New LCY - JFK service with A318 - starts 2009
Sep 25, 2009, 2:19 am
#361
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: FL350, seat 0k
Programs: SK*G, BA Silver, Flying Blue, VLM, VT Traveller, PC Platinum, BW Diamond
Posts: 3,545
Just tried booking on this service and got the following message:
Stopover at Shannon
* The London City to New York (JFK) flight will stop to refuel at Ireland's Shannon airport.
* Passengers must clear U.S. Customs and Immigration at Shannon.*
* This is expected to take 45 minutes.
* On arrival at JFK airport, passengers will bypass passport control.*
* The New York (JFK) to London City flight is non-stop.
* US Immigration and Customs clearance at Shannon may not always be available due to regulatory requirements.
So one of the major benefits of flying the A318 is not even guaranteed! Although "bypass passport control" seems to say that no checks are done at all at JFK...
As for the comments on not being able to have breakfast, there is a take-away breakfast option, so assume it means a little bag and some juice.
Stopover at Shannon
* The London City to New York (JFK) flight will stop to refuel at Ireland's Shannon airport.
* Passengers must clear U.S. Customs and Immigration at Shannon.*
* This is expected to take 45 minutes.
* On arrival at JFK airport, passengers will bypass passport control.*
* The New York (JFK) to London City flight is non-stop.
* US Immigration and Customs clearance at Shannon may not always be available due to regulatory requirements.
So one of the major benefits of flying the A318 is not even guaranteed! Although "bypass passport control" seems to say that no checks are done at all at JFK...
As for the comments on not being able to have breakfast, there is a take-away breakfast option, so assume it means a little bag and some juice.
Sep 25, 2009, 5:07 am
#362
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,587
From the very first flight on 29Sep. However, connectivity will be limited in some way until 01Nov.
(See http://www.britishairways.com/travel...y/public/en_gb)
Perhaps this means it will not be available at some points across the Atlantic?
Yes, the seats are not the normal yin-yang configuration of CW on BA's widebody fleet. All seats on Club World London City are foward facing - I have also read that they feel wider than normal CW - I don't know if this is true or not.
Maybe BA didn't install NGCW because of weight issues on the A318 or perhaps they had more room to play with and wanted to create a kind of CW Plus? Maybe they decided to make the seats wider instead of the aisle? I'd quite like to know myself.
The disclaimer is to cover the chance that USCIS in SNN is not available for whatever reason. If so, the flight would just refuel in SNN and fly onto JFK and arrive as an international flight - customers would clear Customs and Immigration in JFK. If clearance is available in SNN, then the flight arrives into JFK as if it were a domestic one - and no checks are needed at JFK.
I have read an internal trip report from the test flight and the employees who got to try it out seemed very impressed. I'm almost seriously considering buying BA miles with the current 25% bonus and giving it a go for the novelty value - I flew on BA001 back in 2002 - maybe I can now get on BA002.
(See http://www.britishairways.com/travel...y/public/en_gb)
Perhaps this means it will not be available at some points across the Atlantic?
Maybe BA didn't install NGCW because of weight issues on the A318 or perhaps they had more room to play with and wanted to create a kind of CW Plus? Maybe they decided to make the seats wider instead of the aisle? I'd quite like to know myself.
Just tried booking on this service and got the following message: ...US Immigration and Customs clearance at Shannon may not always be available due to regulatory requirements.
So one of the major benefits of flying the A318 is not even guaranteed! Although "bypass passport control" seems to say that no checks are done at all at JFK...
So one of the major benefits of flying the A318 is not even guaranteed! Although "bypass passport control" seems to say that no checks are done at all at JFK...
---
I have read an internal trip report from the test flight and the employees who got to try it out seemed very impressed. I'm almost seriously considering buying BA miles with the current 25% bonus and giving it a go for the novelty value - I flew on BA001 back in 2002 - maybe I can now get on BA002.
Sep 25, 2009, 5:31 am
#363
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: North of Watford Gap
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 602
Freshen up on arrival @ LCY
BA are now proposing the use of the Marriot Hotel, Canary Wharf as an arrivals facility. FREE access to the gym/showers & discounted breakfast. You will also be given an Oyster card to use on the DLR
Sep 25, 2009, 5:34 am
#364
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: FL350, seat 0k
Programs: SK*G, BA Silver, Flying Blue, VLM, VT Traveller, PC Platinum, BW Diamond
Posts: 3,545
Sep 25, 2009, 5:36 am
#365
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: North of Watford Gap
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 602
OnAir availability
From the very first flight on 29Sep. However, connectivity will be limited in some way until 01Nov.
(See http://www.britishairways.com/travel...y/public/en_gb)
Perhaps this means it will not be available at some points across the Atlantic?
OnAir have this week announced an agreement to use on-board connectivity in Canadian airspace with immediate effect. The aircraft is being fitted with new OnAir software as we speak so a much longer availability period should be in place for the first flight on Tuesday. However there's still a problem for Americans as none of the US mobile providers have agreed anything with OnAir.
I have read an internal trip report from the test flight and the employees who got to try it out seemed very impressed. I'm almost seriously considering buying BA miles with the current 25% bonus and giving it a go for the novelty value - I flew on BA001 back in 2002 - maybe I can now get on BA002.
Sep 25, 2009, 6:06 am
#366
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ireland
Programs: No longer bothered chasing FF status.
Posts: 2,345
Sep 25, 2009, 6:16 am
#367
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,435
Those are two very compelling benefits, along with the ease of LCY and being on a small plane with few people. I think it is a great idea.
Sep 25, 2009, 8:31 am
#368
Join Date: Oct 2003
Programs: BAEC Silver, Junior Jet Club
Posts: 946
BA are now proposing the use of the Marriot Hotel, Canary Wharf as an arrivals facility. FREE access to the gym/showers & discounted breakfast. You will also be given an Oyster card to use on the DLR
