[Bucksnet]

Once BA combine the BMI flight, I think they should operate Cairo like TLV – a day flight and night flight with immediate returns. If the same crew flew there and back, they would have 12 hour days which cannot be that stressful, as they would have several hours rest. They could then do a 4 day on, 4 day off shift pattern, so an average of 42 hours a week plus 30+ days holiday.

[VintageKrug]

This new mid-haul product looks to be in play. Here is the release, leaked elsewhere:

—

From 14 July our first A321 aircraft (G-MEDU) fitted with the new seats and IFE and will commence operating on midhaul routes. The remaining 6 A321 aircraft will also be fitted out over the coming months before transferring to BA as the summer progresses.

Overview
•Business Class seat: 23 Thompson Aero Seating lie-flat beds at 45”pitch
•Economy Class seat: 131 Geven “Piuma” economy seats at 31”pitch
•IFE: Thales i5000 AVOD system to all seats
•General refurbishment of the cabin including installation of SafTgloEPL, new carpets, curtains, NTF, and lighting. The general cabin design is modern, contemporary and neutral with no branding or logos
•Conversion layovers to start June 2012 through Dec 2012

Business Class Seat
Thompson Aero Seating ‘Vantage’ Seat
•Horizontal, electrically powered lie-flat beds
•Fabric seat covers from Lantal
•78” flat bed length, 45” pitch
•Three passengers per row 1-2, 2-1
•LantalPneumatic Cushion System
•Airbag seat belts (AmSafe)

Economy Class Seat
Geven ‘Piuma’ Seat
•New generation lightweight seat @31”pitch
•4-way adjustable headrests
•In-arm tables and monitors in rows 9 and 21
•E-leather seat covers

Thales i5000 Audio Video on Demand System

•Business Class
–15.4 “seat back ‘smart’ touch screen monitors
–In-seat power supply
–Next generation PCU in armrest
–Noise cancelling RJU headset installation
–9 pin DIN connection
–Plug and play function for iPod, iPhone

•Economy Class
–8.9 inch backrest mounted touch screens
–8.9 inch in-arm monitors in row 9 and 21
–Single pin RJU headset installation

•Both Cabins
–USB connection
–Fully customised pages of bmi information including bmi destination highlights, shopping pages, airport, airline and fleet information
–3D Geofusioninteractive moving map with 10 ultra high resolution city images Full motion 3D view of the aircraft as it flies, including complete route and close up views of current position
–Full range of interactive games & specific kids section

G-MEDU’s first flight with the new cabin is expected to be BD907 on 15July.

—–

I’m a bit confused as to me, “lie-flat” always meant “at an angle” whereas these seats are described both as “lie-flat” and “horizontal”. However, the Vantage, which these seem to be, are fully flat, and they do look rather good:

http://www.thompsonaero.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=53&Itemid=57

Three across it appeared from the seatplan, now redacted. Nice.

[craigwatson]

Bucksnet – That wouldnt work in regards to flight crew as they are limited to 80 hrs per month/ 900 per year maximum flight time. As it is BA has quite a few pilots that run out of hours in the last quarter of their year and get quite alot of extra time off/and or administrative duties.

[rferguson]

Thanks VK sounds very interesting indeed!

Where was the release?

[sparkyflier]

Do you think this product will be superier in terms of space and comfort than the existing Club World product on BA 767, 777 & 747?

[Travellator]

The business seat sounds a bit like LCY/JFK product ?

[azidane]

As someone who regularly flies between Lon-Cai mainly using BA but have used Bmi in the past, I hope they do not switch to 2 x A321’s daily. Wt & WT+ on BA’s 777 and 744’s are generally seem to have pretty healthy loads, CW varies and First generally only seem to have 1 or 2 passengers. Most of pax on the flights do not seem to disembark in London but mainly fly on to the US and Canada so I would assume that spreading the number of passengers wanting seats on connecting flights more evenly with a morning and a afternoon departure from Cai makes commercial sense but as a passenger I hope its not on the A321’s

[sparkyflier]

I would have thought that not having a Y+ product on a A321 would not allow BA to offer a consistent service on to other long haul destinations, which azidane above has indicated.
I wonder if other European carriers are looking to/have already downsized the equipment for Cairo?

[preppyguyla]

Will there be any changes to the catering in these particular markets?

[GoonerLondon]

Although they seem to still be selling F to TLV, you cant redeem past October…

J is also unavailable

[VintageKrug]

I’ve been flagging this as likely since September 2011, when the bmi takeover became increasingly likely:

http://www.businesstraveller.com/discussion/topic/Last-Chance-to-See-Tel-Aviv-60k-in-FIRST

Well worth a visit if you haven’t already been!

I can see a few dates for Nov/Dec in J…but F on this route is probably not long for this world…

[LPPSKrisflyer]

This thread appears to being bumped by the usual pro-BA suspect!

[BusinessTraveller]

BA has now confirmed that former Bmi A321 aircraft will be refitted with a fully-flat “Club World” product, although it will differ to that currently offered by the carrier.

More information can be seen here:

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/ba-confirms-fully-flat-seating-on-bmi-a321s

[VintageKrug]

…which demonstrates the relevance of me flagging this up as a likely change.

Tel Aviv, Cairo and Beirut/Khartoum but not certain when

CAI will be Mixed Fleet.

[LPPSKrisflyer]

Good to see BA are introducing an up to date C class seat and following through on innovation already put in place by BD. I’m sure the difference will be appreciated.

As there are only 23 seats you would hope that would allow them to fill the C cabin and not devalue it with upgrades.

I don’t think thread bumping is ever justified.

[Author]

Posts