Is BA dropping PHL?
Jun 3, 2023, 7:53 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 14
It's still on sale throughout winter and into next summer. I would be surprised if they did drop PHL, it's an AA hub so a fair amount of connecting pax and North America is BA's bread and butter in terms of revenue. They do seem to be dropping San Jose, CA though after the summer. Maybe yields on that route were not up to expectations.
Last edited by Josh882; Jun 3, 2023 at 7:58 pm
Jun 4, 2023, 2:39 am
#8
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Jun 4, 2023, 3:14 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Scotland
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Sure BA are privately kicking themselves for scrapping all of the 747s.
At the time it may have made shrewd financial sense to do it. But considering how unpredictable travel was and has recovered. At the very least they should have long term stored a few until they were confident on the 777x schedule
At the time it may have made shrewd financial sense to do it. But considering how unpredictable travel was and has recovered. At the very least they should have long term stored a few until they were confident on the 777x schedule
Jun 4, 2023, 3:28 am
#10
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,239
Sure BA are privately kicking themselves for scrapping all of the 747s.
At the time it may have made shrewd financial sense to do it. But considering how unpredictable travel was and has recovered. At the very least they should have long term stored a few until they were confident on the 777x schedule
At the time it may have made shrewd financial sense to do it. But considering how unpredictable travel was and has recovered. At the very least they should have long term stored a few until they were confident on the 777x schedule
This, together with the layoffs in key areas such as Engineering, not having bunks on the 787-10 for crews, or not having a midship galley in the 350-1000 (hell, they didn't even have a cross-aisle passage in Traveller!) is one of the many foolish decisions that Alex took in his tenure.
Most airlines simply mothballed airplanes and used furlough schemes; Michael O'Leary famously predicted a V-shaped rebound in customer demand and did not alienate neither planes nor crews. And now FR is reaping the profits, as well as MO'L himself.
Jun 4, 2023, 5:03 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,683
It made NO financial sense back then either. The 747s still had a few years' flying in their wings and, above all, they had all but just a few been extensively refurbished with Wi-Fi and new, state-of-the-art, IFE at a cost of hundreds of millions. And, yet, they were alienated at what I understand was a ridiculously low price. In fact, if you check IAG's accounts for those years, you see how the planes were basically written off as if lost.
This, together with the layoffs in key areas such as Engineering, not having bunks on the 787-10 for crews, or not having a midship galley in the 350-1000 (hell, they didn't even have a cross-aisle passage in Traveller!) is one of the many foolish decisions that Alex took in his tenure.
Most airlines simply mothballed airplanes and used furlough schemes; Michael O'Leary famously predicted a V-shaped rebound in customer demand and did not alienate neither planes nor crews. And now FR is reaping the profits, as well as MO'L himself.
This, together with the layoffs in key areas such as Engineering, not having bunks on the 787-10 for crews, or not having a midship galley in the 350-1000 (hell, they didn't even have a cross-aisle passage in Traveller!) is one of the many foolish decisions that Alex took in his tenure.
Most airlines simply mothballed airplanes and used furlough schemes; Michael O'Leary famously predicted a V-shaped rebound in customer demand and did not alienate neither planes nor crews. And now FR is reaping the profits, as well as MO'L himself.
Jun 4, 2023, 5:46 am
#13
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I'd think it's more likely that PHL being something of an AA hub, rather than the route being dropped altogether, BA might step back and let AA run the flights under the JBA. They still get a decent chunk of change for marketing the flights under BA codes.
Jun 4, 2023, 6:03 am
#14
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver, IHG Platinum
Posts: 943
Michael O'Leary runs a considerably less complicated operation than BA does, and I'd be very careful what you wish for if we're looking at his ideas as a barometer of BA can innovate.
He was however completely right regarding the bounceback in travel, although I'm not sure the extent IAG/BA is feeling the heat on its decisions as the capacity that's come out the market probably means higher fares which they'll benefit from.
He was however completely right regarding the bounceback in travel, although I'm not sure the extent IAG/BA is feeling the heat on its decisions as the capacity that's come out the market probably means higher fares which they'll benefit from.
Jun 4, 2023, 6:05 am
#15
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With no direct competitors or a very few indirect competition to PHL from Europe, this movement would make economically sense.
With Lufthansa pulling up from PHL and shifting their flights to Eurowings Discover; there is no full service legacy carrier left out of Philadelphia to Europe except for Aer Lingus.