[canucklad]

Well its not quite BA news, but I was checking fares back to YVR and noticed that KLM is going to start flying to Edmonton as well as Calgary. The 330 service will operate thrice weekly.
Who would have thought Alberta could generate enough business for both of it’s cities to be linked by a European carrier.

[rferguson]

Could New Orleans be next?

http://www.anna.aero/2014/06/25/new-orleans-top-british-airways-us-list/

[greyhawkgeoff]

canucklad, in two words – Shell Oil – based in Rotterdam and big into Canadian tar oil sands. The investment and exploitation phrase is going to involve literally thousands of trips across the pond and if my sketchy geography is more right than wrong Edmonton is better placed than Calgary which has other year round reasons to be visited.

[sparkyflier]

RF in one of my earlier posts on this thread I suggested New Orleans, thinking that if launched it would be just in time for the Mardi Gras, which I think is in February.., but I think that opportunity has passed now.

They seem to be more short haul focused at the moment with new routes and slots, but I wonder if they might surprise us. I doubt it somehow.

[Str8Talking]

The problem is, we want it all and we want it now (and I will include myself in that). We want old aircraft replaced, and we want new (longhaul) routes, and we wanted it to happen overnight with bmi’s purchase. Until the fleet renewal finishes, and new longhaul aircraft increase the overall aircraft number, I’m not sure how we can expect so many new routes to open up.

[BrotherJim]

Str8Talking , you forgot one thing, we all want this new stuff but none of us want to pay more for it.

[Bath_VIP]

I really hope New Orleans is announced soon! I am currently in NOLA for Thanksgiving and will be back for Mardi Gras. My fiancee has family here so we are waiting for this announcement.

[MarkivJ]

Austin will remain on a 787, meanwhile great fares for those flying out of India to celebrate BA’s 90th year of flights to India

http://www.rediff.com/business/report/us-india-flights-british-airways-cuts-base-fares/20141205.htm

[sparkyflier]

Well no news of late so I think New Orleans will not be happening this year, 2015!

And with Vietnam Airlines moving their flights from LGW to LHR, this I think decreases the chances of BA starting any flights there. What a missed opportunity. Having said that I think if BA did start Ho Chi Minh, they could beat Vietnam Airlines off the route.

But with Airbus launching the A321LR – long range, I wonder if BA could look at that, ideal for thin routes in NE USA, places like Dakar, and cities in the CIS region, as well as Tehran etc.

Any more rumours or insight out there?

[canucklad]

I think any further route expansion will be dependent on .IAG’s bid for Aer Lingus, and if successful even though they are stating that the airlines will be run as separate entities, I’m convinced the temptation to re-structure existing frequencies and drop marginally profitable routes in favour of levering profit and driving passenger loads on currently more profitable routes will prove irresistible to IAG’s accountancy based management style .

[Tirana1]

It would be good to see development by BA using the A321LR of the sort of routes to Central Asia/Caucasus/Africa that should be of value for buisness traffic looking at what are key developing markets. Not dissimilar to the use TK make of 737-9ER’s. Could be a reaplacement for the knackered 767s on routes such as Almaty – too few 787-8’s in the fleet to do that job. But it is probbaly a forlorn hope given lack of any steps in this general direction by BA notwithstanding all that was said at time of BMI acquisition about UK PLC needing routes to developing markets.

[AMcWhirter]

But that’s not new.

Not long ago BMed, GB Airways, latterly BA, were using A320s or A321s to points in Africa and the Near and Middle East. So no need to wait until 2019 for the A321neo to arrive.

An article on flightglobal.com (Paywall applies) dated over 10 years ago, refers to BMed operating a small fleet of A321s to Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

<a href="https://login.flightglobal.com/?ReturnUrl=http://pro.flightglobal.com/news/articles/bmed-plans-expansion-with-more-iae-powered-a321s-275843/“>https://login.flightglobal.com/?ReturnUrl=http://pro.flightglobal.com/news/articles/bmed-plans-expansion-with-more-iae-powered-a321s-275843/

[Tirana1]

In fact I believe the current A321 does not have the range for Almaty or Bishkek (routes that BMI/GB used to fly) without stopping en route. Likewise for African routes. BMI/GB used to stop in eg Tbilisi/Beirut/Yerevan and refuel.

The A321LR could open up routes such as Dar (economic growith rates v high), Addis (likewise), Astana and perhaps allow for eg Almaty to be more than x3 weekly. (Yes, that does reflect my personal travel requirements !!).

BA’s failure to service developing economy routes eg Dar is something I really do not understand and I find the lack of scrutiny from travel press puzzling. Saving grace is Qatar do service as BA codeshares many of these and are superb.

[Bath_VIP]

Apparently local newspapers in New Orleans are reporting that BA will be starting a direct service in the spring. Anybody else heard anything? It seems a bit late to announce a new service for this year.

[Carajillo2Sugar]

No direct services showing in BA’s time-tables through to the end of 2015 so probably wishful thinking on the part of the local journo. It could prove to be a popular route though!

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