bmi flights to and from Bergen, Basel, Nice, Vienna, Stavangar, Hanover, Agadir, Marrakech and Casablanca will have their bmi flight code (BD) and number replaced with BA ones from May 23.
The flight schedule, including time, date and terminal for the flights will remain the same.
From today, all bmi flights will be available for sale exclusively through ba.com or the British Airways’ call centres. Customers who have booked a bmi flight will be able to service their booking via flybmi.com
The airline’s baggage policies will apply to any BA coded flights from May 23. However, the airline will honour bmi’s checked baggage allowance for any customers who booked prior to May 10. Any new bookings made after today will use BA’s baggage policies.
Further routes will be changed over to British Airways’ system in the coming weeks.
[Edited 2012-05-10 04:09:03]
Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
Link to report to be found here :
British Airways to take over nine Bmi routes
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tr...-to-take-over-nine-Bmi-routes.html
British Airways to take over nine Bmi routes
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tr...-to-take-over-nine-Bmi-routes.html
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting GSTBA (Thread starter): Hanover |
Oooo on what equipment? Last summer BD flew to HAJ with BMI Regional's ERJ-145's. Surely BA will not be doing this?
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- jwhite9185
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RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting GSTBA (Thread starter): From today, all bmi flights will be available for sale exclusively through ba.com or the British Airways’ call centres. Customers who have booked a bmi flight will be able to service their booking via flybmi.com |
In an email i received from BMI earlier, it said it would only alloy from flights departing from LHR.
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- planejamie
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RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting boysteve (Reply 2): Oooo on what equipment? Last summer BD flew to HAJ with BMI Regional's ERJ-145's. Surely BA will not be doing this? |
I presume BA will use an A319 (maybe one of their own) - it could work given that BA have way more connecting traffic than BD ever did and I assume there is very little on the HAJ side?
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
I wonder what they'll do with the A330's? Will BA keep them, dump them, or maybe order some of their own!
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- FlyCaledonian
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RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
I see they are using the old CityFlyer flight numbers (BA81xx). VIE and HAJ are not showing up yet though (for the BD operated flights).
I'm making a guess that Casablanca, Agadir, Marrakech, Stavanger, Bergen and Hannover will stay for Winter 2012-13 if they are getting BA flight numbers already.
I'm making a guess that Casablanca, Agadir, Marrakech, Stavanger, Bergen and Hannover will stay for Winter 2012-13 if they are getting BA flight numbers already.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
Where does that leave BMI's previous destinations to the Middle East? Will they be operated by BA or code-shared?
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
BA have announced LHR -LBA and LHR -RTM using BD slots.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting OA260 (Reply 9): BA have announced LHR -LBA and LHR -RTM using BD slots. |
Interesting - do we think those are genuine long term routes or just slot holders while they wait to build up the long-haul network? Opening new stations would appear to be a strange decision if they are just slot holding routes.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting FlyCaledonian (Reply 7): Already been VERY WELL reported on the other BMI-BA threads. You may want to read them but long story short...theyll be gone very very soon! |
Too bad! Although I'n not surprised. I remember watching them fly over after they'd left IAD.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
After reading this news I used my remaining BMI points for a Bergen to London flight.
I booked it through the BMI website and then about 10 minutes later I received an email saying that my flight.
Now I just need to get to Bergen, and there is a nice MD81 flight I can take from ARN, after flying in from Berlin, which is really going to be TXL on a SAS 737-600.
I booked it through the BMI website and then about 10 minutes later I received an email saying that my flight.
| Quote: Dear Customer, bmi flight switch to British Airways As part of the planned integration of bmi into British Airways, we are switching a number of bmi flights to have British Airways flight numbers. Your flight is one of those affected. Booking reference: 7***** Flight BD 552 on 13 June has become flight BA 8151 From: Bergen (Flesland) To: London Heathrow Depart: 13 Jun 2012 18:20 Arrive: 13 Jun 2012 19:30 These new BA flights continue to operate to and from London Heathrow Terminal 1 Other flight details remain the same. Any arrangements you made for car hire, hotels or parking associated with this booking remain unchanged. To see your full itinerary click on the link below: http://www.ba.com/mmb/................................................... Note The link above provides NO access to your booking, so please only forward this email if you want the recipient to access your booking and the related services. What else has changed ? Certain BA policies now apply to this new BA flight, including:- check-in at London Heathrow closes 45 minutes before your flight departs. in business class, you are entitled to carry one piece of hand baggage plus a laptop or hand bag. visit ba.com for full details of all policy changes. All other conditions of carriage remain unchanged. From 23 May 2012, flights switching to BA flight numbers will be operated by bmi (British Midland) aircraft and flight and cabin crew. However, over the summer months they will be converting to British Airways aircraft, crew and on-board service. You can check which airline will be operating your flight up to 14 days prior to departure. Please check ba.com Flight Status for the most up to date information. visit ba.com Flight Status to check the ‘operating carrier’ NOTE: The up-to-date information on which airline is operating your flight will always be found in ba.com Flight Status, rather than Manage My Booking. |
Now I just need to get to Bergen, and there is a nice MD81 flight I can take from ARN, after flying in from Berlin, which is really going to be TXL on a SAS 737-600.
