geographics from that era, and Sabena's ads promoting their flight to Atlanta were very prominent. It seems to me they might have been the only European carrier serving Georgia in those days...
Re: Bcal & Sabena codeshare Atlanta
Operated in 1986 and 1987 with the original SN P&W powered B747-129 and later GE powered B747-329M:
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- SFOThinker
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Re: Bcal & Sebena codeshare Atlanta
PM wrote:As in...
Such A Bad Experience, Never Again?
To be fair, I flew Sabena short-haul and long-haul and I had no complaints.
I have fond memories of both BCal and Sabena intercontinental flights in the 1970s. Superior economy class food.
Re: Bcal & Sabena codeshare Atlanta
three times a week double drop on a Belgian airline… doubt would hold its own nowadays…
The good old days!
The good old days!
Re: Bcal & Sabena codeshare Atlanta
Why ATL? Surely there would have been other cities BCal could have chosen with higher demand?
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- ikramerica
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Re: Bcal & Sabena codeshare Atlanta
vhtje wrote:Why ATL? Surely there would have been other cities BCal could have chosen with higher demand?
Not with Bermuda/Bermuda2.
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- AntonioMartin
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Re: Bcal & Sabena codeshare Atlanta
Only one thing to say for me: during my only foray into Hartsfield (and for that matter all of Georgia too) on April 29, 1990, I saw a Sabena Boeing 747 there! (as well as British Airways, Varig, El Al and Swissair!) Great day for spotting!
Re: Bcal & Sabena codeshare Atlanta
ikramerica wrote:vhtje wrote:Why ATL? Surely there would have been other cities BCal could have chosen with higher demand?
Not with Bermuda/Bermuda2.
Ah, yes of course. Stupid me. Thank you!
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- BrianDromey
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Re: Bcal & Sabena codeshare Atlanta
vhtje wrote:ikramerica wrote:vhtje wrote:Why ATL? Surely there would have been other cities BCal could have chosen with higher demand?
Not with Bermuda/Bermuda2.
Ah, yes of course. Stupid me. Thank you!
ATL was one of the last LGW transatlantic routes to gain access to LHR for that reason, both for DL and BA. In the Bermuda days I don’t think BA had rights for ATL, until the takeover. Which then left a gap for traffic rights to be awarded to a second U.K. airline as per the US bilateral. This gave VS space to be born and the competitive response in terms of capacity dumping and low fares was much more limited than what airlines could do today.
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- RyanairGuru
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Re: Bcal & Sabena codeshare Atlanta
ATL, DFW, IAH had to be operated to LGW right up until 2007. DL was obviously permanently relegated to LGW, but this also affected BA and AA as well.
BCal was able to get the rights to ATL, DFW, IAH due to those routes not being available from LHR, and in the 70s and 80s the UK had a policy of promoting BCal as the ‘second force’ which precluded BA from competing with them at LGW.
Someone can correct me, but IIRC the likes of DEN and PHX could only be moved to LHR after no competing carrier has served the route for four consecutive seasons.
BCal was able to get the rights to ATL, DFW, IAH due to those routes not being available from LHR, and in the 70s and 80s the UK had a policy of promoting BCal as the ‘second force’ which precluded BA from competing with them at LGW.
Someone can correct me, but IIRC the likes of DEN and PHX could only be moved to LHR after no competing carrier has served the route for four consecutive seasons.
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