BA Longhaul 2017+ ex LHR & LGW, where to…?

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Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 124 total)

  • dutchyankee
    Participant

    @ onajetplane – 20/05/2016 11:36 BST

    I’m not sure, but I think you’re the first to mention MCI, and it really does make sense. It serves the largest city in Missouri (Kansas City), which itself straddles the border with Kansas. There are at least 50 companies that have their headquarters in Kansas City. The airport was actually built to a TWA spec, and TWA’s successor is still the largest of the non LCC’s operating into MCI, so great connectivity for BA (although most of the AA flights are to destinations BA and AA already serve direct from LHR). Sounds like a real contender!


    onajetplane
    Participant

    @dutchyankee – 20/05/2016 12:04 BST

    I have flown out of MCI quite a few times in the last years – always on AA (BAEC Gold) and it has always struck me how many people have their bags tagged onwards to Europe.

    As you say though, connectivity options for onwards travel with AA is limited given there are no destinations already not well connected from LHR. San Jose (SJC) and Baltimore have much of the same limited AA connectivity options yet seem to be doing well. And as you note the wealth in corporate life is formidable in Kansas City and the surrounding area. It’s certainly an interesting prospect…


    Bath_VIP
    Participant

    Good idea Sparky to start a new thread.

    You are right to expand this thread to include LGW as the more I think about it, 3 or 4 times weekly service to New Orleans starts to make more sense. Previously I had brought up the business potential of the area in terms of the petrochemical and aerospace business but the leisure potential is quite sizeable.

    I think what people forget is to look beyond the New Orleans area itself. Look at the map east of New Orleans, within a 4 hour drive (which is a short journey for Americans!) are a lot of coastal resorts including Gulfport, Biloxi, Destin and Pensacola. Pensacola is the one I know best and it has a very striking coastline as well as some good cheap and cheerful seaside resorts. In addition, a lot of cruise ships also start in New Orleans so the leisure angle is bigger than you might think and so a Gatwick routing might be worth trying.


    dutchyankee
    Participant

    @ Bath_VIP – 20/05/2016 12:31 BST

    I agree with you about New Orleans as a destination and love the city. I had family attend Tulane University, and have visited many times. All you say about the area is absolutely spot on as well. My only point re: New Orleans as a destination now, is that the city is still in recovery, infrastructure is still challenging, and getting out of New Orleans by car is a real hassle today. They are still working on many things to bring the city and surrounds back to their glory days, but no where near there yet. But for sure, the surrounding cities in particular Pensacola, Mobile, Biloxi, and even Panama City are fantastic.


    BA744fan
    Participant

    Slightly off topic but a CSD told me earlier this week that BA might use some of the early 788s to replace the SH 767s to IST, LCA and ATH when they are retired in 2017/18, citing the fact they are overweight and fuel thirsty.

    Whether they would keep a 3 class configuration is another matter. Would be good if they did, as TK send 773s to LHR with lie flat J class. BAs current offering on an economy seat sold as business is just farcical.


    TheLion
    Participant

    @sparkyflyer

    Thanks for posting this, I love this thread!

    Some great contributions already. Let’s try and keep it going rather than on and off like before; I enjoy waking up every day to read some more insightful replies, just like you all probably do 😉

    I will add my own few pence later when I have more time…

    Cheers!


    TheLion
    Participant

    @sparkyflyer

    Thanks for posting this, I love this thread!

    Some great contributions already. Let’s try and keep it going rather than on and off like before; I enjoy waking up every day to read some more insightful replies, just like you all probably do 😉

    I will add my own few pence later when I have more time…

    Cheers!


    dutchyankee
    Participant

    @ BA744fan – 20/05/2016 13:54 BST

    It would be great if BA did use the 788’s in their current configuration, or without WT+, but keeping CW. The current CE offering is woeful on a 2 hour flight and downright unbearable on a 4 hour flight,

    TK offer an excellent business class product on their flights to IST from LHR, Cyprus Airways when they flew had a nice Business Class seat on their A330’s and even though Aegean uses A320’s their seats have a 33inch pitch versus 30 inches on BA. I do think it might be wishful thinking however.


