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Flying BA’s Airbus A350: deliveries, routes, reviews and more

Old May 17, 2019, 5:06 am
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Last edit by: Scotflyer80
Best seats on A350 guide: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...on-thread.html
Future route speculation: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...my-flight.html
Background discussion on the Club Suites (historical): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...on-thread.html
Madrid training flights - meetup thread (historical): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...ps-thread.html

British Airways has revealed the configuration for its Airbus A350-1000 (56J 56W 219Y):
  • 56 business class featuring all-new Club Suites
  • 56 premium economy
  • 219 economy
  • (BA maintains that no A350s will have first class)
Familiarisation flights to Madrid (starts August 6th):
First A350 flights have also been revealed:
  • 02 to 06 Sep, 09 to 30 Sep, and from 08 Oct 2019 daily to Dubai (DXB) - BA107/106
  • from 01 Oct 2019, daily to Toronto (YYZ) - BA92/93
  • from 01 Dec 2019, daily to Tel Aviv (TLV) - BA163/162
  • from 01 Jan 2020, daily to Bangalore (BLR) - BA119/118
  • from 01 Mar 2020, double daily to Dubai (DXB) - BA107/106 & BA105/104








More pics and details at https://www.ausbt.com.au/british-air...ess-class-seat

Flights planned to be operated by a A350

Summer 2021 (Updated: 9th February 2021)

Austin - Daily
Buenos Aires via São Paulo - Daily
Denver - Daily
Dubai - 3 x Weekly (Tuesday to Thursday)
Las Vegas - Daily
Newark - 2 x Weekly (Monday/Sunday)
Vancouver - Daily

Winter 2021 (Updated: 9th February 2021)

Bangalore - Daily
Boston - 9 x Weekly
BA213/212 - Daily
BA215/214 - 2 x Weekly (Mon/Sun)
Chicago - 2 x Daily
Mumbai - Daily (BA139/138)
San Diego - Daily
Tel Aviv - Daily (BA163/162)
Washington - 3 x Weekly (BA293/292 Tuesday to Thursday)
Vancouver - Daily

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Flying BA’s Airbus A350: deliveries, routes, reviews and more

Old Jul 18, 2019, 12:01 pm
  #376  
 
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Originally Posted by peter h
Presumably BA have better info than we do about the likely delivery date of G-XWBB (or indeed any info!). Say it's early September. Then BA would have the option to bring forward the start of the Toronto service from the start of October, or do some MAD flights with it - or both?
More likely the former. An insider has confirmed in the other thread that NO flights to MAD on A350 in September. When they end in August is unknown currently.

I don't know how far it is from delivery but it has just been painted.
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Old Jul 18, 2019, 12:09 pm
  #377  
 
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Originally Posted by george77300
More likely the former. An insider has confirmed in the other thread that NO flights to MAD on A350 in September. When they end in August is unknown currently.

I don't know how far it is from delivery but it has just been painted.
From being spotted in the same state, it was around 4 weeks to first flight and likely 3 and bit more to delivery for XWBA - from here

Having said that, it's not looking promising for MAD in September - but there has been no official word about anything. A bit like the domestic 747 flights, really.
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Old Jul 18, 2019, 12:16 pm
  #378  
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Originally Posted by george77300
The Dubai it's on is BA107/106. This would not allow adequate time to do the first morning MAD flight.

Secondly confirmed in other thread to be doing NO MAD flights in September. I think September is well and truly done. The question now is how long in August they operate.
Maybe I'm having a moment but why wouldn't it be enough time?

My logic is it could still do 107/106 (LHR DXB) then 456/457 (LHR MAD) on 2nd Sept. onwards as follows:




Then return DXB to LHR (106) so returning on morning of 3rd Sept:




upon which time (after gate turnaround) to do the 456 to MAD:




And then come back to LHR (457) for the turn around to do the DXB (107) next run on 3rd Sept:




Obviously the timing is tight in the above tables (and dates show a week difference but that is just me being lazy in grabbing screenshots)...we also know that BA give themselves plenty of time in the above flight times to deal with delays so it could be feasible to do this rotation (although it is more trouble to do long haul, change to CE meals then change back to CW meals but maybe that is also good for familiarisation? and given lighter loads on MAD run they could utilise some extra galley space for the change overs?)