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lightsaber
Moderator
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RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
Question, at LHR, how difficult is it to connect from T1 to T5 (or T3)? I assume the rapid switch over is to start maximizing connection opportunities. (e.g., any of these cities to TATL)
I'm assuming other BMI destinations will convert over on an accelerating basis?
Another question, is there any crew switch-over from BMI to BA, or will these be BA flights operated by BMI for now? In other words, I ask:
1. Will the planes still be in BMI colors or BA colors?
2. Will the crew be integrated into BA, or still flying under the BM cert?
Any links for crew integration would be appreciated.
Lightsaber
| Quoting GSTBA (Thread starter): bmi flights to and from Bergen, Basel, Nice, Vienna, Stavangar, Hanover, Agadir, Marrakech and Casablanca will have their bmi flight code (BD) and number replaced with BA ones from May 23. |
I'm assuming other BMI destinations will convert over on an accelerating basis?
Another question, is there any crew switch-over from BMI to BA, or will these be BA flights operated by BMI for now? In other words, I ask:
1. Will the planes still be in BMI colors or BA colors?
2. Will the crew be integrated into BA, or still flying under the BM cert?
Any links for crew integration would be appreciated.
Lightsaber
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
According Dutch Aviation website negotiations between BA en RTM-Airport are still ongoing.
Rumours say equipment will be Airbus A319, hope it works out!
Think most business people do prefer LCY over LHR anytime.
Rumours say equipment will be Airbus A319, hope it works out!
Think most business people do prefer LCY over LHR anytime.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting lightsaber (Reply 14): Another question, is there any crew switch-over from BMI to BA, or will these be BA flights operated by BMI for now? |
From the BA e-mail quoted in Reply 13:
| Quoting BNE (Reply 13): From 23 May 2012, flights switching to BA flight numbers will be operated by bmi (British Midland) aircraft and flight and cabin crew. However, over the summer months they will be converting to British Airways aircraft, crew and on-board service. |
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting VV701 (Reply 16): However, over the summer months they will be converting to British Airways aircraft, crew and on-board service. |
This is an interesting comment as my understanding was that the BMI aircraft and crew will 'simply' become BA aircraft and crew - maybe what they mean is that in the short term the BMI wont be fully integrated with BA but over the course of the summer planes and people will get a BA makeover and you wont know which was which and that the crew rosters will mingle BA and ex-BMI crews together.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting jumpjets (Reply 17): This is an interesting comment as my understanding was that the BMI aircraft and crew will 'simply' become BA aircraft and crew - maybe what they mean is that in the short term the BMI wont be fully integrated with BA but over the course of the summer planes and people will get a BA makeover and you wont know which was which and that the crew rosters will mingle BA and ex-BMI crews together. |
The quote in Reply 16 is from an e-mail from BA to BNE reproduced in full in Reply 13.
Here is a more complete quote from that e-mail:
| Quoting BNE" class="quote" target="_blank">BNE (Reply 13): From 23 May 2012, flights switching to BA flight numbers will be operated by bmi (British Midland) aircraft and flight and cabin crew. However, over the summer months they will be converting to British Airways aircraft, crew and on-board service. You can check which airline will be operating your flight up to 14 days prior to departure. Please check ba.com Flight Status for the most up to date information. |
So you will know whiuch is which if you decide to check the BA web site 14 days before the departure of any given flight.
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- Tristarsteve
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RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting lightsaber (Reply 14): Another question, is there any crew switch-over from BMI to BA, or will these be BA flights operated by BMI for now? In other words, I ask: 1. Will the planes still be in BMI colors or BA colors? 2. Will the crew be integrated into BA, or still flying under the BM cert? |
The problem is the AOC, Air Operators Certificate.
To begin with BMI crews are flying BMI planes under the BMI AOC.
