PHX 787
Oct 29, 2019, 11:32 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,838
Summer demand is very strong ex-US, in addition to any ex-UK connecting onwards in PHX. More generally, the PHX flight has always had a very healthy share of US passengers in my experience, including many connecting through LHR to India.
Oct 29, 2019, 4:50 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold; Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,227
Another factor is possibly weather and, specifically, temperature. PHX gets very hot in the summer (as does Las Vegas) and it wouldn't surprise me if there was an issue operating the 787 into / out of PHX in the height of summer. Certainly Norwegian wouldn't operate into LAS during the summer and this was apparently because the combination of temperature, altitude, and takeoff weight (mainly due to passenger numbers) put the aircraft out of limits for the climb limit weight as specified in the aircraft's flight performance manual.
I am not saying that is the case here with BA, but maybe someone more in the know about these things could comment further?
I am not saying that is the case here with BA, but maybe someone more in the know about these things could comment further?
Oct 30, 2019, 3:12 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: South East England
Programs: BAEC: Bronze, HHonors: Silver, Virgin Flying Club: Red, Miles & More
Posts: 337
I wonder whether the 777-300ER will actually stick around on this route after all the cabin refits, which will see these all going Hi-J. One, or maybe two summers max? Unless of course there is ever a case for Hi-J on this route.
Oct 30, 2019, 3:28 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: NT Australia
Programs: QF WP
Posts: 4,160
Another factor is possibly weather and, specifically, temperature. PHX gets very hot in the summer (as does Las Vegas) and it wouldn't surprise me if there was an issue operating the 787 into / out of PHX in the height of summer. Certainly Norwegian wouldn't operate into LAS during the summer and this was apparently because the combination of temperature, altitude, and takeoff weight (mainly due to passenger numbers) put the aircraft out of limits for the climb limit weight as specified in the aircraft's flight performance manual.
I am not saying that is the case here with BA, but maybe someone more in the know about these things could comment further?
I am not saying that is the case here with BA, but maybe someone more in the know about these things could comment further?
Oct 30, 2019, 4:07 am
#10
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,237
Having had a quick look at the power-to-MTOW ratio of a 789 vs a 744, 77E and 77W the former is lower than all the others (2.5-something with the others being in the higher 2.s), so that might explain the choice.
However, there’s plenty of airlines flying long haul hot & high with 787s; Ethiopian, Aeromexico, Avianca to name but a few. Even BA on the MEX route. I guess there’s an element of forecasted demand but also of limits of the airframe as they are calculated by BA.
However, there’s plenty of airlines flying long haul hot & high with 787s; Ethiopian, Aeromexico, Avianca to name but a few. Even BA on the MEX route. I guess there’s an element of forecasted demand but also of limits of the airframe as they are calculated by BA.
Oct 30, 2019, 5:18 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,220
It’s interesting seeing First maintained on the PHX route. When BA was phasing out ‘old First’, it was one of the routes which, for a time, had that product but sold as CW. Being a mid-J route, it could have easily been lined up for the A350. There is obviously demand there, and being an AA hub obviously helps.
Oct 30, 2019, 5:38 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: BA GGL, A3*G, Mucci de l'expertise des Apps
Posts: 3,366
Two things. Firstly, PHX does not currently have a parking stand in which to squeeze the extra 14 feet of A35K, although I'm sure once B25 has been re-jigged a bit that will be solved fairly easily. Secondly, a PHX rotation doesn't fit in 24 hours, so it was never going to be a launch route for the A350 while they only have one or two planes. They are always going to start off with a new type going to places it can easily run back and forth with plenty of ground time in between. Once they have a reasonable fleet of them then I'm very sure that PHX is going to be a prime A350 route for the very reasons you mention.