Manchester: British Airways/British Airways Cityflyer Discussions

[User001]

Yep that was my bad, no idea where that ALC came from. I’ll have a look at my notes to see where I’ve seen those flight times.

 

[User001]

CityFlyer ran an extra flight to CDG as BA7037 today.

 

[BlueManc]

Full coverage of the flight, with pics on https://twitter.com/lucymitv

 

[User001]

BA7038 due back from Paris CDG at 2100

 

[User001]

There is an extra BA4511 to Chambery today, using E190 G-LCYS. 2 flights out of LCY were cancelled to accommodate this flight.

But don’t forget, MAN is just a weekend base using idle aircraft.

 

[David_itl]

Bit after the event but BA4511 also operated on the 3rd January as it was on the departure boards when I was in T3 then. Had a bit of a delay.

 

[ethanegcc]

MAN-NCE goes two weekly from 27th May 2018.

BA7323 MAN 0640 NCE 1000
BA7324 NCE 1045 MAN 1210

Credits to @User001 on PPRuNe

 

[michael]

Just had an interesting conversation with a colleague of mine whose Son and wife were due back Sunday lunchtime into MAN from NCE on BA7324. Sounds everything was going well until they got sat on the E190. After an hour sat on it they were off-loaded back into the terminal building, 3 hours later they were reunited with their luggage and were then shipped off to a hotel - which turned out to be the wrong hotel (not sure of the exact details why). So from Sunday morning they were informed that the first available flight would be Tuesday. Obviously not what they wanted to hear so they're now making their way back to Manchester from Nice via Frankfurt arriving into MAN approx 11pm tonight on a Lufthansa.
Doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement of BA or BA Cityflyer!!

 

[Scottie Dog]

This sounds typical of an AOG situation where the aircraft goes tech and is outside of the airline's immediate control.

Presumably the accommodation was booked either through a tour operator or similar. If that was the case then why would British Airways be to blame? Did the airline/tour operator make the new flight arrangements or did the passengers have to do it themselves?

Whilst I do have sympathy I am also very aware that, in far to many cases, the airline gets it's name dragged into muddy waters whilst it has been doing it's best to resolve a problem at a peak time. The Cityflyer fleet is limited with respect to 'spare equipment' and come Monday morning all aircraft are required to operate the scheduled network.

Just my thoughts as a former travel consultant. I'm pleased that your friends managed to get home via Frankfurt, albeit a day late.

 

[KARFA]

Just had an interesting conversation with a colleague of mine whose Son and wife were due back Sunday lunchtime into MAN from NCE on BA7324. Sounds everything was going well until they got sat on the E190. After an hour sat on it they were off-loaded back into the terminal building, 3 hours later they were reunited with their luggage and were then shipped off to a hotel - which turned out to be the wrong hotel (not sure of the exact details why). So from Sunday morning they were informed that the first available flight would be Tuesday. Obviously not what they wanted to hear so they're now making their way back to Manchester from Nice via Frankfurt arriving into MAN approx 11pm tonight on a Lufthansa.
Doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement of BA or BA Cityflyer!!

unless the BA/BACF fleet is particularity unreliable I am not seeing much here which is different from how many airlines work. Aircraft sometimes break, and tbh I am often amazed how little it happens - out of about 800+ flights I think I have had only two flights where the aircraft was not dispatchable, and fortunately I have never been stuck overnight after a cancellation yet (touch wood!).

In terms of this flight this is the information:

DOBA7324/01JUL
* OPERATIONAL FLIGHT INFO * BA7324 -1 SU 01JUL18
CITY INFO HOUR (LOCAL)

NCE NEXT INFO WILL BE AT 1400
DELAY ZO
ESTIMATED TIME OF DEPARTURE 1102
LEFT THE GATE 1233
FLIGHT CANCELLED 0904
DAMY
ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL 1337 MAN

It looks like the flight was cancelled due to damage to the aircraft (usually this is from a ground vehicle but it's not clear how it happened here). Also your colleague's son and wife should apply for their EC261 compensation which looks to be due - that may soften the blow a bit.

 

[ethanegcc]

Of course this is a regrettable situation.

