British Airways to cancel many flights to Abu Dhabi

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  • AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Gulf media reporting that BA will be cancelling a number of flights to Abu Dhabi in the coming weeks.

    It appears to be connected with the engine problems it is having with its B787s.

    Officially the cancellations are down to “operational reasons.”

    https://www.thenational.ae/uae/british-airways-cancels-direct-flights-from-abu-dhabi-to-london-over-ramadan-1.729275

    Here’s Tom piece with details of the B787 engine issues.

    British Airways latest to be hit by B787 Dreamliner engine problems


    Dominic Ellis
    Participant

    Had BA’s local PR agency on the phone insisting “it’s not cancelling flights” and Abu Dhabi will be served in May and June although “some will be direct and others will have a stopover”. The spokesperson also said it isn’t to do with the 787 engine issues but relates to customer demand.


    StephenLondon
    Participant

    Wow, Dominic, the reply from BA is as clear as the driven slush! First and foremost, any change to a daily, non-stop service should be clearly outlined by the airline, regardless of the reasons. Then they can add whatever spin they need to maintain their corporate veneer.


    capetonianm
    Participant

    The spokesperson also said it isn’t to do with the 787 engine issues but relates to customer demand.

    Of course, customers always demand reduced frequencies and flights that have a transit stop. They probably want scruffy aircraft, prehistoric IFE, and amateurish crews too.

    As a point of pedantry, you’d think BA’s PR agency would be briefed by its client to understand the difference between :
    – a non-stop (exactly what it says)
    – a direct (one with a intermediate landing)
    – and a stopover flight (the last usually implying a change of aircraft as opposed to a ground stop.)

    No doubt there’s an 18 year work experience kid earning £15,000 a year at BA communicating with similar at the PR agency.


    openfly
    Participant

    @Capetonianm…..not sure you’ve got the gist of “work experience” youngsters. They don’t earn £15,000 a year…more like they pay BA! Otherwise Snr Cruz wouldn’t have them. 🤭


    capetonianm
    Participant

    Maybe you’re correct in the case of BA, but my son did work experience and earned about £1000 a month, part of which was an accommodation and travel allowance, so perhaps I was being to generous considering it’s BA.


    rferguson
    Participant

    They’ve cancelled several to NRT also. I guess AUH and NRT make sense – AUH customers can be re-accommodated via DXB and NRT via HND.


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    [quote quote=867199]They’ve cancelled several to NRT also. I guess AUH and NRT make sense – AUH customers can be re-accommodated via DXB and NRT via HND.[/quote]

    HND might work better for some people, due to proximity to Tokyo centre. DXB to AUH is perfectly doable, but a bind.


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    There are also B787 cancellations to San Jose and Los Angeles in the coming months.

    In the case of Los Angeles passengers are being rebooked either on to BA or AA services.


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Speaking today at a conference in Dublin, IAG’s CEO said that BA may have to ground five or six B787s (RR-engined) this summer.


    rferguson
    Participant

    I’m intrigued to know what the final bill in compensation will be for RR.

    BA has taken a hit but nowhere near as much as some other carriers who’s longhaul fleet comprise almost entirely 787’s.


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    Well over one billion pounds.

    The provision for this year was already £750 million and then they found new issues…


    David
    Participant

    I see there may be cancellations on the San Jose route. I’m flying First with BA to SJC in mid July. Any ideas on what alternatives would be and if you’d have a choice? What sort of compensation would you be due if you needed to accept a flight one class below what you’d booked? Truth be told I’d much prefer a flight to SFO but took the SJC flight as it was on the sale!


    Kimi_CDG
    Participant

    Well, I read in the article from the first post that BA may be wet-leasing 3 A330s from QR. That would be ironic to see the QR livery back in Abu Dhabi!


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    [quote quote=867436]Well, I read in the article from the first post that BA may be wet-leasing 3 A330s from QR. That would be ironic to see the QR livery back in Abu Dhabi![/quote]

    Those aircraft would not be allowed to fly to Abu Dhabi – they will end up being used on routes outside the ban area.

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