Oct 4, 2021, 10:18 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Starting on Monday 8th November, BA A380 aircraft are scheduled to operate short-haul rotations to FRA and MAD.

Mon 8 Nov to Thu 2 Dec

Sunday to Friday
LHR-FRA BA902 07:10
FRA-LHR BA903 11:25
LHR-MAD BA462 15:15
MAD-LHR BA463 20:15

Saturdays
LHR-MAD BA456 06:20
MAD-LHR BA457 11:25
LHR-FRA BA908 15:55
FRA-LHR BA909 20:10

Flight times vary by 5 or 10 minutes depending on the day.

Meet-up opportunities:

Wednesday 10th November

joshm300 LHR-MAD 10.30am (IB A350 Premium)
joshm300 MAD-LHR 20.15 (BA A380 Club)
Can guest x1 at either end

Friday 12th November:

Schwann LHR-FRA-LHR (can guest x1 into lounge)
ATCOlad LHR-MAD (Can guest 1 in either direction)
BeakerLTN LHR-MAD
Snuffi LHR-MAD

Saturday 13th November:

ATCOlad MAD-LHR (Can guest 1 in either direction)
BeakerLTN MAD-LHR
Snuffi MAD-LHR

Sunday 14th November:

Nephoi LHR-FRA-LHR

Monday 15th November:

Swadbus: LHR > MAD - BA462 - CE

Tuesday 16th November:

Swadbus: MAD > LHR - BA463 - CE

Thursday 18th November:

TheFlyingDoctor LHR-MAD (can't guest, but will be in the lounge!)
Ryanfozzie +1 LHR-FRA -BA902 CE (Can guest X2)

Friday 19th November:

BAeuro LHR-FRA (BA902) and FRA-LHR (BA909)
Greenpen MAD - LHR

Saturday 20th November:
SHT88T LHR-MAD (BA456) and MAD-LHR (BA457) - CE
SonicStar817 LHR-FRA (BA908) - CE
FFlash FRA-LHR BA909 20:10

Sunday 21st November:
SonicStar817 FRA-LHR (BA903) - CE

Saturday 27th November:

Schwann LHR-MAD (back on IB A350 same day, can guest x1 into lounge either direction)
Swadbus: LHR > FRA - BA908 - CE
OH-LGG: LHR > FRA - BA908 -

Sunday 28th November:
gliderpilot LHR-FRA - BA902 - CE

Tuesday 30th November:

Swadbus: FRA > LHR - BA903 - CE
Efincomputer LHR-MAD - IB3163 (A330) and back on the MAD-LHR BA463.
gliderpilot FRA-LHR - BA903 - CE

Nov '21 BA A380 FRA & MAD Training Flights & Meet-ups Thread

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Nov 13, 2021, 10:20 am

#151

Stace99

Join Date: Nov 2021

Posts: 17

Ok so apparently there’s a lounge open in T1 we could have used, would have been handy to know that before we went to T2. Might help anyone else travelling over the next few weeks.

We still could have gone, but would have meant going back through passport control and jumping back on bus to T1 etc, we decided just to chill in T2 instead, as we’ve got a lovely 3hr drive back home from Heathrow after being up since 2.30am!

Nov 14, 2021, 2:41 am

#152

Nephoi

Join Date: Nov 2018

Location: BER

Programs: BA GGL, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 1,843

Quote:

Originally Posted by george77300

Few pointers from the first flight today:

Back to Back FRA: Arguably as fool proof and easy as MAD. Landed Gate E5. Was off the plane, two lefts. Security lane and back at gate in sub 3 mins. No immigration or customs.

Upper Deck: It is blocked for all flights. Training in the back half and flights double crewed for both pilots and cabin crew and the spare set is resting/training up there on the other direction. No pax allowed up.

First: This is blocked on all flights due to extra cabin crew required if it’s open (I presume for manual safety demo especially). I was able to look in flight.

Loads: It is limited to A320 load in case of swap. All 44 Club seats sold (that’s 11 rows on a A320) so presumably due to that Economy is capped at 114 seats.

as a data point:

same experience here.

landed at E2. one escalator upstairs once right, 20 yards to walk. I was at the boarding gate when before the last pax deplaned.

Nov 14, 2021, 4:23 am

#153

ACES70

Join Date: Nov 2021

Location: UK

Posts: 133

Flew B2B to FRA yesterday (sat) on A380 so all good. Crew were fantastic and allowed pax to look around first and the upper deck,
could have a part in the toilets upstairs!
couldn't go into crew rest area but crew took photos and a video for me, not sure I would like to sleep in the bunks.
Great to see passionate crew who are excited to be flying again. Also interesting to hear what some have been doing over the last 18 months - one started working for the police!

Only downside is I now want to travel business all the time

gcuk, alex67500, KARFA and 4 others like this.

Nov 14, 2021, 5:33 am

#154

Nephoi

Join Date: Nov 2018

Location: BER

Programs: BA GGL, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 1,843

Quote:

Originally Posted by ACES70

strolling around upper deck gave my a little bit a private jet feeling. A big big big big private jet….

