I see where you are coming from MarkL, but the problem is lack of Airbus aircraft due to problems with a new engineering computer system.

The 4 321’s don’t cover the shortfall of 320’s and 319’s at LHR so a 737 has been brought in. The Titan wet-lease has to be kept for a little longer anyway, and is for some reason cheaper if it operates from LGW, so it was sent down there and the 737 kept at LHR.

The idea of a Airbus fleet at LGW has been put on hold for the forseeable future.

1L.

Ren, you answer your own questions surely, when you point out that CO have one hub, EWR, serving the UK from a state about the size of the UK. BA could argue LHR, LGW and MAN as three hubs, and VS the same, in an area the size of the UK. It’s just unfortunate for you that these main hubs aren’t near you, but then neither is most of our population.

CO operate to 7 UK airports from 1 US hub. How many US airports do BA or VS operate to from their hubs here? Marks “hub” argument is way stronger than “an extent”. The only reason there are more hubs in the US serving airports in the UK is that the US has more cities populous enough to support them.

The argument that BA etc don’t operate routes because of support and back up being down South came from this thread, isn’t accurate, and smacks of that chip on the shoulder again. Airlines provide and obtain support in every corner of the world, even Inverness! Even if it was correct, can you imagine what flying empty aircraft around for maintenance would cost?

Your last point that US airlines “are regularily making money”, can you name a profitable US carrier? Not many of them that’s for sure. BA and VS are making money, so maybe they are doing it right after all.

As has been said before, if an airline can operate a route profitably then one will surely do so. I’m sure BA and the rest would love LHR size bases at every UK airport, but it’s not going to happen. Shame really.

1L.

Ren, I’m inclined to agree with ABBaby.

Whilst I guess it can’t do any harm, I think most airlines prefer you to have spent time finding out about them, and to have shown the determination to get an interview using your own initiative.

Also as each airline has it’s own safety procedures and onboard products these courses have to be at best very vague.

Personally I’d use the £85 to cover the expenses of getting to interviews, as they often aren’t local.

Wish your friend luck from me, and if I can offer her any help drop me a PM.

1L.

ps: I believe BA are still recruiting.

My point about the North-South relationship was that a particular aircraft being based at MAN was not in any way a conscious decision to be detrimental towards the North by an airline based in the South, which was what RIPConcorde had implied in his opening post. Hope I didn’t offend anyone.

And I do absolutely agree that BA’s presence outside the South-East is somewhere between poor and none.

I think in part, you have to consider that (as I have said in other threads) contrary to popular belief there is no such thing as a flag carrier in the UK, and as such no airline is obliged to operate any route. I understand the emotion and passion sometimes attached to the fact that BA, once a state owned airline, still uses the word British for its name. Well you can’t deny that London IS in Great Britain. But it really is just a name. Should it be ‘bli’ rather than ‘bmi’ as LHR is their biggest base? Is RB really a virgin?

Todays BA is a PLC whose primary concerns, like every other carrier, are being a safe, secure, profitable company. If an airline isn’t profitable, then before long it won’t be anything at all, just ask Swissair or Sabena.

For reasons better known to people far up within the company, probably to do with costs, yields, demand, etc. (but not washing aircraft), BA has always struggled to operate profitably from the regions. So direct European routes and US routes from BHX and GLA have been gradually disappearing ever since privatisation. At least with BACX they are still trying, rather than giving up on the regions completely, and who knows one day BACX may be in a position to restart these longhaul routes and Scottish bases as they have done with some of the European ones from BHX and MAN.

Oh yeah, MarkL. You are probably right about the 767 cabins, not flying longhaul I tend to be a bit out of touch, and you know I’ve always said you know more about the BA fleet than I ever will.

1L.

The 767s currently have two configurations.
Club Europe/Euro Traveller
Old Club World/World Traveller

The longhaul fleet will shortly start a refit programme to
New Club World/World Traveller Plus/World Traveller (all with PTV)

Shuttle configuration applied to 757 aircraft and haven’t been around for some years now.

Sure NWH looks to be due for a wash, but it’s only superficial, mostly run off from the windows probably caused by MAN’s and JFK’s usually wet winter weather. The marks around doors 1 and 2, and damage to the speedmarque (especially on the rain gutter above door 1) are caused by over-zelous jetty drivers.

I think RIPConcorde that you are looking for a little more emotion than exists in an airline. I believe NWH is not rotated with other aircraft as it is ‘Damp-Leased’ (ie aircraft and flight crew, no cabin crew) to BACX to operate the route on behalf of BA PLC and as such is BACX’s only 767. These decisions are made based on availability of a type, capacity vs bookings, crew type ratings etc, etc, etc. No-one at BA has the time or the inclination to make sure that any particular aircraft flies from any particular station just because it is overdue a wash.

As a Scotsman living in the South-East I would remind you that Southerners don’t have the same dislike of the North that Northerners and Scots often have of the South. I don’t think this aircraft is part of any North-South conspiracy. To imply so smacks of a ‘chip on the shoulder’ to me.

1L.

You’re absolutely right ABBaby it’s about customer preference. Airlines will chose what they have depending on the number of seats and layout they intend to have onboard.

The 757 was also available with similar options of 2/3 doors or hatches.

1L.

Andrew is right, it is the slide stowage, and Matthew is right it is kept in an external stowage to save space.

On the 320 family the front and back doors have the slide stowed in a bustle on the inside of the door, and the overwing exits (A319 and A320) or 2 and 3 doors (A321) have it in an external stowage to save space as these are mid-cabin.

These external slide stowages aren’t that unusual, especially for off-wing slides on B747’s, DC10’s, etc.

As for the appearance of this particular aircraft, it must be a mismatched panel, possibly a replacement.

As for integral airstairs, they were available on the 320-100, but were very unsteady as they are much longer than on say a B737, and were in fact made mainly of wood. BA removed them from their -100’s as a safety measure after an aircraft despatcher at LHR had a nasty accident on them. I don’t think Airbus have ever reintroduced them as an option.

1L.

What’s the small title in the Gold stripe on the forward fuselage?

1L.