[I] – he did buy his to appear ‘flash’ (and added darkened windows, extra speakers, cruising lights, leather bucket seats, tasteful red trim [go faster stripes], etc. Trying to be a real chav-mobile without the fluffy dice). Nermal

Someone should have told him that it isn’t flash..just tacky!

A few more answers…

BA begins studying long-haul fleet renewal
Aimee Turner, London (20Jul05, 12:11 GMT, 246 words)

British Airways is to embark on a review of its long-haul fleet requirements over the next 15 years and could be ready to place orders within the next two to three years.

UK daily Financial Times, reporting comments made by BA chairman Martin Broughton at the annual shareholders meeting yesterday, says that BA is currently eyeing the long-range 250-seat mid-market Boeing 787, the Boeing 747 Advanced and the 777-200LR as possible long-haul candidates.

However, BA is unlikely to choose the Airbus A350, which is being developed as a rival to the 787 as a “principal” long-haul aircraft, Broughton said, although he did not rule out the Airbus A380. A report on future options is to be presented to the BA board in around nine months’ time.

“The jury is still out [on the A380],” said Broughton. “None has been delivered yet. We don’t have to make a decision just yet. We want to see them fly first. But they are very much on our radar screen. They are one of the options.”

A spokeswoman for BA says: “The renewal of BA’s long haul fleet will be discussed at board level in around nine months’ time. At this stage we are ruling nothing in and nothing out. Every option will be considered and nothing is being ruled out at this stage.”

BA’s long-haul fleet currently comprises 57 Boeing 747-400s and 43 Boeing 777s; the carrier also uses about half of its 21 Boeing 767-300s on long-haul routes.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

Spence_CWL, I think you are EXTREMELY NAIVE! I work for a company that looked at the consultancy proposal for helping to set up the subsidised servcies in Wales, I also know a lot about route development funding and also issues such as tourist promotion etc. Air Travel is a catalyst for economic growth, albeit that it is extremely difficult to measure the catalytic growth effects. In the nonsense that you have blurbed out in your message you have clearly identified why an air service needs to be put in place and subsidised, it is obvious that you are from Cardiff area and have no interest in allowing the remainder of Wales to develop. By subsidising the north/south air routes then economic growth can be encouraged to the northern region, thus eventually increasing demand and making life fairer for those living in such areas, are you suggesting that they should not be entitled to a better way of life, both through economic growth, but also through access to air servcies which is a major ‘quality of life’ issue??

Are you aware of the number of air services subsidised throughout Europe, including in the UK?? They are not operated because they are not viable, but that does not mean they are not essential. In the UK Loganair would have no need for the BN Islander if their services to all but the most major Scottish Islands were not subsidised!

The Welsh Government has got it right, they need to increase the ability for northern companies to work in and around the southern cities of Wales in order to spread the economic growth in the country better, otherwise they will have an rich south and a relatively empoverished north, it sounds mad, but simple regular air servcies can help reduce the chance of this happening. Remember that public transport links fromt he north to south of Wales take over 4 hours each way, which prevents same day return business trips, a major consideration of companies choosing who they do business with!

If you had ever lived in an extremely rural area of the UK then you would understand better why the government has picked up on an important issue and intends to see it through! There is no distortion of the market because currently there are no air services, so your comment about Government interference is doing more harm than good is utterly ridiculous…how can a government be interfering in something that does not exist????

Wales will shortly join Norway, Scotland, France, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Spain and many others for subsidising air travel where necessary! In the meantime Spence, grow up and read a bit more about an issue before declaring how silly it is, if you’d put forward good arguments for your thread it would have been more worthwhile!

I haven’t had a chance to read all of this thread, and my apologies if I repeat anything people have already said, I just wanted to express my view a little.

Basically I think that these guys undertaking such events are extremely naive and extremely narrow minded. I question their understanding of ‘western culture’, do they really think we will bow to this?? To blow people up indiscriminantly just shows that these people are not real humans, cause or no cause this is surely not the way human race should behave. I even question whether events over the last few years have even been in the name of religion, I can’t help but feel that the fundamentalists have lost their religious outlook, and replaced it with a race issue..and why? I’m not sure..is it jealousy? The USA claims that certain Islamic states are a terrorist threat, and so it is almost easier to go and control them, are the terrorists really helping themselves and their nations by encouraging this mentality?

I quote Iraq as an example. I cannot necessarily justify our actions as a nation in Iraq and I won’t even start on George Bush…the most dangerous man in the world?? However the terrorists in Iraq claim that they will not stop their campaign until the allies (not just US/UK) withdraw from the country. From what I understand though the sooner the Government of Iraq is allowed to get on with things and the sooner the violence stops the sooner we can withdraw from the country! So terrorist acts in Iraq and the UK is surely not helping the cause of getting the UK and US to withdraw from the middle east?? Stop blowing people up, and the forces will be gone…it’s that simple!! I’m not naive enough to believe for one minute that there will not be concerns over future governments being ‘influenced’ by western nations, but surely moving towards a democracy should give people the chance to try and stear away from this, you vote for who you WANT in! Again, blowing up innocent people is NOT the answer!

And lets look at other issues, Africa. Does anybody REALLY think that after the events of yesterday the G8 members will really discuss the issue of poverty? NO, surely not, it is now SECURITY, SECURITY, SECURITY!!! There may not ahve beena final resolve on issues of poverty, but the narrow minded idiots responsible for the events in London can probably thanks themselves for ruining the chance of a better life for millions in Africa. Well done once again!!!! Muppets!

I guess many Muslims could rightfully claim that they are being tarred with the same brush as these extremists unnecessarily, and I expect a large number of narrow minded people in the UK will now take their anger out on these people. What we should be doing is seeking better integration and understanding between races/religions/people so that in the long run we can stand together United against naive acts such as this. However as long as such acts take place this is not going to happen. Do these people not realise that they are driving a wedge in which will plunge us into a more vicious circle??

This message is not designed to hurt anybody, I have tried to get across my anger at a small group of people and not at any race or religion. I also hope it makes sense as there are so many points and questions rushing around in my head which I cannot get to work when written out.

I have a small collection of 1/500 aircraft, mainly Herpa..although recently added two Starjets Thomas Cook 757…which had to come from Germany cos non available anywhere else :(. http://www.collectorsaircraft.com is generally considered one of the leaders in the UK.

If you’re looking for aircraft for sale then just look here…

http://www.airtrading.com/avail.htm

head towards the bottom of the page and select from one of the boxes (jet Transport or Regional & Commuter) and you’ll see loads of aircraft for sale.

I never suggested you had to post a pic and give the name, linking is fine, but this whole issue (of ‘giving names etc bores you’) annoys me because if it bores you having to make a little effort when using somebody else’s work then you shouldn’t be bothering in the first place. Anyway, you’ve agred to link, great, I’ll leave it there.