Big BA Network Changes

If it doesnt work, some heads will role!

Unfortunatly Shamrock that’s not how it works at BA. If a manager cocks something up, they then spin the situation into a positive and get promoted.

we will have to wait and see what actualy happens in 6 months!

I still can’t decide whether to take leave to avoid day one, or to work so that I can see the chaos first-hand!

1L.

Slightly off topic, but does anyone know if the daily BA service to Bermuda will go back to Heathrow once T5 comes online? their was rumours some time back that this would be changed

I think this is sticking around at LGW for a while now. It is kind of unique as BDA and BGI are now going to be the only LGW routes with First Class cabins, which will cause a few logistical headaches for the route planners.

Ideally they would be at LHR, but as you can see from the WAW move, the slots are still seriously limited.

Im really looking forward to T5 opening to see how BA do. Will it sort all there transfer problems etc? I think not they have as many problems transferring passengers and luggage at LGW as they do from LHR

Bags should be fine, however passenger transfers are arguably going to become worse.

T5 doesn’t have a dedicated connections centre like at the moment. You basically go semi-landside, and then rejoin the main security queue with everyone who is starting their journey at T5.

We’ll have to wait and see whether that works any better or worse than the FCC does currently. My thoughts are that it will remove all of the excessive early morning waiting times that currently occur, because one central security screening area can be managed much more efficiently than several. However on the other hand, in the current quiet transfer periods where you have no wait, I reckon the wait times will actualy go up because you will migrate with a larger queue.

All educated guesswork though, we will have to wait and see what actualy happens in 6 months!

Im really looking forward to T5 opening to see how BA do. Will it sort all there transfer problems etc? I think not they have as many problems transferring passengers and luggage at LGW as they do from LHR.

If it doesnt work, some heads will role!

Slightly off topic, but does anyone know if the daily BA service to Bermuda will go back to Heathrow once T5 comes online? their was rumours some time back that this would be changed

Reckon BA are taking a bit of an ear bashing from some of their bigger customers who might use this route.

I had an interesting chat with one of our commercial guys who was telling me that WAW isn’t nearly the high yield business route that people think, being used mainly by Polish ex-pat’s and UK/US holidaymakers. The decision has therefore been made to pitch it as a leisure route and move it alongside the KRK which is already at LGW.

The reverse is true for the ALG which they believe will repeat the success of TIP when it moved to LHR. Although the load factors dropped slightly the yield went through the roof. Market research suggests the same will happen on the ALG as the high-end business customers want it at LHR.

DTW and HRE are being dropped due to lack of yield so that slots can be put to better use.

GOA has come and gone several times before so I wouldn’t be surprised if it will be summer only.

1L.

[*]However Detroit and Harare are to be axed.
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Dropping the DTW is not suprising really because Northwest Airlines have managed to negotiate slots out of the LHR, through their Skyteam partners, and are going to be operating a daily service to DTW, so BA have probably made a decision to drop it based on this.

The BA schedules for next summer are still showing 3 daily WAW-LHR!

Got a feeling there might be some extensive lobbying going on from various corners after yesterdays announcement on that front.

Reckon BA are taking a bit of an ear bashing from some of their bigger customers who might use this route.

The BA schedules for next summer are still showing 3 daily WAW-LHR!

Im quite surprised that WAW is being dumped from LHR!

I didn’t see that one coming either.

1L.

Im quite surprised that WAW is being dumped from LHR!