Wishful Thinking Post. Your Ideal BA Fleet
May 26, 2015, 3:38 am
#47
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR- ish
Programs: MUCCI, BA Blue
Posts: 4,295
I would like to voice my support for the proposed seaplane service up the Thames. And Concorde.
I also really liked WT in the longhaul 767s so they can come back too - or they could just reconfigure the 787s to 2-3-2.
The Airbus s/h fleet can stay - but with reconfigured cabins. And I quite like the 777s. No opinion on the 747 vs A380 thing.
I also really liked WT in the longhaul 767s so they can come back too - or they could just reconfigure the 787s to 2-3-2.
The Airbus s/h fleet can stay - but with reconfigured cabins. And I quite like the 777s. No opinion on the 747 vs A380 thing.
May 26, 2015, 3:47 am
#48
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Provincie Antwerpen, Vlaanderen, België
Programs: MUCCI Gold
Posts: 2,512
Anyway, not going to happen. Y cabins are only going to get worse.
May 26, 2015, 4:43 am
#51
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wedged somewhere between BTS and VIE ✈
Programs: Star Alliance Gold (A3 Gold), Oneworld Emerald (BA Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,338
May 26, 2015, 4:59 am
#52
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067
I would definitley pay a premium and go indirect for a flight which included a helicopter transfer. Maybe not Chinooks but a quieter aircraft such as the EH101 (which I would hope would be more acceptable to headingwest)
On another note, how about using small airfields like BBS (30 mins to Heathrow) or Wycombe Air Park (also 30 mins by car) to use small efficent aircraft (thinking BeechCraft King type) with a minicoach transfer to LHR to serve cities across the UK which lack connectivity, Cardiff, Britol, Exeter etc. Easy to fill 18 seats, no cabin crew required for that size of aircraft.
Last edited by Worcester; May 26, 2015 at 5:13 am
May 26, 2015, 5:14 am
#53
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,775
I, sort of, agree with the OP's sentiments. 767's are definitely better suited to short haul/domestic sectors.
Having flown 737-8's and 9's with Continental and United on occasions too numerous to mention, I do disagree, though with the disrespect shown to one of Seattle's finest products. The secret with High Density aircraft is in the boarding and disembarkation - something American carriers do well, and European carriers don't.
The 737 flights are boarded strictly in Seating Zones. The Seating Zone number is clearly printed on the Boarding Pass whether at check in or on line, according to the seat row number (eg Seat Rows 25 to 32 will be Group 2 - Group 1 is for Business First and Premier passengers).
At the gate, five lanes are clearly marked out with tensa barriers and at the appropriate time, Group 1 is boarded first, followed by Group 2 and so on. The Gate Agents are strict about telling people when they have joined the wrong line too, without being rude!
When you board the aeroplane, there is very little congestion on the airbridge or in the aluminium tube itself.
Similarly, (and it could be because we go through Houston, Texas rather a lot, where people generally tend to have good manners), there is no bun fight at disembarkation time. The rear seaters tend to hang back to let those in front exit first, those on the aisle and middle step back to let the window seaters get out. So nothing wrong with the aeroplane, it's how the airlines deal with it that counts!
Having flown 737-8's and 9's with Continental and United on occasions too numerous to mention, I do disagree, though with the disrespect shown to one of Seattle's finest products. The secret with High Density aircraft is in the boarding and disembarkation - something American carriers do well, and European carriers don't.
The 737 flights are boarded strictly in Seating Zones. The Seating Zone number is clearly printed on the Boarding Pass whether at check in or on line, according to the seat row number (eg Seat Rows 25 to 32 will be Group 2 - Group 1 is for Business First and Premier passengers).
At the gate, five lanes are clearly marked out with tensa barriers and at the appropriate time, Group 1 is boarded first, followed by Group 2 and so on. The Gate Agents are strict about telling people when they have joined the wrong line too, without being rude!
When you board the aeroplane, there is very little congestion on the airbridge or in the aluminium tube itself.
Similarly, (and it could be because we go through Houston, Texas rather a lot, where people generally tend to have good manners), there is no bun fight at disembarkation time. The rear seaters tend to hang back to let those in front exit first, those on the aisle and middle step back to let the window seaters get out. So nothing wrong with the aeroplane, it's how the airlines deal with it that counts!
May 26, 2015, 5:40 am
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
On another note, how about using small airfields like BBS (30 mins to Heathrow) or Wycombe Air Park (also 30 mins by car) to use small efficent aircraft (thinking BeechCraft King type) with a minicoach transfer to LHR to serve cities across the UK which lack connectivity, Cardiff, Britol, Exeter etc. Easy to fill 18 seats, no cabin crew required for that size of aircraft.
Frankly once you get into a coach/bus transfer to another airport ... no matter how well executed it is, you might as well hire a car and drive.