Gatwick Airbus Fleet
 

Just wondering if someone in the know here could answer this for me.

I believe next year the Gatwick SH programme will require about 25 Airbus A320/A319 aircraft. So far I can only account for 21, 10 leased A320(all arriving in next few months) and the 11 ex-BMI A319 aircraft, all of which have now positioned to Gatwick with the ending of LHR Terminal 1 SH Flights at BA.
That leaves a need for another 4 aircraft. Will G-TTOB and G-TTOE be staying and supplemented by others as necessary? Or are there plans for 4 of the ex-BMI A320s to go to Gatwick next Summer?
I know that G-MEDK is being disposed of next March. At the moment A320 G-EUYC is also flying out of Gatwick in the new 168 CY configuration.

Finally any news of G-DBCF that was damaged at Alicante on 24th October?
BA source wasn't sure if it was a bird strike or ground damage.

As I said just being curious. Many thanks in advance for any information.

V.

BA don't move shorthaul (and midhaul) flights out of T1 until next year. Only the BHD/DUB flights have moved to T5.

However, you're right that all 11 ex-BD A319s are now based at LGW, although only 1/6 ex-BD A320s are based at LGW.

Many thanks Genuis1. I realised shortly after posting that some SH was still operating from LHR Terminal 1.

V.

If all the SH ex-BMI move over to LGW next Summer that will make the numbers more or less correct. 16 A320 and 11 A319. We shall have to wait and see.

V.

As G-MEDK is too low a standard for any other airline; may I offer my services to set light to it.

Yes. Please apply your skills asap ;)

It'd be fine with a proper refurbishment.

Once all of the mainline A319, A320 and shorthaul A321 aircraft are refurbished with the Pinnacle seats, I can see the ex-BD A319 and A320 aircraft being refurbished for product consistency as they go in for D checks.

I recognise that the principle driver for the current refurbishment is the additional capacity being introduced to mainline aircraft and that the ex-BD aircraft already have this capacity, but I still think BA will be considering this.

. . . and without a refurbishment (as it has been flying for about two years); it is a sub-Ryanair disgrace.

There are plenty of airplanes sitting in the California desert which could be "fine with a proper refurbishment". The Wright Bros "Flyer" would be "fine with a proper refurbishment". G-MEDK, as in service today, is abysmal.

So does that mean all the 734's will have gone by next summer season ?

What's wrong with MEDK apart from the missing window at 01F (and maybe 29F)?

For me, I find it horrid to work on. The galleys are not for for purpose. Then again, all the ex-BMI aircraft galleys are dreadful to work on.

29F is indeed also missing a window.

The curtain divider is I think also a bit non-standard in that it's fitted, but can't move further back than about row 9 due to a non standard emergency light
fitted there. I think there's also something a bit strange in the way the tray tables at 1E/F are attached to the bulkhead.

Seat pitch was also lower than the old CE cabins (along with the other ex-BMI A320 a/c I think, due to them having 6 more seats).

If BA can get things like the Wizzair rejects (G-GAT*) up to a BA standard they should have no excuses for G-MEDK. Will the G-GAT* aircraft have standard BA style galleys? I doubt they'll still have the galleys of the previous owners.

G-MEDK used to be a midhaul aircraft (the clue here is the G-MED* aircraft, which were mostly A321, belonged to BMED prior to the bmi takeover) and so in the bmi days was a welcome sight on shorthaul. The conversion of this aircraft to shorthaul was obviously rushed and they didn't care about things like reinstating windows where the wardrobes used to be.

MEDK should be gone within about a year anyway, so it shouldn't have to be 'endured' for too much longer.