[MarkivJ]

Late response on the topic :BA flying to DL’s fortresses”. I’ve been living in Seattle since 2010 in which time I’ve seen BA increase capacity on their existing flight and introduce additional ones. They now fly 12 times weekly mixing 747 (afternoon) and 777-330 or ER evening flights.

Their flights are consistently full, especially the premium section. I travel in economy and head to the gate an hour before boarding. The general boarding area looks so quiet (I’m thinking – wow, it’s going to be an empty flight!). And then, the minute boarding is announced, the premium passengers all come swarming out of the lift (the lounge is on the top floor) and boarding gate suddenly is as busy as a farmer’s market!

BA is still the preferred choice of travel for the business segment. The first mover advantage is still paying off 2 decades after they started flights.

As for leisure travellers – Emirates has taken a big chunk of their Asian base (2x daily, transporting all the Indian Amazon and MSFT employees home) and Icelandair (12 weekly flights) is the #1 for European holidays given it’s ridiculously low rates. (And I’ve flown on them once and loved them for that price!).

Speaking of Indian market, I’m Indian from BLR. I choose BA always. And their daily BLR flights (777-200) are half empty. If I were them, I’d move to a 787 (like they did for HYD and MAA) as the MEB3 have taken the market from right under the noses. In my friend circles, I’m seen as the dinosaur as I’m “still with” BA!

[MarkivJ]

alanorton – “Would be interesting to know the % increase in seats BA offers to the US in 2016 versus 5 years ago.”

>> anna.aero did an analysis last year on the NA-UK market and I believe BA’s capacity fell in 2015 and DL’s showed a sharp increase. I can’t seem to find the link now but will post it when I do!

[onajetplane]

@ MarkivJ – 31/05/2016 22:04 BST

Think this is the article you are referring to?

http://www.anna.aero/2016/02/17/uk-us-market-set-to-break-15-year-old-record-in-2016/

[MarkivJ]

Yes it is, and I think it’s been updated to show Aug’16 (which shows an increase for BA). Thanks!

[BackOfThePlane]

Seems that DL have beaten BA to the gate in terms of offering flights from Heathrow to Portland.

[rferguson]

Yes they have.

I wonder if BA had/have plans to start it though. DL only seem confident enough in the route to launch it as a seasonal 4 x weekly service on a 767.

[BackOfThePlane]

I would say that BA’s superior connectivity at LHR as well as the greater fuel efficiency of the 787 would give BA enough of an advantage to scare DL off the route.

Maybe they simply don’t have the necessary aircraft / slots in place or, as you sort of suggest, no interest in flying there anyway.

Anyway, I guess we can probably discount Portland now. Bogota anyone?

[U.K.andcairo]

What about Quito, Ecuador? Or Sochi in Russia? They would be two new up and coming and cool destinations!

[dutchyankee]

@ U.K.andcairo – 01/06/2016 13:17 BST

Having lived and worked on and off in Russia for a number of years I can see no appeal what so ever in serving Sochi. The city is a gigantic 50 Billion dollar White elephant to enlarge the already inflated ego of the maniac that is Putin. They practically had to give holidays away to entice Russians to even go there. Half of the hotels built are either closed or in disrepair, and other than mediocre skiing in the winter, the destination has nothing to offer, and yet they offer that at a premium price. Avoid at all costs.

Quito on the other hand seems like a destination that could afford more direct flights to Europe.

@ BackOfThePlane – 01/06/2016 12:14 BST

I am surprised that DL have the jump on BA to Portland, and like you see that it would have been a good performer for BA.

[AMcWhirter]

Re: New Orleans.

I know that BA has no immediate plans to fly there but there may be demand.

I say that because Germany’s Condor has announced a seasonal Frankfurt-New Orleans service in 2017.

Perhaps BA will reconsider ?

http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com/news/16046491-148/german-leisure-airline-condor-to-begin-transatlantic-flights-from-new-orleans

[sparkyflier]

Apologies to all – this is the more up to date route thread. I had added to the other one by accident.

But what did happen to Honolulu? I suspect BA saw reason/other priorities..!

[Olneyflyer]

AMcWhirter

Looks like one of the destinations suggested as a BA possible, New Orleans has now attracted a small charter schedule for 2016 with Thomson Airways. This may be a good testing ground to see what is possible on the route. However clearly Thomson’s targeted market for this series of flights is leisure orientated.

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/267532/thomson-airways-schedules-new-orleans-charters-in-late-dec-2016/

[TheLion]

Hi everyone.

Long time no chat. Now the nights are closing in maybe it’s time for some discussion to warm us all up…

So first up, it seems possible that BA will launch New Orleans this week; see this thread for more:

BA to launch LHR – New Orleans this week?

There’s also more info on A-net:

http://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1344381

Well I have a few US destinations that I think BA need to get on and serve asap. In my view they should sort out their “lack of aircraft” issues like a responsible business and become a first mover by launching not one, not two, not three, but four new unserved routes to the US!

Nashville, Columbus, New Orleans & St Louis.

All would push into large areas that are currently unserved. All would work at around 4 weekly to start.

My rationale?

Nashville is a real up and coming city along the lines of Austin, with business, music industry and tourism.

Columbus has business ties, large corporations all within an hour or two’s drive, but more importantly Ohio itself is also hugely underserved TATL, with only Paris on a 757 as a year-round TATL flight. Most importantly it’s slap bang in the middle of a reason of large 2m-plus unserved metros, with Louisville, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Cincinnati all within 150 miles or so, plus Pittsburgh not far away.

New Orleans is on the rise as a centre for conferences, commerce, cruises and major tourism, plus oil, aviation and other globally-integrated businesses within its catchment area.

St Louis is one of the largest TATL unserved metros in the continent, ties up the midwest, drawing traffic from Kansas City too.

Your thoughts?

Best,
The Lion 🙂

[rferguson]

Interesting….

LHR – CTU has been removed from GDS from the end of the Winter 16 season end of March. Not sure if it’s a technical glitch or the flight is being binned. Given the low loads this flight typically has I wouldn’t be surprised of the latter.

Perhaps that’s our MSY aircraft!

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

Hi Rferguson

That usually happens when a route is being canned. So whilst on GDS timetable (for the moment) you cannot book any seats on the flights. So I think we can say bye-bye on that one.

BA simply came to the party to late on China sadly.

[Author]

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