[Anonymous]

[NewBAexec]

From a business/leisure point of view, one would expect this route to be integrated. Heathrow or Gatwick based, operated on a 772 would be a good opportunity for BA to expand in one of West Africa’s largest growing market.

Flights to Dakar is currently operated by Iberia, daily from Madrid and twice weekly from Las Palmas.

Thought you might be interested in the following article:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2011-12/05/content_14211236.htm

[sparkyflier]

Do you think they would use a 777 to just Dakar? I reckon too much plane for one service, but can see it perhaps being served in conjunction with other West African growing economies.

BMI did serve it, then dropped it to focus on Freetown. Not sure of the reasons, but one of them was fleet issues, a shortage of planes that could do these non stop once they reduced their 330 fleet. When this happened they leased 757s from Astreas, then 321s with a tech stop in Malaga, and then a resumption of the 330 once they got a slightly better leasing rate.

This was discussed on the BA new routes thread,

I wonder if various triangle routings could include Dakar, Freetown, Monrovia and even Abidjan, now that Cote d’Ivoire has calmed down. Ivory Coast used to I understand be the 4th biggest economy in Africa.

Ghana and Nigeria are strong enough for their own services, although Abidjan could be a tag to ACC.

Perhaps BA could have Freetown as a West Africa hub and where crew would rest, with 4 weekly flights, 2 going via Dakar back to London and 2 going via Monrovia back to London, using 767s.

[skyguy79]

Annoys me to high Heaven that (and no offence) that African countries are seen as safe and prosperous and yet a certain Asian country to whom my origins belong (P*k*s*a*), always gets sidelined by Western Airlines, especially BA?

[Bucksnet]

If IB are flying to DKR then that is probably all that is needed; a 777 is far too big. MAD is the perfect hub to serve the less traveled west African destinations.

Skyguy, some west African countries have strong economic growth and airlines rightly focus on those markets. Pakistan has got lots of terrorist problems, and a government agency which is actually funding and helping the terrorists, which is not good. I think I remember the BA flight to ISB was cancelled after a big hotel bombing.

[skyguy79]

Bucksnet your comments are quite frankly offensive and discriminatory.

How can you make such comments and on what basis ? I have been travelling to Pakistan for 26 years without issue and still in one piece.

Don’t depend on the media until you have experienced a country firsthand and please don’t make sweeping comments.

I mentioned that Africa also has problems and it does. So do a lot of countries around the world. BA played scaredy cat in 2008 after the bombing but continued flying to India which uffered a major terror attack in Mumbai, in a country which some people still regard as a third world country.

I am extremely annoyed at you Bucksnet that you wanted this affect on me.
Have a great day.

[skyguy79]

Thanks charlesQ for sharing the view that Pakistan is not a terrorism inflicted hellhole. Seriously I’d love to take a few of the haters here on a trip and show they can have a great time !

On Facebook, there is a page called Payam Trust which shows photos of Pakistan’s natural and cultural beauty.

The haters should realise that an elderly person in Pakistan will not be stabbed to death or beaten senselessly for £1 as in the UK….I could go on.

Watch one episode of Crimewatch and the UK seems a scary place to live in.

[sparkyflier]

Going back to Bucksnet and his/her point that MAD would be good for the less travelled destinations. I suggst that Dakar, Freetown, Monrovia & Abidjan (and even Bamako) are more major destinations (all frequently served by KL, SN on 777/330). but minor (or less traffic destinations) would be Conakry,Bissau, Lome & Cotonou may be more appropriate for an A319/20.

[GrahamC]

I read BT everyday and see no evidence anywhere of Pakistan haters.

I think at times you are overly sensitive.

Here is the current advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding travel to Pakistan:

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/asia-oceania/pakistan

[skyguy79]

Foreign Office advice could be applied to the UK too :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/crimewatch/

[Hippocampus]

skyguymanchester, You are right that BA flies to a number of countries that have security issues and certain measures can be adopted to address these such as security escorts to crew hotels.

BA has access to security advice from a number of different sources and evidently there are reasons why it is not considered safe for a BA aircraft to land in Pakistan.

It is also franky ridiculous to compare the high risk of terrorism highlighted in the FCO advice on travel to Pakistan to the general crime you will find anywhere. And to be quite blunt the latter is unlikely to result in an aircraft being a target for terrorists.

[Bucksnet]

Skyguy, I speak the truth as I always do. I don’t hate any country or its people, indeed I have no reason to. Also don’t forget I have supported you in the past on other posts. However Pakistan does have its problems, including a corrupt government and ISI support of the Taliban and the group that carried out the Mumbai attacks. Hopefully the people will vote in a sensible government one day.

Also, correct me if I’m wrong, the Pakistan market is low yield and EK has got most of the market sown up serving 8 different cities, and no need to stop the night and provide safe crew accommodation.

As regards crime in the UK, official figures state that the majority of crime in London is committed by immigrants.

[Senator]

Air France runs a B777 from CDG to DKR while SN deploys an A330 from BRU. I suspect there is no reason why BA would not be able to fill one of the B767-300ER (CW edition) to DKR.

For my two trips I used TAP via LIS from ARN on A320s. Not the most comfortable trip even in C-cabin.

[Bucksnet]

I didn’t realise there was so much demand to DKR; maybe a 3-class 767 would be suitable. I wonder though if the AF and SN flights are daily, or if they serve other cities as well.

[skyguy79]

Hi BucksNet…soz I was wound up about other stuff and your comments seemed annoying , sorry.
True what you say about crime in London is committed by non British people but I doubt that the majority is by British people !

Emirates flies to Karachi,Lahore,Islamabad and Peshawar ? That’s 4 cities not 8 !

[Author]

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