Appreciate that a poster has said it won't do the MAD run in Sept...but let's check what that is based on before we jump to conclusions? (I appreciate my thoughts above are tenuous and leave no play room but just want to check this before we assume too much...

Thoughts? (or point out my error in logic?
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Old Jul 18, 2019, 12:18 pm
  #379  
 
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Originally Posted by BotB
Maybe I'm having a moment but why wouldn't it be enough time?

My logic is it could still do 107 (LHR MAD) on 2nd Sept. as follows: 1250-2305

Then return DXB to LHR (106) so returning on morning of 3rd Sept: 0130-0615

upon which time (after gate turnaround) to do the 456 to MAD: 0620-0940

And then come back to LHR for the turn around to do the DXB next run on 3rd Sept: 1055-1215


Obviously the timing is tight in the above tables (and dates show a week difference but that is just me being lazy in grabbing screenshots)...we also know that BA give themselves plenty of time in the above flight times to deal with delays so it could be feasible to do this rotation (although it is more trouble to do long haul, change to CE meals then change back to CW meals but maybe that is also good for familiarisation? and given lighter loads on MAD run they could utilise some extra galley space for the change overs?)

Appreciate that a poster has said it won't do the MAD run in Sept...but let's check what that is based on before we jump to conclusions? (I appreciate my thoughts above are tenuous and leave no play room but just want to check this before we assume too much...

Thoughts? (or point out my error in logic?
5 minute turn and then 35 minute turn. Absolutely ZERO chance. 90 mins each minimum. They can't schedule that in 24 hours. In my opinion it's madness you think a A350 can turn around in that time. Even if they re timed to be even that would be two 20 minute turns at LHR. As I said, 0% chance.
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Old Jul 18, 2019, 12:22 pm
  #380  
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Originally Posted by BotB
Maybe I'm having a moment but why wouldn't it be enough time?

...

Thoughts?
Yup: Why would they?

What would be the point of doing something so high risk if they do not need to?
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Old Jul 18, 2019, 12:25 pm
  #381  
 
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Originally Posted by Globaliser
Yup: Why would they?

What would be the point of doing something so high risk if they do not need to?
Its not high risk, It's literally impossible. Landing from DXB at 0615 and taking off for MAD at 0620! Then 35 minutes after returning from MAD before DXB. Both impossible.
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Old Jul 18, 2019, 12:30 pm
  #382  
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Originally Posted by george77300
5 minute turn and then 35 minute turn. Absolutely ZERO chance. 90 mins each minimum. They can't schedule that in 24 hours. In my opinion it's madness you think a A350 can turn around in that time. Even if they re timed to be even that would be two 20 minute turns at LHR. As I said, 0% chance.
Originally Posted by Globaliser
Yup: Why would they?

What would be the point of doing something so high risk if they do not need to?
Okay fair enough, I'll concede...

I appreciate that they obviously need at least 45 minutes between flights to turn around or potentially an hour really, I just thought the timings are close enough and have enough contingency built in that they could leave earlier from DXB (nearly two hours turnaround there) and then burn more fuel to ensure they have the hour at LHR to turn around and fully utilise but appreciate that is a leap and obviously the stack delays or other points may scupper that easily although the timings are quite early in the morning so might have worked...

Ah, well, looks like it's only Aug. to go MAD then and Sept. it's DXB...does make me wonder how they familiarise enough crew to do 6 frames, 2 aircraft types (A350/777) and 4 routes (IIRC) with only Aug. timings (and a bit of use of the DXB route as well I guess)...

Never mind...I'll wait to see if more details arise but otherwise change the training schedule thread and calendars tonight...

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated! (if not enthusiastic about the news!)

Safe travels.
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Old Jul 18, 2019, 12:34 pm
  #383  
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Originally Posted by BotB
... they could leave earlier from DXB (nearly two hours turnaround there) and then burn more fuel to ensure they have the hour at LHR to turn around and fully utilise ...
DXB being a long-haul route, a downroute turnaround at DXB probably couldn't be cut much below two hours, and I'd expect at least one of the LHR turnarounds each day to take more like three.

