Originally Posted by magexpect
I have never been able to find out why ATL is always treated by both airlines almost as second class destination. I mean by that, that BA stubbornly has its flights out of LGW which almost requires a stopover in London if one wants to fly out of ZRH or have to transfer by bus from LHR to LGW, which , since 9/11 is a real pain as one cannot check luggage through any more.
...
CDG-ATL on AF or LGW-ATL on BA are almost always full. Some so-called "prestige" routes, like LHR-HKG or CDG-NYC have received the new classes almost immediately but when on these flights, most of the times I have never encountered more than two or three passengers in F and was surprised to see half of C full.
BA has to go to LGW, and will continue to have to unless (a) DL decides to stop flying LGW-ATL; and (b) nobody else steps into the breach; and (c) BA has enough slots at LHR to give to ATL; and (d) there is a commercial case for doing so. Conditions (a) and (b) follow from Bermuda II, and since there's not much chance of both of those happening in the foreseeable future that's the end of that.
I, too, have noticed LGW-ATL being pretty full whenever I've been on it, even in the premium cabins. I think, though, the profitability of the flights may have been somewhat affected by the fact that many people on my flights were, like me, in a premium cabin despite having paid only about £300 for the return trip.