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WSJ: LH To Launch A380 on FRA-JFK [merged first sheduled A380 destination thread]

WSJ: LH To Launch A380 on FRA-JFK [merged first sheduled A380 destination thread]

Old Nov 18, 2009, 4:04 am
  #91  
 
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Originally Posted by Yemona
From a marketing point of view would it not make sense to use the A380 for the duration of the worldcup to Jo'burg? The demand would certainly be there.
In theory, yes, but with only one aircraft they could only do it every other day, not daily.

Day 1: FRA-JNB 22:35 - 10:00+1

Day 2: JNB-FRA 20:00 - 05:25+1

Day 3: FRA-JNB 22:35 - 10:00+1

Day 4: JNB-FRA 20:00 - 05:25+1

and so on...

The JNB route is terrible in terms of aircraft utilisation. At least during the long FRA layovers, you could theoretically send the aircraft on a quick TLV roundtrip (departing FRA 10:15, back in FRA 20:00, works in terms of time but the A380 may be too big for the route), but the time in JNB is definitely lost.

Even with a straight turnaround and a daylight flight one way, the JNB route is simply too long to do it in one 24-hour day. Therefore it cannot be operated with only one aircraft available.

I really don't see JNB happening until the A380 fleet gets a bit bigger, maybe once the fourth aircraft arrives or something.

In terms of marketing, I think it would be better if LH could reliably offer daily A380 service, for which New York is a good fit. It's similar to what SQ did with debuting the A380 on a daily SIN-SYD-SIN rotation (which is of a similar length as FRA-JFK-FRA) rather than three weekly to LHR or something.
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Old Nov 18, 2009, 4:10 am
  #92  
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Originally Posted by alex0683de
....but the A380 may be too big for the route), but the time in JNB is definitely lost.
Exactly. The aircraft would be sitting idle for most of the time which is not great for such an expensive plane. QF has a similar problem with flights to LAX where the planes sit there for most of the day and they were never able to come up with a good solution for this.
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Old Nov 18, 2009, 8:15 pm
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Hmmm I will be flying out of NRT on F award at the very end of August. My original plan was NRT-ICN-HKG(OZ F) stopover then fly LX F to FRA via ZRH. Now I am wondering if it is worth skipping a taste of OZ F, stopover in HKG and The Wing for a chance at getting the A380 and new F to FRA
I could go via PVG or just direct from NRT. I really would not like to swap my planned itinerary for LH's current F seat but I wonder what the chance is of me picking either PVG or NRT and getting it?
Do you reckon LH will make any announcements in the next few months about destinations for 2nd and 3rd A380's without zeroing out F award availability??
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Old Nov 18, 2009, 10:30 pm
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Originally Posted by pogonation
Hmmm I will be flying out of NRT on F award at the very end of August. My original plan was NRT-ICN-HKG(OZ F) stopover then fly LX F to FRA via ZRH. Now I am wondering if it is worth skipping a taste of OZ F, stopover in HKG and The Wing for a chance at getting the A380 and new F to FRA
I could go via PVG or just direct from NRT. I really would not like to swap my planned itinerary for LH's current F seat but I wonder what the chance is of me picking either PVG or NRT and getting it?
Do you reckon LH will make any announcements in the next few months about destinations for 2nd and 3rd A380's without zeroing out F award availability??
The second and third destinations are rumoured to be JNB and PVG. My guess is that NRT will only get the A380 in 2011. Why don't you take advantage of the current US Airways Promotion and book a second F ticket for around 1.000 EUR all-in via PVG? Worst case you have to pay 250 USD to cancel that ticket...
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Old Mar 25, 2010, 2:56 pm
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Originally Posted by SMK77
Why don't you take advantage of the current US Airways Promotion and book a second F ticket for around 1.000 EUR all-in via PVG? .

