xenole

Been looking at flights to LAX later in the year and in December at least, BA280 seems to be a 787. True?

If so, where's it come from? Without checking all routes, SJO?

FlyerTalker39574

Everett and North Charleston is my guess.

Ldnn1

Yes, it was announced in March. 787-9.

It's not necessarily a direct swap from another route. BA regularly reviews which aircraft are allocated where. BA also has more deliveries of these aircraft coming online. See updates below.

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...as-of-28mar17/

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...as-of-26may17/

xenole

Might take this instead of the A380. Arrives at a more reasonable time back into LHR.

Wasn't sure if they were doing something like 4 days a week into SJO and the other 3 days into LAX. It's already gone from BOS when I'm there in October etc.

Ldnn1

Do you mean SJC?

SJO (Costa Rica) is a Gatwick 777 route.

SJC and SAN both remain daily.

FlyerTalker39574

I find I sleep better on a later A380 service, the cabin gets into sleep mode sooner after take off than earlier flights.

xenole

Not a major sleeper and getting in at lunchtime means 3hrs less darkness in the cabin when it's been light outside for hours. I can get home a lot quicker as well.

Yes I meant San Jose, SJC. Been looking at Caribbean destinations so obviously had SJO on my mind.

DreamTrip

Great to read about the 787 and the timings. Works great for my partner and I as we fly GOT-LHR-LAX all the time ^

FullFare

I took the 787 round trip SJC-LHR in club world and was not impressed with the config. Was 7 across. Just felt unnecessarily cramped for a business cabin. Even premium economy was 7 across. Frankly, it was easier to maneuver around the seating in premium economy (for me anyway) rather than climb over the guy sleeping next to me in Club World. Don't think it was a good value at all

Compared to VS's 787 config in similar class (their aircraft SFO-LHR most of the time), I would consider VS. Or different aircraft, as you have mentioned.

Airprox

What aircraft type do VS fly to SJC?

Ldnn1

I think you are aware that FullFare was comparing to VS from SFO, and that for most flyers SFO and SJC are reasonable alternatives.

danielonn

Also OAK

apollo00

Well, you take your pick here and assuming they are blanket interchangable is wrong, SFO is usually an hours drive more if you need to be in the SJC area anyway and that's before a far superior arrival experience at SJC (like 10 minutes from plane to being in a rental car).

I prefer the A380 CW cabin overall but the convenience of SJC beats it hands down and makes that route much preferable.

If you do it once a year then maybe you don't care so much but once a month it's a much preferable route, so blanket comparing the two doesn't work. Particularly as my experience of the SJC>LHR route is that the vast majority of passengers are frequent business travellers on that route.

OAK is a good leisure option for holidaymakers but it's not exactly convenient for the vast majority of business travellers being a slow journey into SF itself and a long drive to the south bay...

ucdtim17

OAK is a ~five minute longer BART ride to Montgomery Street Station and the center of downtown SF, so it's pretty equivalent to the trip from SFO. That five minutes is more than made up for by traversing a much smaller airport (not to mention the delays at SFO that don't exist at OAK). Driving is a little longer and there's a bridge toll however.

Ldnn1

Did I say or assume they were blanket interchangeable? No. I said that for most flyers they are reasonable alternatives. That does not mean that flyers won't have a preference - even a strong preference - for one over the other based on various factors.