WHBM

Correct. Silly WHBM. Blame a very enjoyable Sunday evening glass of Daguestan cognac hiked back on BA879 from St Petersburg a while ago for the slip !

chalf

That stuff is potent, isn't it? ^ I remember once being appropriately fortified by a client before catching the Tu-134 back to Moscow (or rather the 90 minute trip in a flying Volga to the nearest airport). Much better than the flight down.

irmster

I was living in Moscow when BA moved to DME, and had a lot of correspondance with the local BA office regarding the fact that there was nowhere near enough turnaround time for the 2nd flight (then a 757). They claimed there was no problem - but IMO the average time was 1.5 hours from parking at the gate to completion of boarding - and if de-icing was necessary, then it added even more time on. The added cleaning, cargo time etc for a 767 is just going to make things worse.

axplat

Following an earlier comment that the 767 sits empty on the tarmac overnight at LHR, I'm not sure it does - the last few times I've done the trip (in the last 3-4 weeks) the 0855 has been delayed for 30 mins to an hour because of "delay of incoming aircraft". Not sure where it has come from though. Any ideas?

irmster

I thought that for the Summer timetable, it was parked overnight, but for the Winter later departure there was an inbound. I recall a summer 767 DME being delayed due to problems getting it towed over from T4 where it was parked.

WHBM

Just had a quick look at the BA aircraft data, taking the first week in August as an example, on each day the DME 767 started work at LHR that morning, having come in the previous evening from various points - Prague, Athens, Madrid, etc. The Larnaca flight that gets away at the same time does the same. The first European 767 arrival was the 0815 from Frankfurt which was normally turned round to the 0955 to Istanbul.

Of course "late arrival" is a convenient way of covering that it's actually arriving from its overnight parking stand and has been sat there waiting - and waiting - for a tug ! If you have specific dates I'll look them up !!

Smirnoff

I remember in the old days hearing the 872 was delayed because of being delayed inbound from CDG. Perhaps back then, there was a 767 operating an early morning CDG-LHR flight getting in at 0730-ish.

Now, I believe it parks overnight when it comes in at 1900 and isn't used until the next morning.

WHBM

It's actually currently diagrammed after arrival to do the 2015 BA916 to Frankfurt and overnight there.

Do you think we should put all this trivia on airliners.net ?

Smirnoff

I came back from DME on the Airbus (flight 875), and it reminded me once again how unsuitable this plane is on this route.

There were 60 in J (normal situation) and almost every seat was taken, including the E seats. Almost everyone in J carries on a large rollie AND briefcase/laptop bag. The overhead bins cannot cope with 5 rollies and 5 smaller bags per row. As a result bags were left in the galley - some were crused in the jackets, some put in the cockpit, and some may have been stowed.

There was no room to hang more than a few jackets. Lots of grumpy passengers having paid Ł1600 r/t, and sitting in a cramped middle seat for 4 hours.

The crew of 2 in J did their best, but it took ages to serve the J cabin. After taking off at 2115, I got served my meal at 2310 MOW time - not exactly the time you want a big meal.

With only one loo in sight, this was occupied most the flight by a poor soul being fed imodium by the crew.

I really think this plan is entirely inappropriate for a crowded business LONG s/h route like this. AT a minimum the seating should be 2 x 2, or they should not sell the middle seat. OR at least take out a row of seats on one side and put in a decent wardrobe.

Better still ditch the 320 on this flight. Put on only 767'5 / 757s, put in decent seats and fix up the tatty 767's.

norodnik

If not another 757/767 then at least use a 321 instead of a 320. More seating and 2 loo's up the front.

I agree totally with your comments about the 320 being unsuitable. I usually fly Y on this route because there is almost no value in payng double the money.

irmster

slightly OT, but has anyone flown into SVO recently and can give an idea of whether passport control is still as bad as ever.

I have an SU flight next week, making use of my remaining bonus miles, and am wondering whether to splash out on the VIP service. I've only got 36 hours in MOW and don't fancy wasting 2 of those in some mad scrum.

chalf

I've had good luck thus far this year with SVO passport control on five arrivals from LHR. The London flights seem to arrive at off-peak times, except for the days when SU runs a morning departure to London (SU581?). I'm either in J or try to get out as quickly as possible when in Y, and have not yet waited what I would consider to be an unreasonably long time--certainly not longer than I expect to wait when re-entering the US. Departures are worse, though again the London flights seem not to fall in peak departure periods.

axplat

slightly OT also, but can anyone share experiences of flying out of DME or SVO in the winter - I recall somewhere some comments about de-icing and delays. When does the de-icing happen? Is it when everyone is on the plane? How long does it take?

Smirnoff

When everyone is one the plane and the plane is ready to depart, it pushes back slightly from the stand. Then the de-icing truck appears, shines a search light at the plane and a little man appears spraying de-icer all over the plane. You hear it shooting all over the fuselage. Takes about 10-15 minutes I think, although I never really timed it.

Smirnoff

You may want to hope that there are no delays for take off, otherwise you get ice building up again. I remember several times at SVO waiting and waiting to take off, and then having to return to near the stand to get de-iced all over again.