[rferguson]

[quote quote=918579]rferguson sorry to correct you but MIA is a T3 destination and it does have A380s flying the route.

The short-haul LHR-MAD-LHR route is an essential for crew familiarity on landings and take-offs initially but may also continue replacing the current B777-200/B777-300 on the BA460/461 service.[/quote]

Of course, duh. Apologies. YVR is also served by A380 from T3.

If I had to put a fiver on a route now i’d go for Miami.

At the moment JUL/AUG is scheduled as 3 x mid J 747’a daily.

The destination is able to turn the aircraft around and around and around.

MIA has seen A380 service so the engineers based there would have some familiarity with Airbus WBA.

[Matthew]

Usually whenever BA obtains a new mid to long range intercontinental aircraft they tend to fly them on the LHR-BOS route for long haul for crew familiarization. We are getting 777’s, 747-400’s, 787’s, and the A380. Look forward to seeing these here in the future.

[lb16]

They don’t need to put it on shorthaul.

They can do most of it in the simulator and then take a few trips to Prestwick or that place in northern france they use for circuits.

I think they will put it on Madrid very briefly though. so they can have a nice IAG A350 picture and MAD would be a low risk route.

My moneys on Newark for the long haul launch. The New York route is so important and EWR doesn’t need F.

[BackOfThePlane]

I’d always assumed the familiarisation trips were for the cabin crew? I’m hoping that, by the time they take delivery, the pilots are pretty confident in what they’re doing.😜

As BA don’t operate a similar-sized Airbus (ie the A330), I would have thought a few, short European runs would be useful to learn where the nuts are stored.

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mkcol74, sparkyflier

[lb16]

Cabin crew just need an aircraft visit and a differences course and to practice opening the doors (Which they’d do on a simulator anyway).

There will be lots of similarity on where things are stored where possible. The A350 is probably just based on an A380 but just one deck.

The short runs aren’t particularly effective at getting the cabin crew up to speed as its a false product offered (Short haul product on a long haul jet) and unless the sector is long enough you don’t really get too much time to learn. A proper long haul sector really helps the crew gain familiarity. It gives them time to have a proper dig around the plane to find out where stuff is and to suggest improvements

Short haul runs are invariably more helpful to practice ground handling the jet.

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BackOfThePlane

[mkcol74]

@lb16-2 You really don’t seem to have a clue.

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openfly

[KSHaggag]

I am not sure the BA product on the upcoming A350 will rival that of CX particularly on such type of aircraft especially that the Premium Economy standards of CX on that aircraft are the best among all their fleet ( seat pitch ,etc ..) .

Fingers crossed !

[BackOfThePlane]

No, I don’t suppose BA will match Cathay, even with the new cabins.

Perhaps a more realistic, and important comparison, will be with its North Atlantic competitors. No First, brand new Club World (perhaps pitched between its existing Club & First – who knows), and most up to date Premium & Economy cabins will pitch it directly against the likes of Virgin, United & Delta.

[rferguson]

[quote quote=918944]Cabin crew just need an aircraft visit and a differences course and to practice opening the doors (Which they’d do on a simulator anyway).

There will be lots of similarity on where things are stored where possible. The A350 is probably just based on an A380 but just one deck.

The short runs aren’t particularly effective at getting the cabin crew up to speed as its a false product offered (Short haul product on a long haul jet) and unless the sector is long enough you don’t really get too much time to learn. A proper long haul sector really helps the crew gain familiarity. It gives them time to have a proper dig around the plane to find out where stuff is and to suggest improvements

Short haul runs are invariably more helpful to practice ground handling the jet.[/quote]

Actually even the aircraft visit isn’t mandatory providing the crew member on the day isn’t part of the minimum required. I worked my first A380 sector without ever having set foot on it.

But yes as essentially ALL crew on the A350 will be ‘new’ when they first fly I guess an aircraft visit will be mandatory.

The short haul sectors are for pilot familiarisation. It’s all good flying one in a sim but nothing beats hands on experience. Obviously short sectors are preferable over long ones as it can be used by multiple flight crew over multiple sectors daily.

The A380 was the only BA aircraft in recent times that didn’t complete short haul sectors for pilot familiarisation (the 787 was on ARN and the 777 CDG). But the BA A380 training pilots spent time at QF working with their A380 pilots in the cockpit.

[Antspants]

Ive just been bumped from my Dubai flight from first to club in October due to a plane change and the seating config is that of the new cabin and the flight details 351 as aircraft.

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tomwjsimpson, Tom Otley

[peter]

Has anyone considered YYZ for this route ? Quick turnaround and back to LHR. No first in this route and competing against AC on a heavily congested route. 2 flights a day at times if anything went wrong and a flight needed consolidating.
#justsaying
#torontoA350

[mkcol74]

What do you mean @Peter-77? For a TP run?

[Ahmad]

[quote quote=924247]What do you mean @peter-77? For a TP run?[/quote]

Have I missed something here?

[peter]

I don’t know what do you mean? I’m merely saying has anyone thought that this aircraft could be used on LHR-YYZ its a short flight quick turn around and back in to LHR for next morning.

2 LHR-YYZ flights usually operate so consolidation if aircraft had any problems meaning no ones left behind ?

No F product on this route so Fits in with the new club world suite and the existing product offering and they’re up against AC from LHR but also might pick some traffic up from regionals when others may consider KL/LH/AF/EI with a hub transfer.

Just a thought putting it out there !!

[mkcol74]

[quote quote=924278]I don’t know what do you mean? I’m merely saying has anyone thought that this aircraft could be used on LHR-YYZ its a short flight quick turn around and back in to LHR for next morning.

2 LHR-YYZ flights usually operate so consolidation if aircraft had any problems meaning no ones left behind ?

No F product on this route so Fits in with the new club world suite and the existing product offering and they’re up against AC from LHR but also might pick some traffic up from regionals when others may consider KL/LH/AF/EI with a hub transfer.

Just a thought putting it out there !![/quote]

The reason you’d confused me is that YYZ is one of the 2 (long haul) routes which has already been mentioned by Tom Otley 3 days ago here and here that the A350 would be launching on for BA. The other being DXB.

That is all.

[Author]

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