Will BA introduce a ‘mid haul’ product?
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at 02:53 by AnthonyDunn.
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rfergusonParticipantI just operated a flight back from Tel Aviv, a route currently served twice daily. Once by four class 777 and the other by a long haul configured 767.
We were having a chat with the BA Airport Manager before operating our flight home and he confirmed the rumour that BA would introduce former BMI A321’s on the route and up the frequency to three times daily. He understands this would come into effect in the WInter timetable….yet so far reservation systems have not been changed and BA has not made any announcement.
Rumour has it the Cairo may also follow suit again with A321’s enabling the possibility of upping the frequency to twice daily if the demand warrants.
It will be interesting to see what the Winter timetable will bring once the ex-BMI fleet are integrated and the route network is tweaked to make best use of the aircraft.
BMI previously operated a range of ex-BMed A321’s configured with older style cradle seats in Club and all seats with personal IFE screens. In fact it wasn’t too long ago that the aircraft received a cabin refresh by BMI.
21 Jun 2012
at 09:10
HippocampusParticipantYes. I’ve heard that rumour too. But, I understand the A321s will have a flat bed product in business class.
Good to see value being obtained from the bmi fleet and slots to optimise network connectivity.
21 Jun 2012
at 09:21
JohnHarperParticipantThree A321s a day sound like a huge capacity cut over a 777 and 767, can this be right?
I could see the A321s being put to good use on some of their current routes for time to come but surely not TLV?
Twice daily to LCA would be an improvement on the current 767.
21 Jun 2012
at 09:26
sparkyflierParticipantI heard a rumour a while back that IST will get the same treatment as Moscow, also getting the long-haul product. The current BA Club Europe seating is really not at all competitive Vs the TK offering, even more so when TK uses 330/340s to LHR.
I suppose though that using something like the BMI mid haul product will be a huge improvement on Club Europe for the longer European routes like St Petersburg, Bucharest, Athens Larnaca and North Africa routes.
But Cairo, BA curently uses 744/777, and BMI A321, are you suggesting that they will go 2 x A321? Maybe capacity wise this is needed, with the huge drop in tourism there.
I am confident that the bulk of the BMI Central Asia/near east will remain.
21 Jun 2012
at 09:35
BucksnetParticipantLufthansa treats Tel Aviv as longhaul and sends double daily widebodies from FRA even though the flight is obviously shorter, at around 4 hours. It probably has a lot of connecting traffic, so tries to keep a consistent product.
It would be a mistake for BA to put pimped up narrowbodies on this route.
21 Jun 2012
at 09:53
JohnHarperParticipantBD had indeed already purchased the seats for the A321, they are the same as the longhaul C seats used by LX. They are at EMA waiting to be used.
21 Jun 2012
at 09:57
LPPSKrisflyerParticipantI can confirm that the C seats were indeed bought and are sitting at EMA waiting to be used.
22 Jun 2012
at 11:43
VintageKrugParticipantI’d expect CAI will drop to a mid haul product soon; the past year has seen falling loads and revenues, and with recent events it’s not likely to get better anytime soon.
Would be a perfect solution for Cairo, Larnaca and maybe Athens/Istanbul when things pick up there.
Can’t see TLV going midhaul, though the short flight would suggest it is ripe for midhaul.
22 Jun 2012
at 11:58
LPPSKrisflyerParticipantBucknet: Good question.
VintageKrug: may I also ask the source of your information about loads and revenues to Cairo. Do you have access to other data to or just Cairo?
22 Jun 2012
at 12:16
BeckyBoopParticipantLPPS & Bucksnet, Not sure if this helps but i think he is getting information from the IAG website because they publish monthly travel stats. You need to look under the “IAG Periodic Public Information”
http://www.iairgroup.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=240949&p=irol-news&nyo=0
22 Jun 2012
at 12:26
VintageKrugParticipantLoad data for many routes is publicly available, revenue can be extrapolated from that.
The above link (though not the one I used) is an example of such publicly available information.
Really, this paranoia needs to stop.
22 Jun 2012
at 12:27 -
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