New Moscow product
Mar 22, 2008, 8:50 am
#107
Join Date: Dec 2007
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BA has a few CFM powered A320's that were inherited from Bcal. All the rest are IAE powered (RR and P&W)
The CFM powered can be identified by the BUSx registration, general lack of wing tip fences (not all though) andif you are on board, the horrendous noise they make on take off.
I doubt very much they will go to DME as this particular early model lacks the range and payload carrying capacity of the newer type and are generally restricted to those destinations no more than 1K miles from base.
The CFM powered can be identified by the BUSx registration, general lack of wing tip fences (not all though) andif you are on board, the horrendous noise they make on take off.
I doubt very much they will go to DME as this particular early model lacks the range and payload carrying capacity of the newer type and are generally restricted to those destinations no more than 1K miles from base.
Is there any difference between the CFM powered A320-200s & the rest of the fleet in terms of interior?
It's the standard short-haul seating, no footrest, minimal recline. The only difference is they don't sell the middle E seat, so best choose a D or F seat.
The timing is horrible, leaving LHR at 2200, meal served an hour later, lights only dimmed after the meal service, and then the movie flickers away on the drop down screens, and then a couple of hours later, at 0430 MT, you land at DME. You will reach your hotel about 0600-0630 having not slept at all. It's an evil flight.
It's far better to stay over at LHR and take the morning BA872 on the tatty, falling apart, 767s.
The timing is horrible, leaving LHR at 2200, meal served an hour later, lights only dimmed after the meal service, and then the movie flickers away on the drop down screens, and then a couple of hours later, at 0430 MT, you land at DME. You will reach your hotel about 0600-0630 having not slept at all. It's an evil flight.
It's far better to stay over at LHR and take the morning BA872 on the tatty, falling apart, 767s.
I've never done the DME flight but I've done the late ATH departure many times. It sounds a total rerun of what you describe...... the seats are no bigger than usual...the cabin fully light most of the way (although you do get a blanket on the seat when you board. Ha! Ha!) and after 3hr 45 you arrive in ATH at 4:30am feeling like utter c***!!!!! Only to have to take the flights to the islands that all leave at 6-6:30am!!!!!!!
FD
FD
a) Why not serve a drink & a light snack on the ground & turn of the lights prior to take off & leave them off. Present all customers with an All Day Deli bag containing breakfast for them to take with them.
b) This flight can't be "that" popular - why not sell a whole row of Euro Traveller seats to sleep in (eg. 21ABC, 15DEF)
c) Provide amenity kits more substantial than a blanket!
Cheers,
Mar 22, 2008, 9:30 am
#108
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: MUCCI
Posts: 1,932
The winglet-less A320s were the original A320-100s, the last of which was retired in February (?) & sent to the US for scrapping.
Is there any difference between the CFM powered A320-200s & the rest of the fleet in terms of interior?
So who does actually fly the red eyes? I don't have expertflyer nor have I taken the red eyes so I don't know. A couple of logical observations however;
a) Why not serve a drink & a light snack on the ground & turn of the lights prior to take off & leave them off. Present all customers with an All Day Deli bag containing breakfast for them to take with them.
b) This flight can't be "that" popular - why not sell a whole row of Euro Traveller seats to sleep in (eg. 21ABC, 15DEF)
c) Provide amenity kits more substantial than a blanket!
Cheers,
Is there any difference between the CFM powered A320-200s & the rest of the fleet in terms of interior?
So who does actually fly the red eyes? I don't have expertflyer nor have I taken the red eyes so I don't know. A couple of logical observations however;
a) Why not serve a drink & a light snack on the ground & turn of the lights prior to take off & leave them off. Present all customers with an All Day Deli bag containing breakfast for them to take with them.
b) This flight can't be "that" popular - why not sell a whole row of Euro Traveller seats to sleep in (eg. 21ABC, 15DEF)
c) Provide amenity kits more substantial than a blanket!
Cheers,
This flight is almost always full and rammed to the rafters both in ET and J. It allows excellent connections with all the Greek Domestic flights to the Islands (many of which have only once daily services). That is why it is so popular and BA know that they could fill not only the 767 that does this late night route but that they could probably fill an appropriately configured 777 in the peak season.
Despite this, though, it is hell when you arrive at ATH at 4:30am........
FD
Mar 23, 2008, 6:22 am
#109
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 11,924
In CE
- business people returning to DME after a day's business in London
- business people going out to DME, who don't want to waste the whole day travelling on the 762 or 874
- the other popular pm departure is the LX connection at around 1730 from LCY-ZRH-DME, which arives in at 0200.
