flame

Hi All;

My apologies if this has been asked already, but I have gone through over 20 pages of postings and may have missed it

Usually when an airline receives a new aircraft type, they operate it on short haul routes for crew familiarization. Air France did this with their A380, mostly CDG-LHR and offered special fares also, so passengers could experience the aircraft / product

I am interested in booking with either avios or cash to travel short haul on the BA A380 or B787 if and when they will be used on short haul routes after delivery

I called the EC today and they tell me, that familiarization flights will be only for staff and not sold to the public nor made available to EC members

My present information suggests that the A380 "may" be used initially on LHR-FRA

Has anyone any information that might help me decide of flights to book and when

Once again, apologies if this has been asked already

BLHD

What BAEC told you is correct, why would they tell you incorrect information?

rapidex

The A380 will be flying LHR-FRA-LHR.The B787 will be delivered and parked until october (ish) as BA does not have the training resources to bring 2 new types online simultaneously.

jerry a. laska

Someone speculated on FRA in this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-training.html
And a lot of speculation and discussion in this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ear-go-29.html

rapidex

Under the new JAA rules the trainers are not allowed to train until they have flown 50 sectors on type.They will be bouncing around between Manston Chateauroux and other wonderful places to achieve the magic 50,with no passengers onboard.

BApilotinsider

Oh really? My good mate has just completed his 787 pilot training and that's not the info he gave me

Genius1

BA regularly give out incorrect information, so I can understand the OP's question.

Hyperacusis

If that's the case, then it doesn't explain why the 787s will be parked until October?

Unless they won't be?

paulwuk

And thus gain Silver cards?

markzz2

Pilots and Cabin crew are currently training on the 787 and watch this space, but I think (not set in stone but certainly planned) the 787 should be making some appearances on normal scheduled services to EWR, IAD, YYZ, YYC, all replacing 767 flights from mid to late June.

courtster

Will be quite a PR coup if BA can get their 787s in the air before Thomson begins on the 8th July.

I see Thomson PR machine today seems to state "The first UK airline to take delivery of the Dreamliner" whereas I'm sure previous PR used to state "The first UK airline to fly the Dreamliner".

toothy

Thomson and Manchester Airport have got their PR machine out today already with their 787 landing at MAN today, UK's first Dreamliner landing at MAN before any other UK airports.


T

jcm9000

And the beeb reports Thomson as the 'only uk airliner to fly the.... dreamliner'....the wording that follows that they have taken delivery of their first dreamliner makes the sentence read like only thomson will be flying them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...ester-22719853

Dave_C

Qatar have been flying them to LHR for quite some time now, before the suspension and I think flights have resumed now too. I certainly saw one parked up at east base for weeks.

surryson

There is absolutely no chance that BA will park up the 787 until October. Likewise, there is absolutely no chance that BA will fly the aircraft commercially, "mid to late June".

The EC staff will not intentionally given out incorrect info, they simply will not have been given what amounts to highly sensitive detail, which is very much still a moving plan.

BA will not formally announce the SH A380 flying as they will not want to end up with egg on their face with only 1 x 380 hull. 787 may be slightly different as they receive more of these aircraft over a shorter period of time, thus they should be in a stronger place to announce their intentions with it.

time will tell.