opus99

do they really?! Oh wow I always thought F made the most profit but then again I would suggest the cost of an F seat is probably much more than a J seat and the price of a j seat is almost similar to the price of an F seat on BA (depending on the route of course)

Dave Noble

My understanding is that the business and premium economy cabins have the best return. If 1st class was so profitable, there would be a lot less airlines having chosen to remove it altogether

toothy

Or rather our financial markets have a very short term vision. If they thought medium to long term, this is great news (assuming that the deal has a good return over the period of the deal).


T

kanderson1965

I tend to agree, a friend of mine who worked in the city used to say that some fund managers were too scared to have a cup of coffee first thing in the morning in case it affected the market price of coffee in the afternoon.

Woodbinerich

I just found the fleet hiding in Hatton Cross.

Jagboi

A few years ago BA said that Y covers the operating costs, WTP is the most profitable per square foot of floor space the seat occupies, CW by far generates the most gross profit and F breaks even.

BOH

Was only saying that at the moment, new deliveries are a cash drain on the company if they are on power-by-the-hour as planes are not flying. Traditionally, aircraft engines were paid by the airlines (or leasing company) in full to the manufacturer on delivery therefore the manufacturing cost + profit etc were recouped on each pretty much straight away. Power-by-the-hour means the manufacturing cost etc is largely recouped over the life of the engine so the cashflow implications are very different.

RR at the moment will be hemorrhaging cash because new deliveries on A350 etc are not all flying to a full schedule and their income from long term service agreements and spares, ie 120+ RB211s on the BA 744 fleet, grounded 777s etc are drying up as airlines retire those types for good. DL retired all their 777s a few weeks ago, most were RR Trent powered and 757 retirements in the USA are accelerating too, many are RB211 powered.

It is a perfect storm for RR, as witnessed by their half-year results yesterday. Long-term, yes it is good being on a successful airframe.....but the way engines are now usually financed it is a double whammy negative at the moment in delivering new engines virtually for free and then relying on a good flying schedule. Of course there will be lots of contractual T&Cs we are not party to, ie there may be a minimum quarterly "base" payment from BA to RR regardless of hours flown for example.

GBOAC

Shocked that BYGF has gone to Kemble.
The second-youngest bird and much life left in it and would have been one of the last to be retired. What on earth are they thinking? Surely not the best way of managing assets.
Would have been a candidate for charter use at least by another operator, or sale for storage and possible freighter conversion.
Even at Heathrow there are 747s much closer to the end of their life than that one, with 90k hours, compared to 120+ for the older aircraft, suggesting it has at least 25-30% of its flying life left. It should have been sent to to Cardiff for storage for a few more months to see what the global market is doing.
I know ASI have been storing aircraft for resale, but I presume BA are selling for scrap only.
Complete waste.

gcuk

Could some of the 'younger' ones fly again after a freighter conversion?
Given the value of airfreight these days, which by all accounts is booming, I wonder if creating a fleet of freighters was ever a consideration for BA?

GBOAC

I mean mechanically, they have been maintained in top class condition with one airline since they were built.
The yonger ones are now on around 90k hours, and with fresh-ish heavy overhauls that would have seen them in service until 2023/24.

KLM retired their highest-hour 747 PH-BFC with 141k hours.
Simple maths says that the younger BA 747s could still technically do another 50k hours as safe and affordable machines. I don't see why this potential is not being retained, if not through BA ownership, through a brokerage.

VSLover

"britains busiest airport" is back with a new season on itv, and i caught up last night and it was odd seeing things at LHR running normally (filmed in 2019) but especially sad to see the BA 747s out and about at lhr!

looking at the windows on the BOAC scheme made me realize how much i'll miss that window in the loo...and also how much i always DESPISED the blue framing inside the wall that was around the windows in first. it was a powder blue ring and the color is just terrible and it is a weird thing to fixate on, im aware. but it was awful! lol

Ancient Observer

I wonder how long it will take for the scammers to start selling BA 747s.
"Lovely condition. Like New. Low mileage, and 1 very careful owner."
I imagine they won't comment on the stains and crumbs................

Forever in Seattle

The RB-211's are being sold to an existing operator, the rest they probably don't care about.

Forever in Seattle

IVH is probably the next 744 to make it's last flight.

PETER01

It's grim reading of the much earlier than anticipated retirement of the 747 however the one thing which immediately struck me and saddened me very much was not the ability to fly on that type of aircraft again anymore but of all the jobs it affects and the very negative consequences of that. Subsequently peoples lives, including but not exclusively, cabin crew, pilots, engineers/maintenance staff, suppliers etc etc have been adversely affected.

I have great memories and feel very lucky to have flown in all the different cabins many times over the years including on the old 38J configuration to Mauritius of all places! She will be missed.