However, at least anecdotally, I have heard many people are pleased with the BA CityFlyer service, especially with the complementary drinks and snacks still making a token appearance!

 

[KARFA]

Of course this is a regrettable situation.

However, at least anecdotally, I have heard many people are pleased with the BA CityFlyer service, especially with the complementary drinks and snacks still making a token appearance!

yes, so unlike BA mainline there are still complimentary drinks and snacks in economy. BACF would like to go to buy on board, but they simply can't work out a way to get the trolleys on and do the service with only two cabin crew on board. They have been saying it is coming for the last year but it keeps getting postponed. tbh there may not be a solution (hopefully!) so for now it's still nice to fly on BACF in the back and get the free food and drinks - just like old times on BA 🙂

 

[Jerry]

yes, so unlike BA mainline there are still complimentary drinks and snacks in economy. BACF would like to go to buy on board, but they simply can't work out a way to get the trolleys on and do the service with only two cabin crew on board. They have been saying it is coming for the last year but it keeps getting postponed. tbh there may not be a solution (hopefully!) so for now it's still nice to fly on BACF in the back and get the free food and drinks - just like old times on BA 🙂

Flybe seem to manage it i'm surprised BA can't.

 

[KARFA]

Flybe seem to manage it i'm surprised BA can't.

Flybe don’t have a business cabin tho.

 

[Scottie Dog]

I noticed that LAX_LHR has recently post the following on 'dried fruit':

"In other news, it looks like BA could be operating AGP/IBZ and PMI as a ‘BA Mainline’ flight next summer. Oneworld timetable currently showing these destinations as ‘British Airways operated by Titan Airways Limited’ similar to LGW. These flights have no correspondingly LCY sectors to which the MAN flights always start/end their weekend, so, looks to be either a W pattern with LGW or a MAN based aircraft (the latter could mean an all week base given it won’t be using an ‘otherwise idle’ Cityflyer machine)."

 

[Jerry]

They must be happy with it too upgrade to mainline! In the long term could we see a BA base at Manchester?

 

[Scottie Dog]

An interesting question, but one that I suspect we might need to wait a few years before we have an answer.

 

[KARFA]

I highly doubt that is remotely accurate. The BA mainline fleet and crew is incredibly stretched atm - they have taken on a large number of slots at LGW and are having to wet lease quite a lot this summer to use them - I expect that leasing to carry on through to next year. They aren't going to be using aircraft and crews to substitute for otherwise idle cityflyer aircraft and crews.

BA mainline have shown no interest whatsoever in opening mainline bases outside LHR-LGW or running flights from the regions to Europe. It simply is not part of their strategy. They have no interest in opening bases outside LHR/LGW.

BA cityflyer have entered that market because of the quirks of operating at LCY - prior to this the aircraft and crews used to be up at EDI/ABZ/DUB etc. from Friday to Sunday doing nothing so why not try to utilise them and run flights from the regions to Europe.

Looking at ba.com the flights from MAN to IBZ/PMI/AGP are still shown as operated by BA cityflyer.

I think somehow some duff information has found it's way on to the oneworld site and someone has extrapolated from there. It would be interesting if someone can find where it says this - the LGW flights to IBZ/PMI/AGP may well be operated by Titan as some LGW routes have been this summer.

 

[Coathanger16]

The CEO of London City suggested the other week that they were thinking about trying to further increase the flight cap at the airport partly through allowing planes to fly Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.

Wasn't part of the reason for the BACF flights from MAN, BHX & BRS because of this 'ban' and aircraft otherwise being idle? If LCY is allowed to operate Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings in the future, what will happen to BACF flights at MAN, BHX & BRS I wonder...

 

[KARFA]

The CEO of London City suggested the other week that they were thinking about trying to further increase the flight cap at the airport partly through allowing planes to fly Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.

Wasn't part of the reason for the BACF flights from MAN, BHX & BRS because of this 'ban' and aircraft otherwise being idle? If LCY is allowed to operate Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings in the future, what will happen to BACF flights at MAN, BHX & BRS I wonder...

I don't see the weekend hours restrictions changing at all. There is less demand from LCY at weekends as well anyway due to it being a very business travel heavy airport.