[Anonymous]

[BA744fan]

I travel to Istanbul from time to time & always try and book the BA 676/677 flights as they are usually flown by the 767s as opposed to the A320.

Looking at summer 2013 timetable, all the Istanbul flights are now A320.

Is this likely to change or has the 767 been dropped completely from the route?

I’ll be disappointed if it has as I was wanted to see how much the refit has improved the plane.

If Istanbul has been dropped, does anyone have a schedule of routes the 767 is due to fly on for Summer 2013?

[Tim2soza]

I flew out to Athens in CE on a 767 last week, and back from IST also on a 767. Outbound, plane was refurbished, clean and had bigger IFE screens. Only my light did not work. Flight was tip top.

Aircraft on the return leg was old and tired. IFE was next to useless. Good on board service, and flight delays were not the fault of the airline. I did however feel short changed compared to AA’s premium offering in the US on a similar distance flight.

It also does my head in that there is no at seat power and no WiFi on BA short haul. (WiFi in IST BA lounge also did not work, and with a 2 hour delay, it was frustrating, especially since the UK was still in work hours.)

[Str8Talking]

The Club Europe cabin does not benefit all that much from the refit, other than just looking cleaner and more tidy. ET fares better. Nevertheless, I have already flown on two sectors of the refitted aircraft and the IFE was completely out! I rarely use it, but I did feel it was a poor show!

With regards to the routes, I always find that many of the 767 routes (ATH, LCA, IST) can show as 320 but when schedules are finalised nearer the time, they go back to being 767. In the run up to Winter 2012 schedules, ALL 767 European flights were showing 320 for a while and then changed once schedules were confirmed. So, it may not be the end of it on the IST route just yet.

That said, there are more and more EDI/GLA flights operated by 767 at the moment, so maybe that’s how BA is planning on handling the Scottish flights at the time that Virgin enters the game?!

At the moment from what I can see the 767 is confirmed on the LHR-LCA route for Summer 2013.

[BA744fan]

Really hoping the 767 does remain on the IST route as it’s a beautiful plane and, like it’s big brother the 747, it’s day are now numbered.

Might have to do a day trip to EDI/GLA just to experience it one more time.

[HappytobeSilver]

Have flown on a refurbished 767 quite a few times recently between Glasgow and London. Interior looks good- especially refurbished ET seats up the back. Larger IFE screenes will also be a welcome bonus on the LCA, IST and ATH flights operated by this aircraft.

[sparkyflier]

There was a rumour a while back that IST might get longhaul aircraft, with the premium seats – First, Club World, WTP etc, like the Moscow service, to capture the premium traffic and onward connections to BA’s Americas routes.

BA may be looking to see how the Moscow route is doing with the different 747& 767 aircraft, before deciding on upgrading the product offering to IST and competing with TK, who use A340/330 for two of their LHR services.

The Turkish economy is been very strong and we all know about the rampant TK expansion, so maybe BA will take the fight to them.A Turkish A340 with flatbeds is a very competitive product Vs BA A320 & 767 Club Europe product.

[BA744fan]

If BA have the spare capacity to put long haul product on a 4 hour flight, that would be very welcome, but with further new long haul routes in the pipeline, where would they get the planes from?

I guess it could be a possibility once the 78s start coming online later in 2013.

[sparkyflier]

I do not believe they have had a “shortage” of long haul aircraft. They have had new 777-300s coming in and 747s comng back from the desert, and there was talk about some short haul 767s being converted to long haul seating products. Anymore news on this happening? VK this might be a question for you.
But indeed 380s and 787s are on the way, but my point is BA have had aircraft joining or rejoining that would have been fine for new routes.

[Str8Talking]

Looking at the FT Dashboard, there has been a noticeable number of 767 flights substituted with the longhaul 767s over the past year. Taking everyone’s comments into account, could we assume that BA might actually be putting the old BMI A321 aircraft with CW on the route eventually?

[BA744fan]

Str8Talking – Possibly, but more likely because the short haul 767s have been out of service for refitting.

[Str8Talking]

For anyone who might be interested, BA has a super deal on the current Club Europe + Car/Hotel offer which ends today. Flights + car for 4 days in February at £281 – that’s a bargain and a half. Normally LCA flights are £600 in CE. Swap car with hotel at prices less than £500 per person! There’s a 767 flight for you and 160 TPs!

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