747s to Austin from Summer 2018
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
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Not flown the 'plastic tube' in J yet, but I suspect it's the same old seat in a differently-crowded cabin
#33
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Manchester but from Yorkshire better known as Gods country
Programs: BA Gold, , Sandals plat
Posts: 839
You should try the tobacco states where there are not any smoking bans certainly Tennessee allowed smoking indoors and out the last time I was there
#34
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Besides, I can tell for a fact that there is plenty of herbal smoking going on in the Austin vicinity, doubtless all organically grown. Not quite as bad as The Castro, but nearly.
#35
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Boston
Posts: 148
Not to mention the lack of power outlets.
#36
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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#37
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Boston
Posts: 148
My initial enhusiasm was abated when I read on Wiki that AUS is severely anti-smoking
Oh, well, back to searching other places to go.
Oh, well, back to searching other places to go.
Save yourself and the environment
#38
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: AA EXP, PriorityClub Gold, SPG Gold, Hertz Gold fivestar
Posts: 486
Impressive route growth (and to fend off Norwegian?). 747s takeover the daily flight to Austin.
Visible in the schedules already, and from this 747 pilot.
This 747 pilot
Looks to be all mid-J at first glance, but hello upper deck seats!
Visible in the schedules already, and from this 747 pilot.
This 747 pilot
Looks to be all mid-J at first glance, but hello upper deck seats!
I remember being delayed on one of the first 777 flights from AUS because, according to the captain, the fuel truck had to go back and refill itself.
#39
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
I have seen 9 fuel trucks filling a 747 in Gassim Saudi Arabia.There were 4 one side and 5 the other,all plugged into each other,and the last 2 filling the aircraft.The smallest was like a 3 wheeled milk float with a tiny tank on the back.
#41
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold(twice), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 679
#42
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: AA, OneWorld, Marriott, Hilton
Posts: 1
I flew BA 191 LHR to AUS on the 787-9 yesterday and I loved it. Definitely noticed feeling less tired after 10 hours than on other aircraft. Loved the windows, loved the smooth ride (we got up to at least 40,000 feet for a large part of the trip) and loved being on a modern aircraft. For me one of the attractive features of the BA non-stop was the fact that it was a 787. The 747-400 will always have a soft spot in my heart but frankly it's time has come and gone. It has been all but phased out in the US now. Also, some of the BA 747s are looking very tired and it is not clear if the planes operating LHR-AUS will have had the refit. At least the 787 returns for the winter months looking at the timetable. For me this is not an upgrade it's a major downgrade. I will probably go back to flying via DFW on American (77W) to get planes built in this century with decent seats and IFE and frankly a much nicer ride and all around passenger experience. If BA had 747-8's this would be exciting but for me the -400 does not get me excited at all.
#43
Join Date: May 2011
Location: AUS
Programs: DL GM, F9 50K, NK Gold...AS MVP 50K soon?
Posts: 213
Resurrecting an old post here, but I flew the 744 in early October. AUS-LHR was on an older setup...tiny IFE screens and no WiFi. The reverse was on one with newer IFE and (spotty) WiFi. I was actually fine with both, but haven't been on a 787 to compare. Plane wasn't terribly full in either direction though.
Does appear that they're using the 744 for cargo capacity a bit; 60% of belly freight in December for AUS was handled by BA, with the number hovering between 50 and 60% for the past few months.
It does look like the Dreamliner won't be coming back to Austin on BA though; low-season traffic is now being handled by a 777, appearently with the new 3-4-3 layout in Y.
Due to route competition and plane sizing, AUS-LHR pricing isn't bad at all in Economy. Yes, it's quite a bit above Norwegian but $530 round-trip ain't bad even if it is basic economy.
Hopefully demand is strong enough to get the 744 flying more often, but low enough that fares stay not-too-far-away from Norwegian's
Does appear that they're using the 744 for cargo capacity a bit; 60% of belly freight in December for AUS was handled by BA, with the number hovering between 50 and 60% for the past few months.
It does look like the Dreamliner won't be coming back to Austin on BA though; low-season traffic is now being handled by a 777, appearently with the new 3-4-3 layout in Y.
Due to route competition and plane sizing, AUS-LHR pricing isn't bad at all in Economy. Yes, it's quite a bit above Norwegian but $530 round-trip ain't bad even if it is basic economy.
Hopefully demand is strong enough to get the 744 flying more often, but low enough that fares stay not-too-far-away from Norwegian's
#44
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 90
Resurrecting an old post here, but I flew the 744 in early October. AUS-LHR was on an older setup...tiny IFE screens and no WiFi. The reverse was on one with newer IFE and (spotty) WiFi. I was actually fine with both, but haven't been on a 787 to compare. Plane wasn't terribly full in either direction though.
Does appear that they're using the 744 for cargo capacity a bit; 60% of belly freight in December for AUS was handled by BA, with the number hovering between 50 and 60% for the past few months.
Does appear that they're using the 744 for cargo capacity a bit; 60% of belly freight in December for AUS was handled by BA, with the number hovering between 50 and 60% for the past few months.
#45
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 689