A380 CW cabin woes
Nov 2, 2022, 4:29 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MCO
Programs: Hilton Diamond, AA PP
Posts: 541
Oh I would be livid. I take a medication to help me fall asleep. If I am woken up--particularly in the first 45 minutes, it can take 3-4 hours to get back to sleep. If I was told I had to wait to recline until the people in front of me got done eating, I'd say they had better eat quickly, but hold off taking my pill until they were reclined. And I'd tell the FA NOT to wake me up until breakfast the next morning. The broken seat passengers will get a bunch of Avios for the trouble. The person being behind them is likely to get zip.
Nov 3, 2022, 3:17 am
#17
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Lincoln, England
Programs: BAEC Silver, HHonors Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Silver
Posts: 256
Interesting to see Emirates have started a refurbishment project on 67 of their A380s that includes removing all of the business and first class seats for refurbishment/repainting: https://simpleflying.com/emirates-1s...economy-refit/
The first airframe will take 16 days but they mention having two dedicated teams so a plane every 8 days and they plan to have the whole lot complete by March 2024. I wonder if BA will have started their first A380 upgrade by this date.
The first airframe will take 16 days but they mention having two dedicated teams so a plane every 8 days and they plan to have the whole lot complete by March 2024. I wonder if BA will have started their first A380 upgrade by this date.
Nov 3, 2022, 6:18 am
#18
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: BA Gold GL, JJC
Posts: 69
A380 LHR- MIA Wifi and IFE packed up after an hour and could not be restarted - MIA-LHR 15K would not even recline manually! This was a couple of weeks ago, so Covid prison tray-style service. Food each way was pretty much inedible, and even the crew told me they were embarrassed to serve it. Club kitchen is now a shadow of its former self. Made a complaint, and two weeks later have not had a response.
Nov 3, 2022, 6:43 am
#19
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: In the Land Beyond OHare
Programs: 3RR, UA, BA, AA, HH, Marriott RW,
Posts: 202
I recently flew BA294 in 53A and the seat wouldn't return to the upright position about an hour out of LHR. They attempted to manually reset to no avail. Luckily 53D was open so it was a easy move for me. Hopefully 53A has been repaired!
Dec 27, 2022, 12:49 am
#20
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club (GGL, GFL)
Posts: 232
Just to add an extra data point, 53A on G-XLEE is currently broken with no recline. Apparently there are 5 broken seats in Club on this aircraft today. I was told that I was “lucky” to get two seats together (middle of the middle downstairs). I asked what would happen if there were no other seats and was told I would have to either take the broken seat or cancel “for a full refund”. What a way to run an airline.
Dec 27, 2022, 1:33 am
#21
Join Date: Feb 2009
Programs: Executive Club
Posts: 1,115
We were booked on G-XLEG on 22 Dec seated in 10E and 10F, a pair in the middle downstairs. I noticed at OLCI that we had been moved and managed to move us again to two nice window seats. I thought it had something to do with someone else needing the bassinet but when we boarded I heard the CC explaining that 10F was broken and couldn't recline so was out of service.
Dec 30, 2022, 7:36 am
#23
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 557
Still broken today - I am on BA269 operated by XLEA and got moved out of 53A at checkin as the seat is inop. Initially moved to 50B which I refused and they found me a window a little further back thankfully.
Dec 30, 2022, 7:51 am
#24
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: MUCCI
Posts: 1,926
There is of course a totally different reason that the A380’s aren’t getting much attention…..
if we think these are last for a refurb then by then the 777-9 will be coming online and I wonder if there is no intention of putting CS into these planes and they will just phase them out as many other airlines (such as AF and LH) have done…..
They are quite limited in terms of network and the 300Y seats is a constant problem. I just don’t think they work for any airline apart from EK and even they have started to retire some….
FD…
if we think these are last for a refurb then by then the 777-9 will be coming online and I wonder if there is no intention of putting CS into these planes and they will just phase them out as many other airlines (such as AF and LH) have done…..
They are quite limited in terms of network and the 300Y seats is a constant problem. I just don’t think they work for any airline apart from EK and even they have started to retire some….
FD…
Dec 30, 2022, 8:48 am
#26
Join Date: May 2004
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club Silver. Back of the plane on everyone else.
Posts: 262
A bit out of date, but I flew on G-XLEF on BA295 (LHR-ORD) on 16 December. Several seats in Club World main deck were blocked out because of non-reclining seats, non-functioning IFE, etc., including 14K and 15K. I was in 15K but then moved after check-in to the aisle seat.
Dec 30, 2022, 8:59 am
#27
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Herts, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL, HH Diamond.
Posts: 3,184
I dont know which reg i was on, but in November LHR - DFW, 53A wouldnt return upright after reclineI got moved to another chair that was broken but upright for landing on the main deck.
Just had an A380 cancelled for Feb on the way back from SFO, now having to go via JFK and lose a day
Just had an A380 cancelled for Feb on the way back from SFO, now having to go via JFK and lose a day
Dec 30, 2022, 9:44 am
#28
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,615
There is of course a totally different reason that the A380’s aren’t getting much attention…..
if we think these are last for a refurb then by then the 777-9 will be coming online and I wonder if there is no intention of putting CS into these planes and they will just phase them out as many other airlines (such as AF and LH) have done…..
They are quite limited in terms of network and the 300Y seats is a constant problem. I just don’t think they work for any airline apart from EK and even they have started to retire some….
FD…
if we think these are last for a refurb then by then the 777-9 will be coming online and I wonder if there is no intention of putting CS into these planes and they will just phase them out as many other airlines (such as AF and LH) have done…..
They are quite limited in terms of network and the 300Y seats is a constant problem. I just don’t think they work for any airline apart from EK and even they have started to retire some….
FD…
Yes they're in a terrible state however BA has some significant demand on certain routes which allow them to operate them profitably. Begs the question with as many as 15-20 Club seats out of action on any given aircraft how much thats eating into the profit margin. I suppose the offset cost with having an aircraft out of action to do a temp fix outweighs all of this and someone with a calculator and a excel spreadsheet will have run the numbers... you'd like to think!
Dec 30, 2022, 9:54 am
#29
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,245
Everyone who needs to be aware of the state of the 380s knows about it, and those planes will remain in the fleet for a long while to come, with a refurbishment to take place soon. However there isn't much that can be done in the short term with those birds, for a number of reasons:
- Electrical/mechanical equipment that hasn't been in constant use fails, and will continue to fail. That's the sad side effect of parking planes anywhere for a long time.
- Spares are hard to come by, especially if they are electrical in nature. The post-Covid supply chain issues are still here, and won't go away for a long long while
- Engineering has manpower issues. This is an industry-wide problem, with average age of aircraft engineers and mechanic being in the high 40s and a lot of them having taken VR or early retirement during Covid