Why does no-one go to LCY?
Nov 23, 2004, 7:17 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA EC: silver
Posts: 219
Why does no-one go to LCY?
I flew EDI-LCY yesterday at 4 p.m. There was an EDI-LHR flight ten minutes later that appeared to be pretty full. My flight, OTOH, had 18 of us on it.
I live in north London and I was home 40 minutes after the scheduled arrival time of the flight. If I'd landed at Heathrow it would have been about twice as long. Of course most people live elsewhere, but unless they are taking another flight is LHR any more convenient?
Perhaps BA are hanging on until the DLR goes straight from Bank to LCY starting next year.
I live in north London and I was home 40 minutes after the scheduled arrival time of the flight. If I'd landed at Heathrow it would have been about twice as long. Of course most people live elsewhere, but unless they are taking another flight is LHR any more convenient?
Perhaps BA are hanging on until the DLR goes straight from Bank to LCY starting next year.
Nov 23, 2004, 7:20 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: London
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I too would rather use LCY whenever possible. So far the only time I can use it is when visiting EDI - unless I switch to Lufthansa or Swiss (which I have in the past but now a bit more reluctant with BAEC silver membership).
LCY has the advantage of taking only 10 minutes or so from landing to taxi. Also being a North Londoner LCY is just as convenient as Heathrow.
I would welcome BA (or affiliates) providing more route out of LCY.
LCY has the advantage of taking only 10 minutes or so from landing to taxi. Also being a North Londoner LCY is just as convenient as Heathrow.
I would welcome BA (or affiliates) providing more route out of LCY.
Nov 23, 2004, 7:25 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2003
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Its not LCY that's the problem, its the planes they fly out of it. Who wants to sit 3-3 in an Avro RJ (which was always CLEARLY designed for 2-3) when you can sit 3-3 comfortably in a A319/A320 or B737 ???
Nov 23, 2004, 7:36 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,930
Originally Posted by lowlyblue
I flew EDI-LCY yesterday at 4 p.m. There was an EDI-LHR flight ten minutes later that appeared to be pretty full. My flight, OTOH, had 18 of us on it.
I live in north London and I was home 40 minutes after the scheduled arrival time of the flight. If I'd landed at Heathrow it would have been about twice as long. Of course most people live elsewhere, but unless they are taking another flight is LHR any more convenient?
Perhaps BA are hanging on until the DLR goes straight from Bank to LCY starting next year.
I live in north London and I was home 40 minutes after the scheduled arrival time of the flight. If I'd landed at Heathrow it would have been about twice as long. Of course most people live elsewhere, but unless they are taking another flight is LHR any more convenient?
Perhaps BA are hanging on until the DLR goes straight from Bank to LCY starting next year.
). The LGW flight was fairly quiet - probably about 40 pax.As for why I use LHR or LGW? It's a fairly simple choice - if I want to fly from LCY, we have negotiated fares with Haggis Airways (who, as a member of the anti ScotAirways mafia
, I'd rather avoid), which are cheaper than BA - and therefore our TA makes us book with them. So by starting at LHR or LGW, I get to use BA .
Last edited by Shuttle-Bored; Nov 23, 2004 at 7:58 am
Nov 23, 2004, 7:39 am
#6
Join Date: Nov 2004
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I work right next door (and no...not Canary Wharf) to LCY and if BA had more destinations out of LCY then it would be more attractive to use. I am yet to fly ex-LCY and continue to use Gatwick which is quicker to get to by road than LHR in traffic. If and when LCY expands maybe BA will with the number of flights and routes.
Nov 23, 2004, 7:41 am
#7
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World record time from the top of a plane's steps at LCY to my place near Tower Bridge: 18 minutes!
That includes walking to the terminal, through customs, through the terminal, into a cab and doing a 3-4 mile journey. How far can you get from the door of a plane at LHR in 18 minutes?
You really can't go wrong at LCY for short business hops. It only really works, however, with point-to-point trips with relatively high fares (due to low seating capacity) which restricts where it can fly.
That includes walking to the terminal, through customs, through the terminal, into a cab and doing a 3-4 mile journey. How far can you get from the door of a plane at LHR in 18 minutes?
