Globaliser

I fear that it may be too early for that indication yet to be reliable. The usual practice is that a forthcoming season starts as a copy of the same season the previous year, and it's only when either there's an announcement or the schedule changes are done that the real flying pattern can be more confidently relied on.

The change date is, as expected, Sunday 27 October 2019, which is the first day of the northern winter 2019/20 scheduling season. But at present both directions change on the same day.

If actually flown like that, it would mean that the 77W operating BA27/26OCT LHR-HKG would then operate BA32/27OCT HKG-LHR. But one interesting thing about the changes in northern winter 2018/19 is that BA seems to have been scrupulous to avoid that happening, even on the last LHR-HKG flight of the season: BA27/30MAR is not a 388 but a 77W, so that the first BA28 of the northern summer season on 31MAR is a 77W.

This leads me to suspect that northern winter 2019/20 may not yet have had any serious thought applied to it.

morges1

??Really. We went out to HKG on 27 on the A380 on 17 Nov and will return on 15 Jan on 28 on the A380. BA accommodated the change in flights when they modified the aircraft.

Globaliser

I'd read BA6501's post as talking about when BA will start firming up the timetable for northern summer 2019. Other threads around at the moment suggest that the time estimate was spot on!

GCab

Deltus

Yes, that's what happened last time - I originally booked on the 77W outbound and A380 inbound, and they both swapped when BA made the change. Turned out rather well, since I'd booked the outbound based on schedule (because they're about 4 hours apart), but the inbounds are only 15 mins apart, so could swap back to the A380.

GCab

Globaliser

As the swap has only occurred for a single season so far (NW 2018/19), our experience can be based only on what BA did then.

BA seemed to be absolutely rigorous in ensuring that the aircraft that operated any day's BA31 would operate the following day's BA32, and similarly for one day's BA27 and the next day's BA28. This was particularly noticeable on the specific days on which the aircraft allocation remained (what we think of as) the standard: BA31 operated by a 380 and BA27 operated by a 77W; the following day, BA32 and BA28 would follow that allocation even though on other days it would be the other way around.

This is the reason why I suspect that a final decision may not have been made yet for NW 2019/20. At present, on Sat 26 October (last day of NS 2019), BA31 is planned to be operated by a 380 and BA27 by a 77W, but on Sun 27 October (first day of NW 2019/20), BA32 is planned to be operated by a 77W and BA28 by a 380.

[ETA:]

This thread gives me cause to think that the time for a decision may be drawing nearer: Equipment Change A380 > B747

Globaliser

It looks like the swap is now confirmed for NW 2019/20.

For LHR-HKG, this swap will start one day early: On Sat 26 October 2019, BA31 will now be a 777 and BA27 will be a 380. This now matches the HKG-LHR flights on Sun 27 October 2019: BA32 will be a 777 and BA28 will be a 380.

lorcancoyle

Globaliser

This is an archive of the information formerly contained in the wikipost about the northern winter 2018/19 equipment swap, which was the first season in which this was done.

Aircraft types operating to Hong Kong, as currently scheduled

In the northern summer 2018 season (up to and including Sat 27 October 2018):-

• BA31 is operated by a 380
• BA27 is operated by a 777

In the northern winter 2018/19 season (from Sun 28 October 2018 to Sat 30 March 2019 inclusive):-

• BA31 is operated by a 777
• BA27 is operated by a 380

There are a few exceptions.

BA31 is operated by a 380, and BA27 is operated by a 777, on the following dates:-

• 02.11.2018 (Fri)
• 23.11.2018 (Fri)
• 14.12.2018 (Fri)
• 19.12.2018 (Wed)
• 20.12.2018 (Thu)
• 21.12.2018 (Fri)
• 30.12.2018 (Sun)
• 31.12.2018 (Mon)
• 04.01.2019 (Fri)
• 30.03.2019 (Sat)

BA31 is operated by a 380, and BA27 does not operate, on the following dates:-

• 24.12.2018 (Mon) - BA27 non-op
• 03.02.2019 (Sun) - BA27 non-op

BA31 is operated by a 777, and BA27 does not operate, on the following dates:-

• 25.12.2018 (Tue) - BA27 non-op
• 26.12.2018 (Wed) - BA27 non-op
• 04.02.0219 (Mon) - BA27 non-op
• 05.02.0219 (Tue) - BA27 non-op
• 06.02.0219 (Wed) - BA27 non-op
• 07.02.0219 (Thu) - BA27 non-op

From Sun 31 March 2019 (as currently posted), ie the beginning of the northern summer 2019 season:-

• BA31 is operated by a 380
• BA27 is operated by a 777

Notes:-

1. The 777-300ER (77W) is the 777 variant usually operating to HKG.
2. In all cases during northern winter 2018/19, the aircraft that operates BA31 LHR-HKG then operates the following day's BA32 HKG-LHR, and the aircraft that operates BA27 then operates the following day's BA28.
3. The northern winter 2018/19 information was last checked on 19 October 2018.

Globaliser

I think you should be safe now that the swap appears to have been confirmed for the season.

Wikipost updated.

JPMND

My BA28 in May 2021 has been changed from a 777 to a 789 which I will take having never flown F on this variant before.
Am flying out on BA31 which is still scheduled as the 380 which am surprised at but a lot can still change between now and then.

mikeyfly

Far nicer seat in my opinion, so a good swap if in F

sxc

BA is advertising on the HK hom

e page that the club suite will be available on the HK route 4 times a week.

rjhcambs

received seat changes this morning for October/November changing BA31 and BA28. Flights changed from A380 to B777. Also just seen my September flights to SIN changed from A380 to B777.