The crews are trained in BA procedures, and can then fly BA aircraft.
The aircraft modified to a BA standard (not the same) and can then be flown by BA crews.
First BA flight of a BMI aircraft is 26May G-DBCB to NCE. Last conversion by end Dec.
So its being done in stages.
Step 1 is 5 A319.and by the end of May the ex-BMI route to NCE will be flown under the BA AOC, but with ex-BMI aircraft and crew from T1. Then BSL VIE BGO and SVG. These are all A319 only routes.
Then it gets more complicated. The aircraft painting and interior changes are also being done, but not necessarily at the same time.
Please don't ask questions, because I am confused myself.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
BMI stopping all flights LHR-DAM from 30th May . I guess the political enviroment is to blame.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting Tristarsteve (Reply 19): Quoting lightsaber (Reply 14): Another question, is there any crew switch-over from BMI to BA, or will these be BA flights operated by BMI for now? In other words, I ask: 1. Will the planes still be in BMI colors or BA colors? 2. Will the crew be integrated into BA, or still flying under the BM cert? The problem is the AOC, Air Operators Certificate. To begin with BMI crews are flying BMI planes under the BMI AOC. The crews are trained in BA procedures, and can then fly BA aircraft. The aircraft modified to a BA standard (not the same) and can then be flown by BA crews. First BA flight of a BMI aircraft is 26May G-DBCB to NCE. Last conversion by end Dec. So its being done in stages. Step 1 is 5 A319.and by the end of May the ex-BMI route to NCE will be flown under the BA AOC, but with ex-BMI aircraft and crew from T1. Then BSL VIE BGO and SVG. These are all A319 only routes. Then it gets more complicated. The aircraft painting and interior changes are also being done, but not necessarily at the same time. Please don't ask questions, because I am confused myself. |
All sounds very hap hazard to me. Wouldn't be surprised if it turns into chaos with people at the wrong terminals etc.
[Edited 2012-05-18 10:08:17]
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting BA174 (Reply 21): All sounds very hap hazard to me. Wouldn't be surprised if it turns into chaos with people at the wrong terminals etc. |
The risk of passenger confusion will be high where both airlines operate a particular route, both of which now have BA flight numbers. Nice, Vienna & Basel for example.
Hopefully the use of flight numbers in the 8xxx series should help make it easier to send people the right way, with a blanket statement like "all flights in the 8000-8300 range will operate from T1" for example.
Does BA have any other flight numbers in use in the 8000 range? Codeshares or anything?
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lightsaber
Moderator
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RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting Tristarsteve (Reply 19): So its being done in stages. |
Thank you. That is... an interesting process and we'll leave it at that. I think I get what will happen as much as anyone (which implies issues to LHR at some point...).
Lightsaber
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
It would be interesting to see what their plans are for RUH and JED. Any idea?
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- Bongodog1964
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RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting lightsaber (Reply 23): |
Hopefully not too much confusion as uk airlines tend to take email addresses and mobile numbers so they can advise changes by both email and text message. Would imagine all passengers have been informed by now.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
Wouldn't be easier to shuffle some routes like saying all VIE flights depart T3 and Warsaw moves to T1.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting Tristarsteve (Reply 19): Step 1 is 5 A319.and by the end of May the ex-BMI route to NCE will be flown under the BA AOC, but with ex-BMI aircraft and crew from T1. Then BSL VIE BGO and SVG. These are all A319 only routes. |
These will apparently operate with BA crews not ex BDs. Then slowly the ex BD crew will join them.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting aamd11 (Reply 22): Does BA have any other flight numbers in use in the 8000 range? |
They have used flight numbers in this range for some short haul flights out of LGW. The range reserved for these flights was, I believe, BA7950 to BA8199. For example BA8049 was a LGW-JER flight last summer. But I believe all these flights have now been renumbered into the 2xxx range.
BA franchise operator, Sun-Air of Scandinavia currently has flight numbers in the BA8200 to BA8299 series reserved. They actually use flight numbers in the range between BA8201 (BLL-DUS) to BA8292 (BMA-AAR).
I believe that the range BA8300 to BA8399 and BA8500 to BA8549 were reserved for BA World Cargo flights. Although all flights operated on their own metal currently fall in the range BA3301 (ORD-IAH-STN-DMM-DXB-HKG) to BA3456 (HKG-MAA-STN-FRA). However BA8571/72 is an ICN-LHR-ICN code share flight on a KE 744F.
