BA launches STN-AGP/FAO/IBZ/PMI
Feb 9, 2016, 10:02 am
#46
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: London
Posts: 1,503
I'm sure there's wisdom in it (
) but I wonder why BA didn't throw on a BCN service after the FAO flight has returned? My first thought on seeing those destinations is why FAO over BCN. Then on seeing the schedule, I don't understand why they wouldn't want to make more of a weekend workhorse out of that particular aircraft and get it out to BCN for a Sunday afternoon return flight (which I would wager would be a popular route). Then back in good time for re-positioning to LCY.
) but I wonder why BA didn't throw on a BCN service after the FAO flight has returned? My first thought on seeing those destinations is why FAO over BCN. Then on seeing the schedule, I don't understand why they wouldn't want to make more of a weekend workhorse out of that particular aircraft and get it out to BCN for a Sunday afternoon return flight (which I would wager would be a popular route). Then back in good time for re-positioning to LCY.
Feb 9, 2016, 10:17 am
#47
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: LON
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 128
FWIW, the BA Twitter team confirmed that STN-FAO is not shorthaul+
Feb 9, 2016, 10:26 am
#48
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA, U2+, SK, AF/KL, IHG, Hilton, others gathering dust...
Posts: 2,552
The Vueling flights from LTN to BCN have been loaded with BA flight numbers and appear on ITA Matrix and BA.com - but the AMS service, which begins sooner (in March compared to June for BCN) only shows up with VY and IB numbers, no BA codeshare.
Do we think it will, or is there a reason I've missed that they'd have codeshares to one place but not another?
Do we think it will, or is there a reason I've missed that they'd have codeshares to one place but not another?
Flight numbers from April are BA2199 LTN-AMS and BA2198 AMS-LTN. A 2nd rotation starts in May (not sure of exact date) with flight numbers BA2197 LTN-AMS and BA2196 AMS-LTN. They haven't quite made it to the online timetable yet, but they are there in flight search.
They don't seem to have loaded BA codeshares for LTN-ZRH yet, which VY have also announced.
Feb 9, 2016, 10:36 am
#50
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: London
Posts: 344
It's my understanding that any passenger can use it for Ł5. I was going to miss my flight from STN once, and the helpful staff told me I could fast-track for a fiver. I assumed he meant a back-hander, but they have a credit card terminal to take the payment so it seems to be legit. Total bargain - I've used it quite a few times since (although not for about 4 years).
Feb 9, 2016, 12:41 pm
#53
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Edinburgh or London
Programs: BA silver, Hilton diamond, Marriott titanium, IHG platinum
Posts: 190
Certainly on the EDI route for the past three years, at least one third of the plane has been flight only - people are prepared to pay a premium for direct, daytime flights on the 190 34in seat pitch. In comparison, EDI-IBZ was middle of the night on a full service Airbus - never looked likely to succeed.
Which is why we don't want to lose the 190 fleet to STN - or perhaps persuade BA to take over the weekend services themselves (including Avios, TPs and lounge access...)
Feb 9, 2016, 1:03 pm
#54
formerly rxfleming
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: AUH, DXB (and GLA)
Programs: BA GGL, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Plat Elite
Posts: 2,450
Feb 9, 2016, 1:56 pm
#56
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: Latinpass Million Miler. BA Gold.
Posts: 3,544
It's my understanding that any passenger can use it for Ł5. I was going to miss my flight from STN once, and the helpful staff told me I could fast-track for a fiver. I assumed he meant a back-hander, but they have a credit card terminal to take the payment so it seems to be legit. Total bargain - I've used it quite a few times since (although not for about 4 years).
Feb 9, 2016, 2:24 pm
#57
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 32
Feb 9, 2016, 2:45 pm
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,502
Feb 9, 2016, 3:11 pm
#59
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,736
Since this set of flights appear to relate to the closure of LCY from Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, I'd be reasonably confident that these are additional services, rather than replacements. Nothing is guaranteed here, but hopefully you will be OK.
Feb 9, 2016, 3:45 pm
#60
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,476
Not a huge deal. A couple of Cityflyer E190s are "locked in" at LCY during the Sat/Sun shutdown, this just positions one of them out to do something useful. BA Cityflyer typically have quite a bit of the capacity on their Mediterranean summer routes tied up through small specialist holiday operators.
Having used the LCY-PMI service a couple of times now, including this last summer, it was a pleasant operation far removed from the traditional Med charter operators, and not a huge difference in price. LCY check-in, 2+2 seating, 34" pitch, hot meals, full bar service, it really is like C class. I did feel it was a hard grind for just two cabin crew doing all that for 99 seats, including a C cabin. Someone once said it seemed to be pretty much the same pax (or at least the parents), off on family hols, who the crews saw out of LCY the rest of the year on the regular schedules. Notably at PMI this last summer on a Friday morning there was not only the LCY flight but also BA E190 charters to both Glasgow and Edinburgh departing all together, with the three aircraft lined up abreast on the ramp; it would have made an interesting PR photo with the Majorcan mountain backdrop.
The charters are normally just Sat and morning Sunday, but in July/August when business travel drops the likes of LCY-Edinburgh is reduced, especially on Friday mornings, when business travel is always thin, and the capacity is usefully redeployed on these Mediterranean routes. Come the Autumn things move back to the regular Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Zurich etc financial world shuttle flights.
Having used the LCY-PMI service a couple of times now, including this last summer, it was a pleasant operation far removed from the traditional Med charter operators, and not a huge difference in price. LCY check-in, 2+2 seating, 34" pitch, hot meals, full bar service, it really is like C class. I did feel it was a hard grind for just two cabin crew doing all that for 99 seats, including a C cabin. Someone once said it seemed to be pretty much the same pax (or at least the parents), off on family hols, who the crews saw out of LCY the rest of the year on the regular schedules. Notably at PMI this last summer on a Friday morning there was not only the LCY flight but also BA E190 charters to both Glasgow and Edinburgh departing all together, with the three aircraft lined up abreast on the ramp; it would have made an interesting PR photo with the Majorcan mountain backdrop.
The charters are normally just Sat and morning Sunday, but in July/August when business travel drops the likes of LCY-Edinburgh is reduced, especially on Friday mornings, when business travel is always thin, and the capacity is usefully redeployed on these Mediterranean routes. Come the Autumn things move back to the regular Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Zurich etc financial world shuttle flights.