You really can't go wrong at LCY for short business hops. It only really works, however, with point-to-point trips with relatively high fares (due to low seating capacity) which restricts where it can fly.
Nov 23, 2004, 8:17 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,353
I love LCY! My house is only 15 minutes drive away and the waiting area is very nice, much better seats than any BAA airport! And for the short flight durations (1hr45mins to FRA is the longest) I'm not worried about space.
And when you fly back you get to experience the 5.5 degree glideslope :P
And when you fly back you get to experience the 5.5 degree glideslope :P
Nov 23, 2004, 8:21 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: London
Posts: 3,459
Originally Posted by PhilH
Who wants to sit 3-3 in an Avro RJ (which was always CLEARLY designed for 2-3) when you can sit 3-3 comfortably in a A319/A320 or B737 ???
Nov 23, 2004, 8:27 am
#10
Moderator: UK and Ireland & Europe
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Perhaps BA's problem at LCY is that it is point-to-point only, in effect, where LH, KL, LX (and, to an extent, AF) can make onward connections to complement the point-to-point traffic. I've quite often found that LCY-FRA-VIE or LCY-FRA-BUD can actually be quicker than schlepping it over to LHR and doing the direct flight. And those Dash-8s, although a bit narrow, do have decent legroom...
Nov 23, 2004, 8:44 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2003
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How about a LCY-LHR shuttle? Say an Avro RJ every 30 mins or so, dumping people at T1 or T4 in turn?
Must be quicker than the tube/HEX combo from the city, that takes at least an hour for me (ex-Tower Hill). Onward connections would be great!
But, what Tier Points and miles would you earn on this route? What would award availability look like on such a route? More importantly, would they serve the excellent, sumptious and wholly filling carrot-and-cucumber-dip-disgrace-fiasco-thing?
OMG, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!!!!!
Say an Avro RJ every 30 mins or so, dumping people at T1 or T4 in turn?Must be quicker than the tube/HEX combo from the city, that takes at least an hour for me (ex-Tower Hill). Onward connections would be great!
But, what Tier Points and miles would you earn on this route? What would award availability look like on such a route? More importantly, would they serve the excellent, sumptious and wholly filling carrot-and-cucumber-dip-disgrace-fiasco-thing?
OMG, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!!!!!
Nov 23, 2004, 8:46 am
#12
Join Date: Jun 2004
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Originally Posted by PhilH
Its not LCY that's the problem, its the planes they fly out of it. Who wants to sit 3-3 in an Avro RJ (which was always CLEARLY designed for 2-3) when you can sit 3-3 comfortably in a A319/A320 or B737 ???
Nov 23, 2004, 9:01 am
#13
Join Date: Mar 2002
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Originally Posted by SchmeckFlyer
I would not mind sacrificing space if it saves me the time and the hassle of getting to central London from LHR.
When based in London I am usually very close to LCY and will always use it when the option is there, regardless of the airline involved. Once the DLR link to the City is complete it will be a complete no-brainer for many people.
Nov 23, 2004, 9:12 am
#14
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: BA Gold, M&M Silver
Posts: 445
Originally Posted by PhilH
How about a LCY-LHR shuttle? Say an Avro RJ every 30 mins or so, dumping people at T1 or T4 in turn?
Must be quicker than the tube/HEX combo from the city, that takes at least an hour for me (ex-Tower Hill). Onward connections would be great!
But, what Tier Points and miles would you earn on this route? What would award availability look like on such a route? More importantly, would they serve the excellent, sumptious and wholly filling carrot-and-cucumber-dip-disgrace-fiasco-thing?
OMG, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!!!!!
Say an Avro RJ every 30 mins or so, dumping people at T1 or T4 in turn?Must be quicker than the tube/HEX combo from the city, that takes at least an hour for me (ex-Tower Hill). Onward connections would be great!
But, what Tier Points and miles would you earn on this route? What would award availability look like on such a route? More importantly, would they serve the excellent, sumptious and wholly filling carrot-and-cucumber-dip-disgrace-fiasco-thing?
OMG, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!!!!!
Nov 23, 2004, 9:25 am
#15
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: AMS (SEA, JNB)
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Posts: 4,107
Originally Posted by House
Once the DLR link to the City is complete it will be a complete no-brainer for many people.