'what is their current promotion?
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Old Mar 25, 2010, 3:39 pm
  #96  
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Originally Posted by jmw2323
'what is their current promotion?
Probably this one?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...ch-2010-a.html

Although the offer is open until the end of the month it may be too late unless you have a Dividend Miles account already. After signing up for a new DM account you have to wait 10/11 days before you can purchase miles.
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Old Mar 25, 2010, 5:42 pm
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Other places are reporting that JFK seems to be the launch route again and NRT is now posponed? Back to the original plan I guess.
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Old Apr 5, 2010, 4:45 pm
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So now i have to decide when i book JFK-FRA for august, on 401/400 or 404/405 or a combination? combo gives me a better shot at one flight on a380, whereas the set combos, I might wind up with zero.
then again until they start flying who knows what will happen

Last edited by jmw2323; Apr 5, 2010 at 5:32 pm
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Old Apr 5, 2010, 5:32 pm
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Originally Posted by jmw2323
then again until they start flying who knows what will happen
....... and who really cares , it's another airplane.
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Old Apr 5, 2010, 6:03 pm
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Originally Posted by jmw2323
So now i have to decide when i book JFK-FRA for august, on 401/400 or 404/405 or a combination? combo gives me a better shot at one flight on a380, whereas the set combos, I might wind up with zero.
then again until they start flying who knows what will happen
Lufthansa will do a test run of new business class seats in two rows of the 744 on 400/401 in August/September, so if you wanna bet on flying on the A380, book 404/405.
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Old Apr 5, 2010, 7:58 pm
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Originally Posted by Wombert
Lufthansa will do a test run of new business class seats in two rows of the 744 on 400/401 in August/September, so if you wanna bet on flying on the A380, book 404/405.
Thanks for the tip. I had booked both the 400/1 and 404/5 combinations with UA MP. I have also waited out the news using itinerary holds on JFK-FRA-NRT/PVG-FRA-JFK near the end of the schedule via US air miles (120k first, though I am hesitant to commit to a $250 change fee).

I've searched for more info on when the 2nd, 3rd, 4th... deliveries would come, but to no avail. Any info would be appreciated.
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Old Apr 5, 2010, 9:03 pm
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Originally Posted by Wombert
Lufthansa will do a test run of new business class seats in two rows of the 744 on 400/401 in August/September, so if you wanna bet on flying on the A380, book 404/405.
Details (from this thread on vielfliegertreff.de):
Test period is August 28th through October 24th, on LH 400/401 FRA-JFK.

21 seats in the C cabin will be removed and replaced by 12 new test seats in a 2-2-2 configuration (rather than 2-3-2). These seats cannot be reserved in advance; anyone who would like to participate in the test (read: anyone who wants to sleep on a proper full flat bed ) needs to talk to LH staff at the airport (flight manager, ideally, I presume).

The seat numbers will be 12AC, 12HK, 14AC, 14DG, 14HK and 15DG.
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Old Apr 5, 2010, 10:49 pm
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Originally Posted by seat 1a
....... and who really cares , it's another airplane.
you don't and fortunately you're not going with me
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Old Apr 5, 2010, 11:54 pm
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Originally Posted by eeee
I've searched for more info on when the 2nd, 3rd, 4th... deliveries would come, but to no avail. Any info would be appreciated.
One each month after the initial. So D-AIMA in May, D-AIMB in June (which presumably kicks off scheduled A380-operations with two rotations), D-AIMC in July (used as Spare) and D-AIMD in August (opens the third A380 route). All are built already, A-C have been moved to XFW, D is going to have her first flight on April 15th presumably and will be transferred to Hamburg for finalisation on April 21st. After that there will be quite a gap until D-AIME will be delivered.

My current favourite combination for intial A380-service is a LH404/405 and LH710/711 combo in June after the delivery of D-AIMB, and then another very long flight in August (JNB maybe) when D-AIMD becomes available.

Greetings - Dirk
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Old Apr 6, 2010, 12:18 am
  #105  
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Originally Posted by djohannw
My current favourite combination for intial A380-service is a LH404/405 and LH710/711 combo in June after the delivery of D-AIMB...
Any progress on the negotiations with Russia regarding fly-over fees reported earlier?
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