British Airways

[Finger66]

Okay, so let's look for some potential positives to cheer ourselves in amongst all our current doom and gloom. That said this post needs to start with a couple of negatives. It is going to be a long long time before international travel and connectivity return to pre Covid levels with all airlines in quite a weak position. However this is where the potential positives and opportunity exist for BA at LBA. BA will be an airline that survive all this. There will be slots available at LHR, certainly in the short term. And because of reduced regional connectivity from other airports, despite reduced overall demand, this is an opportunity for BA to grab market share. So an LBA night stopper, with minimum 2, maybe 3, flights a day at peak times gets them feeding their remaining worldwide network and increases point to point. Okay, that is all probably wishful thinking, but you just never know in what are clearly changing times for everyone and everything............

 

[paully]

Okay, so let's look for some potential positives to cheer ourselves in amongst all our current doom and gloom. That said this post needs to start with a couple of negatives. It is going to be a long long time before international travel and connectivity return to pre Covid levels with all airlines in quite a weak position. However this is where the potential positives and opportunity exist for BA at LBA. BA will be an airline that survive all this. There will be slots available at LHR, certainly in the short term. And because of reduced regional connectivity from other airports, despite reduced overall demand, this is an opportunity for BA to grab market share. So an LBA night stopper, with minimum 2, maybe 3, flights a day at peak times gets them feeding their remaining worldwide network and increases point to point. Okay, that is all probably wishful thinking, but you just never know in what are clearly changing times for everyone and everything............

BA going forward will be the one to look at..They could decide to remain `London Airways` or they could realise their assets for greater connectivity, like KLM have done, from the bigger regional hubs..One word of caution though remains and that is Manchester. Due to enforced idleness and it only being the 93rd of April( ) I priced up for a flight to Cape Town spring 2021. BA usual silly money, until I priced up a Fly Drive with them & Avis, great deal and small deposit as it became a package and all regs apply!..Now to fly from Manchester was an additional £11...LBA was frankly silly money and only available on the morning flight with a 6 hour wait at LHR...
Sure things will change in the future but its that muddled thinking that needs to change................or not

 

[Finger66]

And hence perhaps the need to go 3 daily with a night stopper.............

 

[Jerry]

And hence perhaps the need to go 3 daily with a night stopper.............

Problem is that the A319 may well be to big for that. Would probably need a smaller aircraft like the E190.

 

[Finger66]

Well there maybe some spare at BACF. Depends how LCY routes bounce back

 

[Jerry]

Well there maybe some spare at BACF. Depends how LCY routes bounce back

I thought that they couldn't use Cityflyer aircraft at LHR due to an agreement with the unions?

 

[Finger66]

That I don't know. If it meant work for pilots and cabin crew would the unions view things differently I wonder? Needs to be any which way to get all sectors back on their feet

 

[AirBingley]

I suspect there will come a time when they will have to use all their slots once more including 3x night stop LHR slots acquired from Flybe so given that I would suggest any UK government bail out is likely to be conditional on UK regional connectivity who knows! Its a lot less costly than long haul and they're going to need to fill international flights from LHR so it might just work!

 

[AirBingley]

Just received the attached from BA:
"You’re booked to travel with us in June from Leeds Bradford to London Heathrow. However, due to the ongoing situation with coronavirus, we will be continuing with our temporary suspension of flights on this route and as a result your flight has been cancelled"

 

[lbaspotter]

Just received the attached from BA:
"You’re booked to travel with us in June from Leeds Bradford to London Heathrow. However, due to the ongoing situation with coronavirus, we will be continuing with our temporary suspension of flights on this route and as a result your flight has been cancelled"

Not surprised with BA's decsion, KLM have cancelled all Leeds flights until at least July.

 

[AirBingley]

They're being quite good, refund, or voucher or rebook!

 

[KARFA]

Yes, unfortunately of the two it is KL who are refusing to refund for a cancelled flight and only offering a voucher. I have now submitted a chargeback - they are in breach of Art 8 EC261.

BA on the other hand have refunded any that have been cancelled. The voucher is best taken only when the flight isn't cancelled but you don't want to travel and don't know atm when you want to rebook.

 

[Aviador]

Yesterday....this is a BA flight after just arriving from AMS...the reason I wont be flying for a few months.

View attachment 16673

You'd be more likely to catch covid-19 in a Tesco scrum for the BBQ coals yesterday.

 

[Jerry]

Yesterday....this is a BA flight after just arriving from AMS...the reason I wont be flying for a few months.

View attachment 16673

Not much difference to my local supermarkets!

 

[Aviador]

Funnily enough, most of the supermarkets near us have stopped controlling the flow into their stores. The two nearest stores to us have had no queues outside for over a week and near zero social distancing going on inside. If you imagine, at least on a flight the passengers are sat in the same location for the most part. In a supermarket everyone is moving around mixing and leaning over other people to reach items off the shelves. I think I'd rather be on the flight to be honest.

 

[airforced]

Funnily enough, most of the supermarkets near us have stopped controlling the flow into their stores. The two nearest stores to us have had no queues outside for over a week and near zero social distancing going on inside. If you imagine, at least on a flight the passengers are sat in the same location for the most part. In a supermarket everyone is moving around mixing and leaning over other people to reach items off the shelves. I think I'd rather be on the flight to be honest.

You are in and out of the supermarket inside half an hour and you can avoid close contact with other people. On a plane you are captive for between 2 and 4 hours usually and that doesn't include navigating an airport at both ends or a trip to and from the airport in a bus, coach or taxi. I know which I think is the most safe. I'm with Offint on this one, at least until I see how it is all going to be handled and what the effect on the R is after everyone starts the rush to the sun again.

Jerry and Aviador I would change supermarkets if I were you.

 

[Coathanger16]

In case anybody was interested and didn't already know...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1263502310556213254

 

[Jerry]

Jerry and Aviador I would change supermarkets if I were you.

Other local ones are the same and even though Wales is still in lockdown they are still busy and it's extremely hard to avoid people. Especially at the smaller more local one. I don't know about anyone else but I don't tend to wear gloves or masks at the supermarket and not even at work where on a plane I'd expect PPE will be mandatory.

 

[paully]

I really don`t know how anyone manages to wear one of those ghastly masks for longer than 10 minutes. After that your face just gets very hot and you can`t breathe. Certainly ain`t going flying if thats a requirement.

 

[AirBingley]

Looks like BA are doing more cancellations as a flight to LHR I have booked in August has just been cancelled. I've just done some random September / October searches and it seems the route might have been pulled altogether.