where2travel

Reading the wording again, I think they mean one-way fares that are booked as part of a return - so you're looking at £2K return.

Gomac

I can't find them either, cheapest I'm getting is £1,698

KARFA

I see. The media statement seem to strongly suggest the figures are for return fares.

KARFA

Yes. I don't think there are £998 J return fares despite the press statement. The credit card has gone back in the wallet now

orbitmic

Indeed, their wording is silly, it should have read "each way based on return trip", but then we both/all know what BA communication is like

Doccykins

Still, sub-£400 ex-LON to the West Coast is not to be sniffed at (if only LGW did Ramsay Picnics! )

smit0847

They're not going to be providing much competition at a Y £495, Y+ £995 launch sale rate. Those are DYs regular sale prices.

snuffi

OK so this is quite interesting.
I have been tracking flights for a family holiday to CA for the last two weeks of Aug 17. So far to LAX or SFO I am looking, ex-LON, at something north of £5500 for the five of us in economy. The dates I want for OAK are 'only' £3670, which feels like a sale. That said, I am still going to hold out for a sale around Christmas. I did see a DUB-CLT-LAX in business for about £4500 a while back but didn't take it as I had not yet convinced Mrs S that going via Dub was a good idea, and that also would mean that the rest of the family would (pre-AA proposed change) all get silver status.
Still, best price I've seen to west coast for a while.

The Lion

I do hope this won't be the start of the process in which they move to 10 abreast B777s and start charging for long haul meals and drinks. The IAG Capital Markets Day on Friday might tell the full story...

On OAK fares, I was shocked at the WT fare especially: £189 o/w. Doubt there are more than a handful of those anyway. They need to have a low fare base to compete with Norwegian. They can also advertise it as full service, whereas DY don't include baggage, meals or drinks.

I do think this route can work well given that it serves a large catchment area and hinterland in CA; this route is very convenient for Oakland, Sacramento, Fremont, Stockton, Antioch, Reno, Lake Tahoe, northern Nevada etc and is also a great option for a fly/drive holiday up or down the coast. There's also a range of connecting opportunities at LGW, especially to Italy and Spain, that will help.

BA have now launched 8 new routes today, wow. Usually so so conservative, BA are finally expanding with some rapidity. Sort of...

What a crazy day and mad last few weeks it's been...by BA’s standards. Three new long haul and seven new short haul European destinations in all. I made a list a long time ago of predicted and desired destinations for BA to serve yet there’s no way I could predict this.

What’s next I wonder? Well of interest, Oakland is now BA’s 25th US destination. Easily their most ever. Surely STL or BNA will be next from LHR next Autumn, as from September 2017 they have B788s and B789s being delivered that aren't really replacing anything.

Tanaka07

Portland(PDX) is well overdue at this point. As is STL and BNA.

Oxon Flyer

Someone should really tell Europe's number one carrier to California that there's no "The" in "Big Sur" ....

orbitmic

Yes, but the more striking thing is that the three last new long haul routes announced by BA - MSY, FLL, and OAK - have all been in the US, and two of the three in what is effectively secondary airports within urban areas that they already serve.

It is hard not to think that BA are putting quite a lot of their eggs in the same basket whilst still having some pretty large blind spots in the rest of the planet and even closing routes such as CTU, which other airlines seem able to run successfully.

cornishsimon

The thing to make BA stand out from DY at LGW would be the overall package. So BA holidays, exec club, lounge, and some onward connectivity.

As I said in the FLL thread I would hope that BA also have plans for additional shorthaul frames for LGW and to return to some domestic and euro destinations.


cs

Ldnn1

10 abreast is completely inevitable - just a matter of time.

Under ASA rules that price has to be available for at least 10% of Y seats for the period in question.

Airprox

Absolutely completely agree.