It could equally be a hurry up to Boeing?

Any gestation pains the GE90 had at service entry were sure to be blown out of proportion by a sympathetic (to RR) British press.

Plus, BA could have avoided the only hull loss accident on the 777 to date if they had not switched to Trents.

It is indeed hard not to see GE as the pre-eminent gas turbine engine manufacturer when evaluated unemotionally.

1) BA were able to evaluate the long-term pros/cons of each engine “unemotionally” to use your word without press emotions coming into it.

2) I think this is pure conjecture, highly contentious and debatable… too much of a ‘what if’ vaguery to be a valid point.

3) I would suggest your views are clouded by some sort of emotion. One engine does not fit all sizes… Different engines will suit different operations in different ways. I’m no technical expert but I dare say something like flight patterns would come into it, as well as the economics of maintenance which will vary between engine manufacturer for each airline, discounts offered at purchase… it’s a minefield!

Safety concious BA (2 crashes since inception) is quite correct to go with RR. They need each other’s loyalty to help make the UK economy ‘rock and roll’ again.

As much as i agree that it is ‘quite correct’ I don’t think BA gives much of a thought to ‘buying British.’ This decision just follows a series of other cold, calculated financial decisions which suggest that Rolls-Royce is a more commerically attractive proposition. Loyalty probably doesn’t come into it, other than in the sense that there may be savings to be had from existing Rolls-Royce experience and I don’t know.. maybe you could suggest there’s an element of a gamble in trying someone new which could have financial implications.

Agree on the sensationalist media headline talk – but is this not the depressing way of the world in every other industry/area of popular discourse?

I maybe being a bit simple but I’m not understanding the business model he’s after? Just feeding Istanbul with as many European destinations as possible? Because that won’t work in building them up to be the biggest airline in the world…

Istanbul is just a bit too close to Europe (thus putting itself out of range) to make itself another Emirates with connections onto Asia and Oceania and simply would not work as a hub for connecting European passengers…

Given that the B738 is only licensed to carry 189 pax (seated or otherwise)and there are 189 seats, I’m not quite sure what benefit “standing seats will be, so unless they can get the pax license of the aircraft uprated I don’t see this happening for quite some time. I would imagine that it would be pretty difficult making a safety case for going significantly above 189…

My guess is that this is just a cynical publicity stunt

Quite right. We must tell BMed to stop doing these flights and magically climate change is stopped :rolleyes: Not forgetting how infantessilmily small UK Aviation is contributing to CO2 emissions, and low ludicrously small the ACTUAL CO2 emissions in the aviation industry are compared to the hot air being made about the emissions

You’ve misinterpreted what Cloud 9 has said. Where did he say that if Bmed stops flying climate change will stop. He just claimed that BMed are unnecessarily pumping CO2 into the atmosphere and that such practises do contribute to climate change and if such a practise was banned it would make a difference, every little helps.

The lead in time for any service would probably wipe out this teory.

The Tashkent service was suspended in in October, to work out a tender and agreement may take what, a month minimum, that’s November – plus your lead in time for sales, and marketing – we’re into January – what to operate a service for 3 months at short notice – out of season as well?

However if Bmed knew that they were seasonally dropping Tashkent in October, provisions to lease it out could be taken months before. Off season or not certain destinations are popular year round and i’m sure many would bit their arm off for a slot at Heathrow regardless of time of year.

Its great news to see the 146s on their way into City, and as aforementioned they are only a temporary measure. Dependant upon the REKKOF decisions on the production of the F70 again, then we may see the 146s staying just this summer & perhaps next until the Fokkers are available; it seems highly likely they will order some F70s.
While I agree the VLM livery looks brilliant on that 146, the chances are they will receive a white one 🙁
May I ask who is the lessor of this aircraft, providing it is leased?