Assorted rumours: extra A330 to LHR, all LBA ops ERJ
Aug 20, 2008, 2:22 pm
#1
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Assorted rumours: extra A330 to LHR, all LBA ops ERJ
Some recent rumours bubbling up on the pprune (source: http://www.pprune.org/airlines-airpo...82-bmi-15.html) ...
Discuss / disagree / contradict / comment at your pleasure.
bmi Heathrow Ops having a bit of a re-shuffle in the next few months. More Embraers, more A330 flights and A320/1s to be released onto charter flights.
Also heard that all LBA-LHR flights are to be operated by ERJs this winter.
Mainline fleet semi-moving to MAN to cover EMB's moving south. Reduction in domestic - maybe introduction of something like Moscow or Tel Aviv with 320's. One 330 (from ORD? rotation - leaving Caribbean) to move to LHR for Middle East routes.
Aug 21, 2008, 2:02 am
#2
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All I know is that is they remove the A330 that covers the ORD route, then they will be very short-sighted in my opinion.
With the AA/BA tie up happening, that will be the end of the MAN-ORD AA route as BA don't like OW operating out of MAN at the expense of feeder traffic to LHR. If anything, it is an opportunity for bmi to really stitch that route up as their own.
With the AA/BA tie up happening, that will be the end of the MAN-ORD AA route as BA don't like OW operating out of MAN at the expense of feeder traffic to LHR. If anything, it is an opportunity for bmi to really stitch that route up as their own.
Aug 21, 2008, 5:53 am
#3
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Flight crew confirmed LBA to go Embraer for the winter
I was chatting with the CSD on the BD723 to BGI last Monday. (Great food and service in J by the way but the seats really are quite flimsy and not a patch on the likes of the SAA J seat.)
He told me they'd been informed a couple of weeks ago that LBA is to lose the 319s in favour of Embraers once the winter timetable comes into effect. Clearly a fuel saving measure as the 319s, even on the busier BD411 and BD418 flights are rarely much more than half full. What it will mean though is serious capacity issues as those "busy" flights would more than fill an ER145. It also makes the trip much more painful for those with hand baggage seeking a quick exit from the flight.
Not good news for those of us travelling regularly on the LBA-LHR-LBA circuit.
He told me they'd been informed a couple of weeks ago that LBA is to lose the 319s in favour of Embraers once the winter timetable comes into effect. Clearly a fuel saving measure as the 319s, even on the busier BD411 and BD418 flights are rarely much more than half full. What it will mean though is serious capacity issues as those "busy" flights would more than fill an ER145. It also makes the trip much more painful for those with hand baggage seeking a quick exit from the flight.
Not good news for those of us travelling regularly on the LBA-LHR-LBA circuit.
Aug 21, 2008, 6:02 am
#4
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Hmm. Very short sighted in terms of long haul.
The ORD link (Ok, I'm biased as I do use this service) is one what I would consider BD's "Flagship" service where it can happily go toe-to-toe with AA and offer a better product. The loads/income for that service can't have dropped like a stone can they?
If this happens, they're basicly turning MAN to a Holiday hub (with the LAS/BGI/AUT routes) for long haul services. That doesn't strike me as 1) sustainable in the long term and 2) removes any focus of business or focused business targets.
It's also once again showing BD's weakness in only have 3 A330 aircraft (not that many of us have harped on about this)
Although quite frankly as the fleet will be eventually going over to the Blue and Yellow side, I suppose this is all window dressing until then...
The ORD link (Ok, I'm biased as I do use this service) is one what I would consider BD's "Flagship" service where it can happily go toe-to-toe with AA and offer a better product. The loads/income for that service can't have dropped like a stone can they?
If this happens, they're basicly turning MAN to a Holiday hub (with the LAS/BGI/AUT routes) for long haul services. That doesn't strike me as 1) sustainable in the long term and 2) removes any focus of business or focused business targets.
It's also once again showing BD's weakness in only have 3 A330 aircraft (not that many of us have harped on about this)
Although quite frankly as the fleet will be eventually going over to the Blue and Yellow side, I suppose this is all window dressing until then...
Aug 21, 2008, 6:36 am
#5
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More Embraers and another A330 at LHR makes sense and we already know some of the older MIDx A320/A321s are being used with Baby or for charters so a couple more would be nothing new.
Aug 21, 2008, 8:08 am
#6
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The bigger issue is capacity and comfort on the Embraer and of course the absence of the great LBA based 319 crew.
Aug 22, 2008, 3:43 am
#7
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There continues to be the usual semi-informed or completely-uninformed LHR v. MAN hubbub on pprune, but one subsequent comment struck for its feasibility:
That makes sense to me... LBA based ERJs serving LHR and JER on W patterns, but obviously at some cost. Was there some start up money involved on the LHR-JER route? If that's expiring soon then maybe BD will cull lighter rotations?
Major schedule changes coming up for MME, LBA and JER to LHR and all of them will be operated by Embraers this winter. Jersey going onto a 135 with no morning JER-LHR flight is a particular sign that this route must be struggling.
Rumours for Summer 2009 that the MAN-LAS/Caribbean routes will be pulled and one A330 moved to Heathrow to cover some of the longer flying from there.
Rumours for Summer 2009 that the MAN-LAS/Caribbean routes will be pulled and one A330 moved to Heathrow to cover some of the longer flying from there.
Aug 22, 2008, 1:13 pm
#8
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Providing that is that you are not concerned about the contents of your bag still being inside the bag when you get it back. Never, ever use the gate checking service if you value your posessions, especially at LHR!
Aug 22, 2008, 3:22 pm
#9
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Are you serious? I've used it plenty at LBA, BRU, LHR and GLA?
Aug 22, 2008, 3:30 pm
#10
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a) Theft? or
b) Negligence?
Aug 22, 2008, 3:34 pm
#11
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Aug 23, 2008, 4:08 am
#12
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bmifly
Last edited by bmifly; Aug 23, 2008 at 4:13 am
Aug 25, 2008, 4:35 pm
#14
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This comment makes no sense. When are the LHR baggage handlers going to remove, selectively, your belongings in the few minutes before loading. I've used the Embraer service many times with no loss of laptops etc. I don't believe there are ANY issues with gate/tarmac checking on bmi flights.
bmifly
bmifly
I'm sorry its off topic and I promse I won't add any comments to this thread but please don't refute comments just because what you "believe" differs from the facts. Belongings have been removed from my bag when using the gate-side check facility at T1 and with bmi. There was a convenient delay unloading baggage, a police report was filed and Heathrow police acknowledged it was not unusual. There are some very knowlegeable people posting on here and all the help is appreciated but it is unhelpful to make comments about things you clearly know nothing about. If you want to discuss further I'm happy to discuss in another thread on topic! I will add that I don't think bmi staff had anything to do with it but it could only have been airport staff, airline staff or some sort of security breach.
Last edited by lhr baby; Aug 25, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Aug 26, 2008, 8:21 am
#15
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I flew MAN-ORD a couple of weeks ago and it was about half to two-thirds full in J. Although with a few of the news seats out of action they wouldn't have been able to cope with a full cabin anyway.