BOH

Thought so, come on Pucci, stop feeding us duff info

If PHX used DC10's these were ex BCAL birds as well - your former employer IIRC

flyboy777

Incidentally, that was the source I was referring to at the begining. However, the source seems unreliable since he doesn't give exact details from whence it came. Still, I have a large interest in Gatwick since it's more convenient than Heathrow for me & so I started this thread. No one on the a.net thread even questions the source - that says a lot

The thread highlights two main moves, both controversial.

Denver flights to operate from Gatwick instead of the current Heathrow.
One Miami rotation to move accross
Barbados to move to Heathrow

Whilst I don't want to turn this into a thread full of speculation, I do want to find a source to all this.

I heard this rumoured a while back, but currently it looks as if they're to stay until B787s come on line (once they've taken off...)

This is partly why I posted this. I had an interest in the thread but doubted it's source, hence why I asked on this (how should I say this) more mature forum to find out some BA cabin crew forums after googling it & getting nowhere.

There are some issues in people suggestions here anyway. Mauritius for example is out of/pushing the range for a GE-90 B777-200. This route would require a B777-200ER (All RR powered, 15 examples in the fleet after the write off of BA38. 4 examples due to join up shortly. The RR -200ER fleet is apparently very pushed for next summer. It's all LHR based with premium 4 class config) or a B747-400. Each as unlikely as the next, but if BA is serious about LGW long haul, perhaps B747s will return.

In a previous rumour, ATL was to move to Heathrow with BGI. I'm not sure where this is heading. Other destinations Indian Ocean is also apparently on the potential list.

Back on the straight & narrow, does anyone know any (reliable) BA crewing forums?

HIDDY

Most of the crew forums are private and can't be accessed unless you work for the airline.

Why the desire to find the source anyway? If it happens it happens.

spotwelder

Some of us are so old that we have flown on the PHX DC-10 route. To be fair, our lady of the skies was working at LHR at the time and the ladies were not wearing tartan. Of course, BCal was the only airline to have a set of bagpipes stored in the rear galley for emergency entertainment of the passengers after an evacuation.

Panic Stations

BA have been very resistant to the idea of putting RR powered 777s into LGW and will probably be more so now that they are one short at LHR. I'd be very surprised if they were willing to move a 747 down to LGW for a MRU. On the other hand an MIA might work as the route is essentially self-contained, utilising a single aircraft day after day, and could probably suit a 777 due to it's typical load of holiday makers and low rev premium traffic. Having said all this there's not been an inkling of any announcement at LGW on any of the usual BA channels so it could all be pie in the sky. Nothing like a bit of speculation!

flyboy777

I am trying to find the source to find out if there is any truth in the rumour - given it's a quote off a.net I presume unlikely but still want to check it out.

RE: Miami. The route could work with a frequency from Gatwick. Yes, it is more of a back end route (I suspect AA laps up most of the premium end traffic) & is seemingly a waste of an LHR slot. A daily LGW could supplement a daily LHR very well. However, sufficient equipment would be needed. Given the stance of this flight, a 3-class B777 would suffice & given it's presence in LGW already, I doubt a sole B747 should move across. Perhaps MIA could swap for ATL?

spanishflea

You are joking? What on earth makes you think that!?

HIDDY

Well she calls herself a CSD after all - Comunications Somewhat Dodgy.

I flew on a BA DC10 from LGW to New York many years ago.

BOH

Not so many years ago I took my one and only trip on a DC10, having avoided them like the plague. It was with BA from LGW-DFW in the mid-90's. We were bussed out to the a/c from the terminal and had to wait a few minutes till the bus doors opened.

Having lost a distant relative in the THY DC10 crash over Paris in 1974 I can vividly remember staring out the bus window at the infamous rear cargo door and hoping to god while owned by BCAL they had implemented the mandatory fix to the locking mechanism.

An irrational fear with hindsight - of course it had been implemented. So many lessons were learned from the design of that plane, and it was still being changed to make it safer nearly 20 years after EIS

BA Loyal

I fly MIA every 3 months and it is always extremely busy in J & F. Definitely a good route for LHR, not a back end route at all!

DYKWIA

I was on a Garuda DC-10 in about 1991. The flight was delayed for a while, as they were having problems closing the cargo door! I think I went through the same feelings as you.

Cheers,
Rick

Panic Stations

It's certainly busy, but not many people paying for it. Too many MFUs and low yielding fares. That is the problem.

traveller5

Surely with the opening of T5 BA will be moving more routes to LHR, and not the other way round! I see any LGW announcement to be a further downsize in operations there, with a minimal BA presence. I think it's wishful thinking that the 747 fleet will return there, as it would be too costly to adequately maintain; I thought the whole point of the LGW base was to be a slimline and more efficient operation (737 and 777 only).

BOH

The opening of T5 solves terminal capacity for a while but it is the fact that LHR is slot constrained that is the problem. T5 does nothing to solve this, mixed mode ops will help.

BA Loyal

You can never get MFU availability to MIA - have to book months in advance!