BA CityFlyer operates flights in the range BA8453 (LCY-AMS) to BA8493 (LCY-ARN) and BA8700 (LCY-EDI) to BA8769 (LCY-ZRH)
The BA8850 to BA8999 range is reserved for code share flights on Kingfisher Airlines flights. For example BA8851 is a BOM-BLR IT 320 flight while BA8935 is an IT BOM-AMD flight also on a 320.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
All flights will be operated by BMI crews until the AOC transfers to BA 1 aircraft at a time then they will be operated by T5 based Flight and Cabin crew. Then the BMI crew retrain and become BA crew.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
BD 319s currently operating LHR-BSL-LHR (BD161/62) looked to have a long layover in BSL from around 1000 to around 1600 hrs. But when I looked here
http://data.flight24.com/airplanes/g-dbcb/
for 2, 3. 9 and 11 May I saw that the aircraft operating the above flights does not sit idly for several hours. Instead it operates BSL-BCN-BSL (LX1934/35) very much like G-DBCA is primarily dedicated to the three-times daily TXL-LHR-TXL rotations (LH3372/73/74/75/76/77).
The difference is that the BSL flight is about to become a BA flight. Does this mean that oneworld BA aircraft and crews will be operating on behalf of Star Alliance Swiss International between BSL and BCN until the end of the Summer Timetable?
(By the way other BD aircraft operated the LX BCN flight on other days earlier this month. It was, for example, G-DBCG on 4, 5 and 10 May.)
http://data.flight24.com/airplanes/g-dbcb/
for 2, 3. 9 and 11 May I saw that the aircraft operating the above flights does not sit idly for several hours. Instead it operates BSL-BCN-BSL (LX1934/35) very much like G-DBCA is primarily dedicated to the three-times daily TXL-LHR-TXL rotations (LH3372/73/74/75/76/77).
The difference is that the BSL flight is about to become a BA flight. Does this mean that oneworld BA aircraft and crews will be operating on behalf of Star Alliance Swiss International between BSL and BCN until the end of the Summer Timetable?
(By the way other BD aircraft operated the LX BCN flight on other days earlier this month. It was, for example, G-DBCG on 4, 5 and 10 May.)
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
Does anyone have any idea what will happen with the flights to BEY?
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting BA" class="quote" target="_blank">OLBA (Reply 31): |
Operating as normal and bookable on BA.COM
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting BA" class="quote" target="_blank">OLBA (Reply 31): Does anyone have any idea what will happen with the flights to BEY? |
I flew LHR-BEY on 14th May and it was jam packed. A flight attendant on the flight that I know said that the BD staff will be spread across BA and she was looking forward to seeing more of Europe. She didn't know what would happen to Beirut but said that it was consistently busy. I flew back from Beirut yesterday. I asked the check in lady what she knew and she said that all they know is that it is business as usual for the summer season and after that , they do have no idea.
She also offered me an upgrade to Business for $300 which I took advantage of and got my favourite seat- 6A!
The flight yesterday was again very busy, with the majority of passengers being Canadian or American. All blonde hair and blue eyes. When I got to Heathrow, on the baggage carousel TV screen it listed our flight which originated in Khartoum AND another flight which flew Damascus-Beirut-London. I thought that the flight was direct to Damascus? This means that from Beirut they fly to Adis Ababa, Khartoum and Damascus. Interesting. I could see the second BD aircraft parked at a remote stand at BEY.
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- shamrock321
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RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
SVG and BGO will have BA crew from July.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting raffik (Reply 34): I thought that the flight was direct to Damascus? This means that from Beirut they fly to Adis Ababa, Khartoum and Damascus. Interesting. I could see the second BD aircraft parked at a remote stand at BEY. |
Seems they are routing DAM-BEY-LHR until it gets suspended at the end of the month.
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- jwhite9185
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RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting raffik (Reply 34): I flew LHR-BEY on 14th May and it was jam packed. |
I think BA will keep BEY and some others like Baku and may be Tehran. The big issue will be the aircraft used.
When do you think BA will streamline the BD operation? I honestly do not think that BA will keep the Vienna route split between T3 and T1 or Basle between T5 and T1.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting AIR MALTA (Reply 38): When do you think BA will streamline the BD operation? |
28 October 2012.
By the start of the Winter 2012-13 season I think we will see:
All BD coded flights gone
All former BD operations operating under BA's AOC
All retained former BD aircraft in BA livery (including several 319s still in the 'Dove' livery)
All BD flight and cabin crew integrated into BA
But BA flights operating from T1, T3 and T5.
