[JordanD]

BA already operate ‘once a week’ flights to certain destinations on a Saturday – except that they are flights under Charter to other organisations.

It’s not exactly a surprise that BA are using slots/aircraft when the airport is otherwise quieter – many of the ‘busy European commuter routes’ operate less rotations on the weekend, making these aircraft and slots available.

So clearly BA have done the sums and are willing to try the route and see how it goes. Everyone ridiculed them with their Ibiza route from London City a few years back, and it seems that they (BA) have the last laugh now …

[sparkyflier]

I think there is a market for people who do not want a no frills product on such a route, especially on a 4 hour flight. The weekly offering is puny however, and will not appeal to the market after a short break in the sun.

[FirstClassWannabe]

These so called leisure routes are not just for holidaymakers. “Normal” people live in these places and thanks to BA, they can now connect at LHR/LGW. Granted, a weekly service is not so useful bit if successful, they may increase it to 2x or 3x. I live in ALC where BA have recently returned and now we have more of a choice than just IB via MAD. BA have many more destinations so to go to Canada, US, Asia etc, it is fantastic.

[FirstClassWannabe]

Yes Sparkflyer, there definitely is a market for pax who do not always want low cost. OK for a very short flight but for a 4 hour journey, I would go out of my way to fly an airline offering more comfort. It is no fun sometimes flying on one of these holiday routes in the summer on a low cost. I realise the majority always want the cheapest price but it can be cheaper to fly BA then FR and EZY at times. People believe think FR etc are cheap so don´t look at the alternatives. I find FR fine actually, but for 4 hours, no thanks.

[FormerlyDoS]

I don’t actually perceive a great difference between BA ET and easyJet, to be honest.

Both A319/320 with 3 x 3 seating.

[Henkel.Trocken]

FirstClassWannabe – 08/05/2013 08:53 GMT

I agree there is a market for people who do not want low cost airlines but BA are busy racing to the bottom with the introduction of fees for checked bags and so on. I doubt their Y cabin is really much different to easyJet who at least have new and reliable planes.

[openfly]

@FormerlyDoS

Do you not think that the BA offering is so much easier and better?

You just make a BA booking that includes everything, apart from cc charges. For the same fare or cheaper on BA, you get baggage, a snack, a drink (or two!), a hot drink, good pre/after-flight customer contact and service (if you need it), pre-boarding on your premium status, free seat selection at time of booking for Silver and Gold, the appropriate lounge at LHR/LGW and abroad (if available), Tier Points, Avios…….

The BA product is a no-brainer. So much better and Easier than Easyjet! :-)))

[FormerlyDoS]

“Do you not think that the BA offering is so much easier and better?”

No.

[sparkyflier]

I am with Openfly on this, and another differentiator is legroom.

If you are in Y and sit in the front rows, pitch is 34″, about 4/5 more than Easyjet. Furthermore, when I went to Rome recently, and was comparing prices, with luggage U2 was the most expensive!

[FormerlyDoS]

“U2 was the most expensive”

Not surprising, the company pays good wage levels, has a modern, clean, reliable fleet and more importantly, the prices are perceived as good value by their customers.

YMMV and by all means use the airline that works best for you.

But next time you are at LGW, count the orange/white vs the blue/white and it tells its own story. The market doesn’t lie.

[Henkel.Trocken]

Easyjet have been LGWs main operator for quite a few years now, in the main at the expense of BA and in particular their short haul operation there.

As DoS says, the market does not lie and people are buying the better product.

[FirstClassWannabe]

They are not buying the better product but the only one available. EZY have so many short haul routes out of LGW that there is little choice. They benifitted by BA´s decision to cut back on LGW years ago. I am not saying that EZY are not a good airline, but agree with openfly comments above.

[VintageKrug]

It wasn’t so much BA’s decision to “cut back” (as it hasn’t really cut back – there are broadly the same number of BA shorthaul aircraft there now as was the case a decade a go).

It was more an explosion of low cost carriers introducing a cost base which BA simply could not match with the then existent crewing and other costs.

Thankfully, BA’s Gatwick operation was able to make pragmatic choices, supportd by the more reasonable Union reps, to reduce cost to go some way (though far from all the way) to approach the cost base of the LCCs while still offering a premium product.

The market moved to a highly cost sensitive model, in which a bundled product was simply uncompetitive. The introduction of some elements of unbundling (such as the “no bags” fares) is going some way to resolving this.

There’s still some way to go at Gatwick, but the lower costs and increased reliability of the airbus shorthaul fleet being deployed gradually from this summer should make competition more effective, though I’m afraid there is only one answer in the medium term for Gatwick’s shorthaul operation, particularly with more slots now at Heathrow, so take advantage of your Club Europe breaks while you can!

[Hippocampus]

And at London Heathrow and City airports, there are more blue, red and white tail fins than ever before. The market has indeed spoken at Heathrow and City.

[Henkel.Trocken]

EZY only gained slots at LGW which has been slot controlled for years as a result of BA cutbacks.

The market hasn’t spoken at LHR and LCY, slots at LHR have been grabbed by fair means or foul and competition has been restricted.

At least at LHR there is still a sufficient supply of flying cranes, white crosses, krisbirds and colours of the Emirates on tails to ensure that there is still a better choice.

[Author]

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