Nov 14, 2021, 8:46 am

#155

Stace99

Join Date: Nov 2021

Posts: 17

Quote:

Originally Posted by ACES70

Same here, we were in business on
the way back from Frankfurt yesterday and never want to fly economy again. The crew member we were taking to went to work for the NHS for a while.

efincomputer likes this.

Nov 15, 2021, 2:26 am

#156

londonba2014

Join Date: Jan 2015

Location: UK

Programs: BAEC

Posts: 1,174

Very tempted to do a B2B Frankfurt - hoping that some Avios seats may still about once the freeze is lifted, or that a few extra seats are released nearer the time..

Nov 15, 2021, 12:34 pm

#157

thealviator

Join Date: Oct 2021

Posts: 6

@ Madrid people – did BA do a document check at the gate or at check-in? Do you need a "slip" in order to board? Just got my SpTH QR code verified by online check-in (and I don't have any bags), but want to be first onboard for the travel blog so avoiding an extra doc check at the gate...

Nov 15, 2021, 5:38 pm

#158

Swadbus

Join Date: Oct 2018

Location: London / Essex

Programs: BAEC: Gold Guest List

Posts: 66

Quote:

Originally Posted by thealviator

I flew on BA462 to MAD this afternoon. Everything document wise was done in advance online / electronically, and nothing other than my boarding pass and passport was checked (as usual like pre covid) prior to security and boarding.

On arrival, just my passport (at Spanish border control) and my SpTH app code (after catching the T4S shuttle) was checked.

Both were incredibly easy and efficient to do. No queues at all observed today.

Nov 16, 2021, 2:59 pm

#159

BAeuro

Join Date: Oct 2018

Location: London, UK

Programs: BAEC

Posts: 3,440

Is anyone else feeling reluctant to travel to FRA, given the looming restrictions and worsening COVID situation?

I am due to travel later this week, but now having doubts…

Nov 16, 2021, 3:04 pm

#160

ENTP

Join Date: Aug 2014

Location: London

Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, HH Diamond

Posts: 1,916

No, I am on the Saturday afternoon flight with a friend.

Nov 16, 2021, 3:15 pm

#161

Colesmore

Join Date: May 2019

Location: Manchester

Programs: VA (Plat), QR (OWE), BAEC (Silver), AY (Gold), HH (Diamond)

Posts: 165

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAeuro

Is anyone else feeling reluctant to travel to FRA, given the looming restrictions and worsening COVID situation?

I am due to travel later this week, but now having doubts…

It depends, reluctant for what reason? With regards to safety (or risk of being infected) it seems Germany is now with current restrictions on something that may lead to a plateau, and drive up vacines among those yet to commit. I'm overnighting on Saturday and feel confident every encounter I have, be it on the flight, at Frankfurt airport, the hotel or in the city at a a restaurant will be significantly less risky than the same activity here in England.

Am I reluctant due to a reduction in things being open or available due to restrictions? No. As they're targeting the unvaccinated I don't think they'll come down harder before my trip this Saturday, or for a while beyond. And with the requirements to enter venues etc, I'll probably feel more comfortable than I may mixing with a random lot in England.

However, in the scheme of things is traveling from one area of high incidence to an area going through their worst wave wise and responsible? That's for individuals to decide, but I'll be on board.

VG31 and BAeuro like this.

Nov 16, 2021, 3:17 pm

#162

BAeuro

Join Date: Oct 2018

Location: London, UK

Programs: BAEC

Posts: 3,440

Well thank you for tour views both. I have now looked at the rate per 100,000 and Germany’s is actually lower than the UK’s.

So FRA here I come!

Colesmore likes this.

Nov 16, 2021, 3:38 pm

#163

VG31

Join Date: Jul 2015

Location: Dublin, Ireland

Posts: 98

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAeuro

Is anyone else feeling reluctant to travel to FRA, given the looming restrictions and worsening COVID situation?

I am due to travel later this week, but now having doubts…

I'm going to FRA also this weekend. While the increasing covid rates in Germany and the increased restrictions are not ideal, they shouldn't affect me in any way.
From a health perspective I don't have any reason not to go. I live in Ireland and like the UK the rates are higher than Germany so it's probably marginally safer.

Nov 17, 2021, 12:04 am

#164

yellow_peril

Join Date: Nov 2009

Location: Dorset

Programs: BAEC Blue, VS Red, IHG Platinum

Posts: 597

Quote:

Originally Posted by ACES70

Flew B2B to FRA yesterday (sat) on A380 so all good. Crew were fantastic and allowed pax to look around first and the upper deck,
could have a part in the toilets upstairs!
couldn't go into crew rest area but .......

Am I the only one immature enough to chuckle when I read that typo? I'm sure many a part has been had up there....

IAMORGAN likes this.

Nov 17, 2021, 9:05 am

#165

Trent900

Join Date: Sep 2018

Programs: BA, EI, IB, Hilton Honors

Posts: 550

What's the testing regime for a FRA B2B? Just pre-departure at LHR?