It's the sort of thing that might just be possible if you really had some emergency need to shoehorn all these flights together, and you were therefore prepared to do it on a wing and a prayer and to waste some fuel because the flying pattern really had to get done - but I suspect that that's a scenario that's probably about as far as you can get from what BA will be wanting to do at this time.
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Old Jul 18, 2019, 2:17 pm
  #384  
 
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Originally Posted by george77300
More likely the former. An insider has confirmed in the other thread that NO flights to MAD on A350 in September. When they end in August is unknown currently.

I don't know how far it is from delivery but it has just been painted.
Originally Posted by george77300
The Dubai it's on is BA107/106. This would not allow adequate time to do the first morning MAD flight.

Secondly confirmed in other thread to be doing NO MAD flights in September. I think September is well and truly done. The question now is how long in August they operate.

This is the risk of people sharing information that is not ready for public release. The information about potential MAD flying should never have been shared as nothing was confirmed. At the moment, the only thing confirmed publicly is that there will be some MAD flying in August, Dubai has now moved forward and Toronto is planned for October. There may be further adjustments as required.

Last edited by SpeedbirdLHR; Jul 19, 2019 at 10:21 am
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Old Jul 19, 2019, 4:46 am
  #385  
 
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Is it fair to say that this must have been the plan all along? surely they wouldn't have changed their minds about the familiarisation flight plans. If this is the case then what was most likely the trigger for DXB being officially announced as starting 02/09. I guess either customer acceptance on WBA (seems most likely), or possibly could they have had confirmation on WBB delivery date? Any chance this could arrive in time for DXB launch? That's clearly the only way that they could run DXB and MAD together. As already mentioned, sadly no chance with only one frame
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Old Jul 19, 2019, 4:58 am
  #386  
 
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Originally Posted by travelsbyplane
Is it fair to say that this must have been the plan all along? surely they wouldn't have changed their minds about the familiarisation flight plans. If this is the case then what was most likely the trigger for DXB being officially announced as starting 02/09. I guess either customer acceptance on WBA (seems most likely), or possibly could they have had confirmation on WBB delivery date? Any chance this could arrive in time for DXB launch? That's clearly the only way that they could run DXB and MAD together. As already mentioned, sadly no chance with only one frame
I think because WBB is going to be delivered earlier than expected. As it’s already complete and just needs to start its flight tests
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Old Jul 19, 2019, 5:07 am
  #387  
 
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Moving DXB forward was a last minute change so no MAD flying in Sept now.
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Old Jul 19, 2019, 5:55 am
  #388  
 
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Originally Posted by RDWRER
Moving DXB forward was a last minute change so no MAD flying in Sept now.
So WBB will arrive later in September I guess, in time for the Toronto launch, and that the change of plan is just to favour DXB over MAD for the second month of familiarisation flights? I can sort of understand this as DXB will provide a closer representation of what it will be like for crew on these aircraft.

Still, it's a real shame for those booked to MAD in September. I hope those affected are able to change plans and get lucky in August!
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Old Jul 19, 2019, 6:10 am
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Originally Posted by BotB
Okay fair enough, I'll concede...
.does make me wonder how they familiarise enough crew to do 6 frames, 2 aircraft types (A350/777) and 4 routes (IIRC) with only Aug. timings (and a bit of use of the DXB route as well I guess)…

.
No familiarisation would be needed for the 777. Cabin crew would just be given a differences sheet, as they did for the 773 when that arrived and the 789.
Cabin crew familiarisation for the A350 only needs to be an aircraft visit. They will have done a differences course and will have done the door check on a cabin mock-up already. They can cycle 100s of cabin crew through their aircraft visit during a single day on the ground.

The cabin crew needing inflight familiarisation in the air will probably focus on the ambassadors who will still be tweaking the training documents and guidance documentation. Cabin Crew wont need to have done a Madrid to get rostered a long haul on this bad boy - although im sure those who have done a MAdrid will be grateful as they will have a head start on making the long haul product work.

I wish them all the best of luck
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Old Jul 19, 2019, 6:14 am
  #390  
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Originally Posted by travelsbyplane
surely they wouldn't have changed their minds about the familiarisation flight plans.
This is what "subject to change" is all about. In the real world, plans do change - sometimes at short notice.
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