[dutchyankee]

@ Speedbird189

Not sure that is the case. Very little security risks at Tehran reported in recent years (excluding the occasional protest) where as Islamabad and Karachi have fallen victim to a number of terrorist incidents both in and around the cities, in hotels and at their respective airports. I have always understood security was the main reason BA suspended the Islamabad route. Perhaps I am mistaken, but for sure the risks in a number of cities in Pakistan are greater than in Tehran.

Just read this as well.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/sep/22/pakistan.bomb.britishairways

Old report but the route has remained suspended most likely for the same concerns.

[Coldbat]

I would welcome BA here to MSP in a heartbeat!

AF operates a summer direct route here using a A340 and it seems to be fairly popular. Although Delta allows this through the Skyteam agreement, I would assume BA could manage with a 777.

All would depend on if Delta feels that competition would be worth it.

[LondonViking]

MSP and SXM would be wonderful.

[Coldbat]

The dual MSP-CDG daily on both AF and DL seem to work fine. Both flights are usually at-least half or more full. Of course the partnership allows plenty of movement between both.

BA would face a tougher time as the DL daily to LHR is always popular year round.

As much as I would love BA here, the more I think about it, it may not make much sense at all. As would any BA attempt at any other Delta hub other than JFK and LAX of course.

[dutchyankee]

@ Coldbat – 24/05/2016 16:33 BST

Not sure I follow your logic here? BA does well in a number of ‘fortress’ hubs in the USA, Including Delta’s Atlanta main base, United’s Newark, Houston, Chicago, San Francisco, and of course to its AA partner’s various bases. I think MSP could be an option for BA mainly for the connecting traffic BA has via LHR. Seattle is likewise a strong DL city, and BA is doing great on that route (or so I have been told, and have read here on the forum saying availability is always tight). so I think BA can fight its niche in any of the US major’s hubs.

[AndrewinHK]

+1 dutchyankee

BA doesnt seem too fathomed taking on the Delta/VS joint venture. Fortress Delta in Atlanta now see’s BA’s 77W so that is an increase in capacity and product quality. Likewise service to Seattle was increased just as Delta announced it would launch a LHR service, so they seem to fight there corner, even with the Gulf carriers BA doesnt wine, it seems to fight the fight where it can, although it is easier to fight with the US carriers in terms of product and service quality as BA is equally mediocre.

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

As an aside:

Norwegian announce intention to launch services from Edinburgh in 2017 to include Boston (most likely) plus looking at NYC and SFO amongst a range of destination in the US.

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/norwegian-air-to-launch-low-cost-edinburgh-us-routes-in-2017-1-4137450

[sparkyflier]

Going back to backoftheplane, re Bogota, you may be pleased to know that there is Oneworld support, as Lan/Latam actually do have have a number of flights from there, maybe even something of a growing hug, which increases the feed for a BOG-LHR fllight, as well as the desirability of the BA flight from LHR with UK and European feed.

Also the current Avianca schedules are not attractive ex LHR, as they arrive at 4ish in the morning!

Re the BA flight into Atlanta, years ago I read they made heavy losses going there, and only flew there to stop Delta doing to well, so if they now ply 77W there, they must be doing well, so good for them.

However I think the routes with no competition would be much more attractive, and with a further however, suggest they really think of non US routes.

[alainboy56]

dutchyankee 24/05/16 12.14BST
There will be little development at Seychelles (SEZ), as the whole island has been ‘bought’ by UAE. Between EK and EY, whom also own Air Seychelles (HM) they have the whole market sewn up! Used to fly in and out very regularly up to a few years ago and QR was still flying there, but they gave up the fight (although I have read they are returning in the autumn). In the meantime EK/EY/HM have doubled the fares over the past 3 years.Biz class is 50% more expensive than London for a flight of just over 4 hours! Even economy return is Euros1000/-. BA used to go in there in the seventies but now, I doubt they could beat EK and their owners EY (by the way, for those of you out there who didn’t know that – trouble is that you will never see it written or ever admitted)

[BackOfThePlane]

I stand corrected on the oneworld issue and, with this is mind, I would say that Bogota is the stand-out choice for the next route to South America. It certainly isn’t going to be neighbouring Caracas!

Agree about Avianca whose 04.30 arrival into Bogota is hardly ideal. I guess that is the only slot they could get and very similar to AeroMexico getting into Mexico City at 04.25

[canucklad]

@ TimFitzgeraldTC – 25/05/2016 15:26 BST

Also Tim, reading today that Delta is to start flying to JFK year round

That now means I have a choice of United to Chicago & Newark, AA to JFK and now Delta to JFK as well.
When Norwegian begins, I can add Boston, San Francisco and rumor has it ..Washington

Not forgetting AC Rouge to Toronto

And I notice that Finnair has also started flights to Helsinke, opening up the shortest route to HK !!

If this route expansion continues BA will totally fall off my radar, just need Westjet to start flying to YVR : )

[sparkyflier]

Still no Honolulu announcement – do those in the know really think this will happen?

[TheLion]

Yup, still waiting for HNL…

Also could it be that BA have missed the boat on an exciting potential new route YET AGAIN:

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/6708294

A hint here that Virgin’s new Seattle service will replace the Delta flight, which will then be switched to a seasonal PDX – LHR.

Admittedly four weekly seasonal isn’t much and BA could attack that with a daily flight, but we all know they won’t compete on new routes, just established ones.

The plot thickens…

[AlanOrton1]

I am most definitely not in the know, but the prospect of a new, non-stop flight to Honolulu seems remote (IMHO).
Length of time to get there, cost of fuel, utilisation of aircraft, a tourist destination for the US & Japan much more so than UK……just seems a curious possible route, unless there is a huge subsidy being offered.

My casual observation would be BA appears to make good money out of its mainland US routes so is likely to either increase frequency to existing routes or open up new ones.
Would be interesting to know the % increase in seats BA offers to the US in 2016 versus 5 years ago.

[dutchyankee]

@ AlanOrton1 – 31/05/2016 11:06 BST

+1 I have questioned the same logic on HNL. Would it be a great route to see, sure, but I just don’t see how it works for BA. Currently AA has multiple daily nonstops to HNL and other cities/islands in Hawaii from various mainland cities all with connection opportunities from BA flights, is there really a market for a nonstop route? As you say, I have likewise always viewed Hawaii as a Japanese and US leisure destination. Of course BA served it in the past, but that was probably more to do with capabilities of the aircraft as opposed to possible profit, similar to Qantas serving Acapulco enroute to the UK in the 60’s.

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