    AspirationalFlyer2
    Participant

    I think Osaka would be a good addition (served by a 787-8), for several reasons:
    (i) It is Japan’s second largest city and a good gateway for travel to Kobe, Kyoto and certain other places.
    (ii) It has a relatively large (just under 3m) and affluent population.
    (iii) There is wealthy and extensive hinterland around the city.
    (iv) I think I am correct in saying there are no direct flights from Osaka to the UK currently.
    (v) Tourism to Japan has recently significantly increased and this is likely to continue – for example, given the forthcoming 2020 Olympics.
    (vi) I assume it would generate at least a reasonable amount of transfer traffic to BA and other OW carriers.


    TheLion
    Participant

    Well well well. I have some news for you about a potential route opening up. Still very much early days. But you have to guess which one it is before I post the links.

    Clue: it’s one of the most talked-about potential new BA routes from LHR. It is almost iconic in forums, especially here & Flyertalk. It’s currently popular for tier point runs as well as heavy debate about its viability even with B787 and A350 ????


    AisleSeatTraveller
    Participant

    I’d still advocate Jakarta as a potential route (either direct or as a tag from either Singapore or KL), perhaps 4/5 a week, with 2/3 going to Bali (for leisure travel, giving brits the chance to experience a tropical paradise and bogan aussies)

    also, in the past I have advocated Saigon & Hanoi


    Speedbird1994
    Participant

    Interesting! I am going for Honolulu, simply because your post mentions ‘viability,’ and that route seems the most uncertain distance wise! And I also believe HNL is very popular with tier runs.

    In terms of what I’d expect to see, in Europe I think flights to Lapland are a good call, but Europe seems pretty well covered. I wonder if with the closer tie up with Aer Lingus more flights to Ireland will be added? Cork, Shannon?

    In Africa, Durban, possibly Addis Ababa (but I think they dropped that route when the took over from BMI) so I can’t see much else there.

    South America, I can still see Bogota or Panama possibly being added.

    Asia, I wonder if there will be a Gatwick-Dubai flight at some point? Dubai flights are apparently performing well, and it is a popular tourist destination, so would make sense for expansion. Equally, I wonder if there will be a Gatwick-Thailand flight, Phuket, for instance, or is this too tightly covered by Emirates and Thomson already? From Heathrow, I can imagine Vietnam in a similar pattern to Vietnam Airlines, 3 a week to Hanoi, 4 to Ho Chi Minh or something similar on a 787-8. I wonder how Jakarta would be added, if indeed, it’s added at all? A tag from Singapore would mean either using an A380 (extremely unlikely), reducing a Singapore fight to a smaller plane (likewise unlikely) or adding a third daily Singapore service to carry onto CGK, which I guess is the most plausible option.

    In North America, I would like to see more Canadian routes, maybe Ottawa, Edmonton or Halifax. And in the USA, I could imagine Nashville, St Louis, Kansas City I think is possible, and I could also imagine Detroit being restarted using a 787.

    In the Caribbean, I think Havana is a surety, and I can well imagine St Vincent too.


    Speedbird189
    Participant

    @Speedbird1994

    It WILL very likely be Honolulu. Completely viable with 787/A350, has been considered as a potential route by staff for many years now. 🙂

    A Hawaiian delegation is currently in the UK, they plan to ‘bring home’ a route from at least one UK airline, BA have already had talks with the delegation. The event ends soon, the route will likely be announced within a week. Rumours beginning to spread in the community on airliners.net too.


    mkcol74
    Participant

    @TheLion – You can only be talking about HNL surely?!


    TheLion
    Participant

    You’re all on point! HNL it is and well spotted Speedbird189, the trade delegation is the news source I had to impart.

    Discussion: http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/6701049

    Original source: https://www.ttgmedia.com/news/routes/hawaii-delegation-in-push-for-direct-uk-flight-4876

    Speedbird189: interesting that you say the route will be announced next week. Where did you get that info from? 😉

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