In terms of my last prophecy one complication is domestic flights. Both T1 and T5 have the ability to handle passengers arriving and departing on domestic flights. in their latest report Airport Coordination Ltd detail:
T1 has the capacity to handle:
1,500 domestic arrivals an hour
930 Common Travel Area (Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man and Channel Islands) arrivals an hour
1,600 international arrivals an hour
T5 has the capacity to handle:
4,500 passengers international and domestic departures an hour
3,750 international arrivals an hour (with no data for domestic and CTA arrivals).
Of course changes to these restrictions can occur through, for example the addition of new or the transfer of existing Border Control facilities. But it is a factor which may result in the continued separation of, for example, domestic flights across T1 and T5. We might - but God forbid - see this issue being addressed by having separate sales of seats from, say, EDI to T1 LHR and to T5 LHR depending on which flight a passenger wishes to connect.
I mention this fairly way out situation to indicate that the future of which terminals will be used for which flights might not be entirely in BA's control. They may have to work very closely with BAA and the UK Border Agency.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting AIR MALTA (Reply 38): The big issue will be the aircraft used. |
I agree - BA use their A321s on relatively short haul segments with either no Business class cabin or a short haul fashioned business cabin (similar seat pitch, just middle seat blocked out)
So, either BA are going to have a sub fleet of A321s to serve those longer ex bmi routes (Beirut, Amman, Damascus, Baku, Khartoum, Adis Ababa etc) with proper business class (2+2 & 40"+ seat pitch as offered on bmi medium haul) OR
they will use the ex bmi 321s to supplement their existing European fleet and operate their standard long haul fleet on these "new" routes.
I have a gut feeling that Beirut will go from twice daily to once daily (the ongoing Khartoum, Adis Ababa and Damascus routes being suspended or given their own non stop service) but will see the return of BA's 767s at Beirut with the new interiors. Summer season could see sporadic 777 service to cope with the increase in passenger demand.
I see no other aircraft they could operate to Beirut. The 767 goes to Istanbul and Larnaca and there is nothing smaller.
They wouldn't send an A320/A321 configured in short haul when the competion on the route (from MEA) offers wide bodied service and a decent Business class. So it is pointing towards the 767 UNLESS they operate a sub fleet which I don't think they will want to. I also don't think they like these one stop services either, like Khartoum via Beirut, etc.
| Quoting VV701 (Reply 39): But BA flights operating from T1, T3 and T5. |
I agree. It completely undermines the creation of T5 thought, as was their wish to have all BA services under one terminal. Not all BD routes will be kept- a lot of them are duplicated now so I think they will be trimmed down and operated with larger aircraft.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting raffik (Reply 40): I have a gut feeling that Beirut will go from twice daily to once daily (the ongoing Khartoum, Adis Ababa and Damascus routes being suspended or given their own non stop service) but will see the return of BA's 767s at Beirut with the new interiors. |
BA tried BEY in the past with 767s but that did not last long. I think if the route works well with a long haul configured A321 or A320, then they should continue doing that using ex BD crews to keep the costs down. If they want to use the larger 767s, they would have to train ex BD staff or the mixed fleet on this new type cause I don't think if the route would be viable serviced by the Worldwide Fleet cabin crews.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting AIR MALTA (Reply 41): BA tried BEY in the past with 767s but that did not last long. I think if the route works well with a long haul configured A321 or A320, then they should continue doing that using ex BD crews to keep the costs down. If they want to use the larger 767s, they would have to train ex BD staff or the mixed fleet on this new type cause I don't think if the route would be viable serviced by the Worldwide Fleet cabin crews. |
Most of the BD crew are going to Eurofleet (not "shorthaul" as management would like you to believe!) so they are not a seperate "cheaper" fleet!
BA are configuring all the former BMI 320series aircraft into a shorthaul configuration so there will be no longhaul product available for this route unless its brought up to at least a 767 and Im sure you are aware the only crew on the 767 are Worldwide fleet or Eurofleet. With TLV and CIA both offering a longhaul product and with similar flight times (and indeed the much shorter Moscow now being operated by Worldwide crew on a longhaul product) it only seems logical that this route will be picked up by the 767 at least.
Now last time BA tried BEY on a 767 it was many many years ago and the country was still recovering from its devestating civil war. I know things have changed dramatically since!
