[Wasborntotravel]

The article makes a good point that any business traveller who needs to incorporate Singapore and Sydney in their plans may still choose the BA option.

On my numerous trips to Singapore a significant number of business travellers are incorporating visits to both so they either move to Singapore Airlines or stay with BA if they are originating from London

[ImissConcorde]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/international/7808636/BA-flags-Australia-route-withdrawal

[first_class_please]

From thebasource.com
Sydney Switches to B777-300ER.
October 30, 2012
British Airways will continue to serve Sydney following the end of the Joint Services Agreement with QANTAS on 30th March 2013. From 31st March the BA15/BA16 London Heathrow – Singapore – Sydney service will switch from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5 at London Heathrow and switch from Boeing 747-400 to Boeing 777-300ER operation. This will result in an increase of 28 Business Class seats per week and increase of 56 World Traveller Plus seats per week but a reduction of 364 seats per week.

[JohnSmith17]

London Sydney route was probably only making money due to this JSA Agreement with QF. It’s my guess that, with QR joining oneWorld BA will have some kind of tie up with QR to serve Australia using QR metal ex Doha. BA will continue to serve Singapore however as it is a lucrative business route hence I believe it will ‘fight’ for market share. The Singapore to Sydney is the problem as aircraft time and crewing costs are exhorbitive, so it remains to be seen what happens here.

[VintageKrug]

The last BA 747 scheduled for this route departed SYD this week; now it should be all 777, which a high proportion of those being the new 777-300ER.

[VintageKrug]

There are now promoting the fact that the 777-300ER will be used on this route from now on:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2303246/Georgia-May-Jagger-leads-way-British-Airways-catwalk-board-jumbo-jet.html

…she obviously doesn’t like to eat airline food. Or any food, for that matter.

[AnastasiaBeaverhouzen]

Hopefully todays announcement will help in the longer term.
International Airlines Group (IAG) has reached agreement with Boeing for new longhaul aircraft for the group’s fleet.
IAG plans to convert 18 existing Boeing 787s options into firm orders for British Airways. They will be used to replace some of the airline’s Boeing 747-400 aircraft between 2017 and 2021.
For Iberia, IAG has reached agreement with Boeing to secure commercial terms and delivery slots that could lead to an order for Boeing 787s. Firm orders will only be made when Iberia has restructured and reduced its cost base and is in a position grow profitably.
British Airways’ 787s will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. The engine order includes a comprehensive maintenance package with total care agreement.

[Stowage222]

Also note that from September this year Mixed Fleet will be operating the BA 015 to SYD, via SIN. Worldwide fleet will continue to operate the BA 011. That’ll have a positive impact on BA’s crew costs on this route.

[CXDiamond]

I will be amazed if this route survives a year. Mixed fleet crews will be exhausted just like the Virgin ones are currently due to the lack of appropriate rest periods. That will compromise service standards and as there is so much choice, people will take it.

[JordanD]

Someone will know better than I – but does the 77W have the legs to do DOH-SYD non-stop?

[ZKSmith]

Yes. 777-300ER has a range of 7930nm. DOH-SYD is ‘only’ 6682nm, so theoretically BA could transit via DOH instead of SIN.

[AMcWhirter]

In which case, I wonder why QR doesn’t use the 77W for its non-stop DOH-MEL service ? Too much capacity on the larger 77W, perhaps ?

[JohnHarper]

I’ve flown this route a couple of times with QR, the loads do not lend themselves to a 773.

[MarcusUK]

In The Times today, there was an article indicating BA will be phasing out their 747’s by 2021, in favour of 777’s

From AUH, Etihad run A346 (used to vary with A345) Aircraft and they appear to be full in all classes when i have flown this long 15.5 hr sector to Sydney.

Virgin Australia also run 777-300ER’s in partnership with them, again they are full when i have flown (with a PE cabin as an option!). Their Business Class on the 773, gives 70+ inches, as good as some Airlines First cabins, really an excellent service.

KLM / AF will be steering EU passengers to Australia via them from May 2013, avoiding completely travel via the Far East.

I wonder how much travel is being lost via The Far East now between the Middle East carriers services?

[millionsofmiles]

posted by: Stowage222 – 04/04/2013 13:04 GMT

Also note that from September this year Mixed Fleet will be operating the BA 015 to SYD, via SIN. Worldwide fleet will continue to operate the BA 011. That’ll have a positive impact on BA’s crew costs on this route.

Yes, we all know that BA’s main objective is profit and shareholder value.
Problem is that mixed fleet and devaluation of services (as can continuously be read on the forum here) and the use of untrained and unexperienced crew will not attract premium customers.
This whole concept of the beancounters reign will finally be the final nail in BA’s coffin.

[Author]

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