In ET
- Russians returning from a trip to London
- those with onward connections from DME further East
- transit passengers returning from farther afield via LHR
In CE you get a grey coloured sandwich bag that smells of chemical waste, filled with a foldout toothbrish, a single-use toothpaste (if you can bite the cap off), a cheap and almost see-through eye mask, ear plugs, and those useless sock things.
Mar 23, 2008, 6:27 am
#110
Join Date: Dec 2007
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I guess another reason for the overnighters is that it positions an aircraft well for a morning return which connects with pretty much everything going west.
Thanks for the replies. Interesting why they time it more as an overnight red eye thana late evening which gets in nearer 1/2am like the ATH.
Thanks for the replies. Interesting why they time it more as an overnight red eye thana late evening which gets in nearer 1/2am like the ATH.
Mar 23, 2008, 6:42 am
#111
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I can think of only one relevant difference (not sure if this was what was intended to come out from the segue in to engine types though 
) - my last 'wonderful' G-BUSx experience was one with (IIRC) 14 totally full rows of CE. These BUSx things have a very tiny, thin cupboard in front of 1AC - useless for 7 jackets let alone 70. So if you want your jacket hung on a packed flight from DME where CE extends to row 300 or whatever, it likely ain't gonna happen.
That said, a plus on the DME flights is the blocked middles so that does lower the CE numbers a tad.
) - my last 'wonderful' G-BUSx experience was one with (IIRC) 14 totally full rows of CE. These BUSx things have a very tiny, thin cupboard in front of 1AC - useless for 7 jackets let alone 70. So if you want your jacket hung on a packed flight from DME where CE extends to row 300 or whatever, it likely ain't gonna happen.That said, a plus on the DME flights is the blocked middles so that does lower the CE numbers a tad.
The benefit the less capacious locker offers is slightly better legroom for those seated in 1A and 1B and significantly increased legroom in 1C, as the locker is much shallower - so much so that 1C has no bulkhead encroachment at all (and with this, no magazine pocket). There is an additional porthole which adds to 1A's view on the world.
Blimey! I seriously need to cut down on my short haul travel
Mar 23, 2008, 6:43 am
#112
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: MUCCI
Posts: 1,932
I guess another reason for the overnighters is that it positions an aircraft well for a morning return which connects with pretty much everything going west.
Thanks for the replies. Interesting why they time it more as an overnight red eye thana late evening which gets in nearer 1/2am like the ATH.
Thanks for the replies. Interesting why they time it more as an overnight red eye thana late evening which gets in nearer 1/2am like the ATH.
FD.
Mar 23, 2008, 10:01 am
#113
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 11,924
I guess another reason for the overnighters is that it positions an aircraft well for a morning return which connects with pretty much everything going west.
Thanks for the replies. Interesting why they time it more as an overnight red eye thana late evening which gets in nearer 1/2am like the ATH.
Thanks for the replies. Interesting why they time it more as an overnight red eye thana late evening which gets in nearer 1/2am like the ATH.
Mar 23, 2008, 10:04 am
#114
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For those that wish to leave LHR after work, and arrive in Moscow in the morning, I highly recommend the BA flight to HEL at 1830 (arr 2330), overnighting at the Hilton onsite at the airport, and continuing on the early morning AY (soon to be brought forward to 0830, with an 1100 arrival in SVO). All available on AY flight numbers for 1100 flexible return (against 1850 on the direct BA).
Mar 23, 2008, 12:45 pm
#115
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: British Airways Executive Club, United Mileage Plus & bmi Diamond Club
Posts: 1,427
For those that wish to leave LHR after work, and arrive in Moscow in the morning, I highly recommend the BA flight to HEL at 1830 (arr 2330), overnighting at the Hilton onsite at the airport, and continuing on the early morning AY (soon to be brought forward to 0830, with an 1100 arrival in SVO). All available on AY flight numbers for £1100 flexible return (against £1850 on the direct BA).
Mar 23, 2008, 12:50 pm
#116
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Land at HEL at 2330, you can be in bed at the Hilton by midnight, up at 0700 and amble across to the terminal at 0730 (currently 0830, as its a 0925 for now). 7 hours sleep vs. none on the overnight to DME.
Mar 23, 2008, 5:27 pm
#117
Join Date: Dec 2005
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I think if I wanted the routing via HEL it would cost me many more points.
Thanks for the great tid bits of info thus far.
CJ
Last edited by Cedar Jet; Mar 23, 2008 at 7:21 pm