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting tonystan (Reply 42): BA are configuring all the former BMI 320series aircraft into a shorthaul configuration so there will be no longhaul product available for this route unless its brought up to at least a 767 and Im sure you are aware the only crew on the 767 are Worldwide fleet or Eurofleet. |
Where is BA going to find enough 767s to operate those routes? That's except if they switch some the shorthaul 767s to longhaul configuration. May be BA should only refurbish the remaining shorthaul 767s to the new WT and WTPs and use the older WT and WTP configured 767s on these routes.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
Just to echo tonystan's comments, BA last served Beirut with 767s in 1995/6.
When BA last flew to Beirut they also had three operators on the route- MEA operating 747-200s, British Med with a daily 320 and BA with a 767. That was a lot of capacity on the route when tourism was non existent and partly why BA and JK embarked on their codeshare agreement.
Passenger movements during that year totalled 1.6 million. Since then Beirut's new(ish) terminal is nudging its maximum capacity - 6million so a massive increase of demand to the country. The national carrier operates a daily A330 to London offering 250 seats.
Currently BD fly 2 x A321s per day offering 300 seats. Moving to one daily BA 767 actually means that there will be a capacity reduction to 192 passengers per day, so I don't think it will be entirely out of the question.
Even if BA operated a daily 777-200 it would still mean a capacity reduction.
I guess we need to see what happens. I am putting my money on the 767 unless BA operate a subfleet of medium haul 321s
When BA last flew to Beirut they also had three operators on the route- MEA operating 747-200s, British Med with a daily 320 and BA with a 767. That was a lot of capacity on the route when tourism was non existent and partly why BA and JK embarked on their codeshare agreement.
Passenger movements during that year totalled 1.6 million. Since then Beirut's new(ish) terminal is nudging its maximum capacity - 6million so a massive increase of demand to the country. The national carrier operates a daily A330 to London offering 250 seats.
Currently BD fly 2 x A321s per day offering 300 seats. Moving to one daily BA 767 actually means that there will be a capacity reduction to 192 passengers per day, so I don't think it will be entirely out of the question.
Even if BA operated a daily 777-200 it would still mean a capacity reduction.
I guess we need to see what happens. I am putting my money on the 767 unless BA operate a subfleet of medium haul 321s
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting tonystan (Reply 42): Most of the BD crew are going to Eurofleet (not "shorthaul" as management would like you to believe!) so they are not a seperate "cheaper" fleet! BA are configuring all the former BMI 320series aircraft into a shorthaul configuration so there will be no longhaul product available for this route unless its brought up to at least a 767 and Im sure you are aware the only crew on the 767 are Worldwide fleet or Eurofleet. With TLV and CIA both offering a longhaul product and with similar flight times (and indeed the much shorter Moscow now being operated by Worldwide crew on a longhaul product) it only seems logical that this route will be picked up by the 767 at least. Now last time BA tried BEY on a 767 it was many many years ago and the country was still recovering from its devestating civil war. I know things have changed dramatically since! |
I personally think the most likely route to stay and be moved to the Worldwide config 767 will be ALA over some of the middle east routes.
The 767 is currently the mid haul ex-BD routes only hope and they are scarce as it is especially with the refurbishment going on I doubt they would want to stretch them any further. QF still have some BA 767s which they may want to dispose of but they were all euro config birds while at BA.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
A 767 would suit ALA- isn't it in excess of 7 hours? Quite a stretch for an A321!
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
It's done on the A330s currently but they are gone in October. Being one of BDs A330 routes I predict it will be safeguarded in BA.
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
| Quoting AIR MALTA (Reply 43): Where is BA going to find enough 767s to operate those routes? That's except if they switch some the shorthaul 767s to longhaul configuration. May be BA should only refurbish the remaining shorthaul 767s to the new WT and WTPs and use the older WT and WTP configured 767s on these routes. |
I personally think that this would be the best option and perhaps its not too late for this to happen. But I suppose its a matter of time and patience before we know anything.
Capacity could be found through a bit of rejigging such as removing 767s from the likes of YYZ, EWR, YUL,DXB etc which could perhaps benefit from a larger aircraft.
The unusual thing about this takeover is that BA gained all these extra longhaul routes and slots but not a single longhaul aircraft (well, apart from the A330s but we already know whats happening there). But we also need to remember that there are new LH aircraft enroute very soon, just enough time for be to obey the "us it or lose it" policy of the slots and maintain some of the current BMI schedules before going to town on them!
RE: BA Start To Transfer BD Routes
Well BMI have now announced the suspension of the Addis Ababa route as of the 10th June for "commercial reasons"!
Interesting to see if this is a hint of things to come from BA!
Interesting to see if this is a hint of things to come from BA!
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