[Anonymous]

[BigDog.]

A319 – Launches 15th May from LHR

Qatar is the first airline to offer an All Business Service from Heathrow.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/travel/25028/qatar-airways-launches-the-first-all-business-class-flights-from-heathrow.html

[AMcWhirter]

Hello BigDog

We were one of the first to cover the Qatar Airways story this morning.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/100252/qatar-to-operate-all-business-class-doha-london

[andystock]

Would LCY not be a better airport for these flights for the city and docklands?

[BigDog.]

Sorry I wasn’t aware – please delete thread.

[Tallinnman]

It could well be Andy but the runway length is too short for the A319-LR.

[andystock]

What do BA use to JFK, I know they stop in Shannon to refuel?

[AMcWhirter]

andystock – BA uses A318s for LCY-SHN-JFK and JFK-LCY.

[Tallinnman]

There has been talk that the new CS series from Bombardier could see Middle East flights from London City. Guess we’ll have to wait a bit to see what the range equates to out of LCY’s circa 42000 ft runway.

[Hermes1964]

Tallinnman
One too many “0”s me thinks, otherwise they could pop their new A380 in there!

[Tallinnman]

Hermes – my mistake, meant inches 🙂

Runway is 1320m or just over 4300 feet in old money.

[superchris]

I recall that MAXjet had mooted flying their all business class 767’s to Dubai just before they went bump a number of years back.

Rather surprisingly (IMO), Doha is further from London City than NYC so if BA’s A318 needs a Shannon stop, even if QR got hold of a few, non stop, on the eastbound at least would not be possible without a stop.

I believe the new Bombardier is a game changer in this regard and hopefully could see LCY having a few mid to long haul routes launched, Moscow would be the obvious one.

Back to this story though, am I the only one to think this is quite an odd and uncomfortable looking business class seat?

[AMcWhirter]

superchris – Not sure about Maxjet. But Eos was planning to serve Dubai (I don’t think the flights ever started) and Silverjet did actually fly Luton-Dubai for a limited period.

Note that it’s not only the runway length at LCY which limits flight operations.

LCY also has noise limits on take-off. Even if the Bombardier were able to fly LCY-Doha non-stop would it meet the noise restrictions when fully laden ?

[Tallinnman]

On the All Business Class service front from LHR, Qatar is a very Economy Class biased airline. particularly on the 787. Seems an expensive use of a valuable LHR slot.

[superchris]

AMcWhirter, yes EOS, sorry.

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