British Airways

[whoshotjimmi]

Unfortunately, this does not appear to ring true on Sundays on November where I needed the late Northbound which does not exist. I am now forced to look at other options.

The Sunday evening BA1344/1345 rotation looks to have been reinstated commencing from November 15th.

Typically, the week after I needed it. Oh well. Long drive for me.

In other news, good to see loads are still on the increase.

 

[a300boy]

Came back on the last flight from Heathrow last night and the steward told me we had 77 passengers on board. Also managed to see Finnairs new A350 on taxi out.

 

[stewief1]

Just returned from our trip to Kuala Lumpur (Langkawi actually) all flown on BA and Malaysia Airlines. Unfortunately our shuttle flight to LHR was planned on the 1st Nov but as we all know, most flights were cancelled out of LBA including ours. So, very quickly had to decided to get the train down to Heathrow and took off to KL 1 hr late due to LVP's. Flight back to LBA this morning after a pretty seamless transfer through T5. Longhaul on the older BA 777-200 was great - long 13 hrs flight though. One of the longest non-stop on the BA network i think. The seating config in economy is 3-3-3 and very comfortable - on a par with Emirates A380 which i have been on a few times recently. Flight back up on the shuttle 1346 this morning. About 40-50 pax on flight with quite a few from connecting flights. Pleasant bacon and cheese toastie served in board. Overall, a good and competent service by BA (and to some extent, Malaysia Airlines).

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I'm on the BA1344 tonight. 84 pax.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

According to crew 60 pax on southbound return.

 

[AirBingley]

BA seem to be adopting the much earlier evening flight during the summer as I've just had my 19.25 Northbound flight amended to 17.40 which causes all sorts of connection issues!

 

[michael]

BA seem to be adopting the much earlier evening flight during the summer as I've just had my 19.25 Northbound flight amended to 17.40 which causes all sorts of connection issues!

Wouldn't it be good if that was to facilitate a late evening flight to be a night stopper.................... :s_rofl

 

[AirBingley]

I did wonder (and hope!) that myself but they already booked me onto an earlier flight from Helsinki so its all 2 hours earlier than originally planned.

The late southbound does get into LHR at 20.30 from the summer so I'm assuming people are starting to use that service this winter for some of the very late middle and far eastern flights and BA want to keep up the momentum.

 

[ridgeback]

The LHR shuttle reached its 3rd birthday on Wednesday.

After the initial teething trouble I think it does very nicely with its 3/day offering and all the flights operate with decent load factors theses days. In September they go through the roof.

We'd all like a nightstop but I'm very proud of how its doing all the same.

Here's to another 3...

 

[KARFA]

The LHR shuttle reached its 3rd birthday on Wednesday.

After the initial teething trouble I think it does very nicely with its 3/day offering and all the flights operate with decent load factors theses days. In September they go through the roof.

We'd all like a nightstop but I'm very proud of how its doing all the same.

Here's to another 3...

+1

And record passenger numbers for this September at 15,590 which represents a 13.8% increase on the last record month which was set in September 2014.

 

[AirBingley]

BA have started the customary timetable 'modification' process for the summer season. This sadly included cancelling the late northbound Friday 24 June which I'm booked on with the options being Manchester (I so hate Manchester airport on a Friday evening and the trip home) or staying over in London an extra day because the earlier LBA flights do not work with my connection on the Friday. Bizarrely this does appear to be a one off cancellation! Unlucky I guess!

 

[cmj]

BA have started the customary timetable 'modification' process for the summer season. This sadly included cancelling the late northbound Friday 24 June which I'm booked on with the options being Manchester (I so hate Manchester airport on a Friday evening and the trip home) or staying over in London an extra day because the earlier LBA flights do not work with my connection on the Friday. Bizarrely this does appear to be a one off cancellation! Unlucky I guess!

Out of interest, do BA pay anything for Hotel if you have stay over or taxi if you end up in Manchester, or is it just tough luck?

 

[AirBingley]

I'm on the case but am sensing the 'tough luck' approach - they do offer a full refund which is not much use when you have planned a trip!

 

[cmj]

If you can leave 30 mins earlier, there is a 17.10 LHR-AMS and 21.10 AMS-LBA (arrives 21.20).

Ask them to put you on that, for the laugh.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

It would seem the 24th June has been flagged the same as midnight on the 31st december 1999, when all computers were supposed to crash etc.
The situation for the 24th that its the day after the 23rd June which cameron has set as a possible date for the E.U. referendum, obviously if we vote to leave the world will cease to exist for us.
Cameron is going to Brussels tomorrow to meet Juncker instead of visits to Sweden and Denmark as our friend Jonathan Faull has stated he is going to wipe from the agenda next month the British Renegotiations talks, this would crush Camerons hopes of a June referendum and maybe get the flight back on.

 

[AirBingley]

Flew down to LHR on Saturday afternoon's flight. Around 80-90 on board with maybe 10-15 travelling point to point. Delay of 30 minutes at LBA due to de-icing (as we'd just had a blizzard) but 1 minute early to LHR. Amazingly smooth take off given the awful conditions - the crew said the landing was pretty bumpy. Very professional chatty crew on board, no wait to get into LHR and bags off within 15 minutes of landing. Game set and match me thinks!

 

[scottrhino]

I see the first rotation has been cancelled already for tomorrow. Any particular reason?

 

[AirBingley]

This has just appeared on LBA's website - a really good deal - apparently you show your boarding card at the Premier Lounge and get your ticket:

"Fly British Airways between Leeds Bradford Airport and Heathrow in May to July 2016 and enjoy this great offer, whether you're travelling for business or taking a well-earned leisure break.

British Airways offers a fast and easy way to travel between Yorkshire and London with up to three times daily, book now and put the enjoyment back into travelling!

Fly from Leeds Bradford Airport to London Heathrow T5 and enjoy free travel with Heathrow Express, the fastest way to central London. Enjoy:

• Free on board WiFi
• At seat power
• Travel from Heathrow Terminal 5 to London Paddington in just 21 minutes"

The pessimist in me is rather hoping that LBA is not under pressure from BA to improve loads or face the service being axed, the optimist is rather hoping LBA is supporting BA in making the case for a night stop which will improve the schedule no end. Does anyone have an opinion?

 

[Britannia94]

Thought loads were decent on the route with the exception of the evening rotation to LHR?

 

[whoshotjimmi]

What a shame it doesn't include free travel on Heathrow Connect which is what I really need. I think we all knew that I would have an opinion as soon as you asked, AirBingley. And here it is. BA seem to have been mucking about with the schedule an awful lot in recent times. The late Northbound now leaves London too early, in my honest opinion. If you are using the service for business, this is now no good to anybody. I appreciate that this would benefit the late Southbound and, quite honestly, having used that service a few times, I have seen plenty of business people on it. Moreover, every time I look, there is no late Northbound on a Sunday. This will put off casual leisure travellers who might bob down to London for the weekend on Friday and come back on Sunday. There has been a lot of talk about the schedule and how it doesn't quite fit the needs of the clientele on the route. A night stopping aircraft might alleviate SOME of those problems but unless the timings were absolutely perfect, it would still not perform to its true potential. Considering the lack of available landing slots at LHR, getting the schedule perfect is likely to be quite the challenge.