My thoughts
Skymonster, excellent answer!
Reading this thread and other news articles, I have the feeling, that BA will wait to the end of this year on its decision abouts its high-capacity fleet (I mean, B747-8 or A380). I dought, that BA will aquire one (or both 😉 😀 ) type(s) at FAS 2006.
My 3 reasons are:
First, as Skymonster writes, they want to “wait and see the A380 after it enters service”. BA will look over the shoulder of Virgin and Singapure on their first tests and flights.
Secondly, BA is yet not too keen to be the launch customer for the passenger version B747-8. In the last 15 years, the “TNG’s” of the B747 were cancelled or put back on the drawing board. The niche market will be more smaller for the B747-8 as for the A380. So if Boeing does not get enough orders for the pax version of the B747-8 at the end of the year, it might cancel it, and use time, money and manpower on the B787-10, “B797” (B737 sucessor) or on “B777NG”.
Third, high fuel costs. BA will wait how the situation in the Middle East (Democracy in Iraq, crises with Iran….), and so the oil price, will develop in the foreseeable future.
We will wait and see!
(Please do not see my spelling mistakes, I am trying out a laptop at the uni!) 😮 :p
Sign In
