Swiss to acquire narrow-body aircraft for long range services ?

Back to Forum
Viewing 9 posts - 16 through 24 (of 24 total)

  • canucklad
    Participant

    Ahhh, back to the days of the 707 , stretch 8’s and not forgetting a bit of VC10derness.
    When airlines treated us like valued guests and actually welcomed our custom.

    Maybe with Swiss, you might get a feel of the old days, not sure if certain other airlines deploying the same route model could take us back to the good ol’ days.


    maxgeorge
    Participant

    If, as Mr McW says above, JAL will deploy 787s LHR-HND, then unless the J seats are replaced and upgraded, the flight will be about as comfortable as a rush hour ride from East Croydon to Victoria.

    I recently did KIX – LAX on a 787.

    The seats are cramped, angle-flat and unyielding.

    Not even JAL’s charming cabin crew can compensate for that.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    [quote quote=824069]If Swiss configure the aircraft similar to that used on the A321 by AA on their JFK-LAX or JFK-SFO route, then a very comfortable F class in a 1-1 configuration will be possible as well as C in 2-2. In which case, LuganoPirate will be able to sleep easily.

    [/quote]

    To sleep, to sleep, perchance to dream, thanks for thinking of me 😉 Erudite. (But with apologies to William, I’ll ignore the dying bit).

    Alex. At 6850 kms that would just about include NBO and DAR at 6035 and 6695 kms respectively. A bit fine but I believe the route is ZRH-NBO-DAR-ZRH so no problem on the way down, and just about feasible on the way back.


    Flightlevel
    Participant

    AA Transcon A321 is suitable for the routes and market and competition in the USA, it carries half the pax of LX aircraft and unlikely to be their capacity ‘though would be a pleasant flight from the EU!


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    A friend just sent me this clip. Such a shame the AVRO is now withdrawn.

    Avro RJ100 – eine Legende verlässt die SWISS Flotte

    Nach über 15 treuen Jahren verabschiedet SWISS eine Ikone der Luftfahrt, den Avro RJ100. Unser Jumbolino wird von der Bombardier C Series abgelöst.

    Posted by Swiss International Air Lines on Thursday, 24 August 2017


    alainboy56
    Participant

    @TominScotland — I have also done the DOHA-PISA route twice this year in BIZ and with a A320 both times. Fully agree with you, excellent service, good seats, IFE very acceptable and no issues with the WC’s.
    Unfortunately I couldn’t use it last month when I had a week at home, and cant use it next week either, so will have to take the ’round the houses’ route again.


    alainboy56
    Participant

    @Canucklad —– the memories came flooding back — BA Conway B707-436’s, and as you say there was always some VC-Tenderness available. Those were real airplanes and both much bigger than an A321, I think the Super VC-10, known at BOAC/BA as the VC-15, could hold maybe 170 pax. I do not remember exactly, and I am sure somebody out there will tell me, but surely it was less than a Ryanair B738 where the treatment of us as passengers/customers is far, far removed from those halycon days Canucklad.


    IanFromHKG
    Participant

    I just saw an article on this august magazine’s Australian counterpart: https://www.ausbt.com.au/the-next-generation-in-airbus-boeing-single-aisle-business-class

    It can be done…


    TheLion
    Participant

    [quote quote=824051]Interesting that Boeing devised the B787 Dreamliner for less busy or non hub routes. But the airlines have tended to roster the costly aircraft for prime hub to hub routes instead. Take the example of JAL which, from this winter, will be using its B787s (which still retain the comfortable 2-4-2 Y layout) for HND-LHR.

    [/quote]

    [quote quote=824056]Great point Alex. I wonder if the dreamliner is as much a status symbol these days as it is an efficient alternative to the 777. I see from today’s BT news, ElAl is launching Dreamliner services which will eventually include prime destinations in their network as a replacement for the 747 and 767 and maybe even the 777.

    [/quote]

    Sure airlines will use the latest technology to fly their premium routes. Old frames need replacing, both for efficiency and product purposes, and full service airlines want to gain and maintain market share by putting their best aircraft on their most profitable flagship routes. Thus seeing 787s and A350s on key city pairs is no surprise. It is clear however that both these aircraft families are slowly but surely changing the game, creating new opportunities and opening up new city pairs, especially to secondary cities.

    I predict that the second stage of this new expansion in the next decade will see more point-to-point secondary city routes opened up, with focus city type operations. In Europe the likes of Manchester and Barcelona are prime examples. This will involve some element of hub bypass and some of creative routemaking. We will also see a continuation of hub to secondary or even tertiary city routes starting, including many never flown before. The impending arrival of the A321neoLR and a potential MOM will only make this phenomenon more, not less, likely.

Viewing 9 posts - 16 through 24 (of 24 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls