London Air Travel

London Air Travel’s Atlantic Update – 2 May 2018

The Atlantic Update is published every Wednesday morning at 06:00 BST, providing a weekly bulletin on developments on transatlantic travel between Europe and North America.

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Bar at United Polaris lounge at San Francisco International Airport (Image Credit: United Airlines)

Hello and welcome to the The Atlantic Update for Wednesday 2 May 2018, providing a weekly bulletin on developments on transatlantic travel between Europe and North America. The Atlantic Update is published every Wednesday morning at 06:00 BST.

United Polaris Lounge San Francisco

It’s almost two years’ since United first announced its new business class brand Polaris. It was intended to encompass a new cabin, in-flight service and amenities, and upgraded worldwide lounges.

As has been well documented, things didn’t quite go to plan, principally due delays in retrofitting Boeing 767-300 and 777-200 aircraft with the new cabin.

United has sought to reinvigorate the Polaris brand and regain momentum with the official opening of a new Polaris lounge this week in San Francisco.

Set across two floors, the 28,000 sq ft lounge has seating for 440 passengers. Facilities include a dedicated dining room with table service, a staffed bar and all day bistro-style buffet. There are 19 different seating options in the lounge including United’s signature Polaris seat which features a privacy divider, an integrated table and personal lamp. There are also 8 shower suites and 5 private daybeds. The lounge also features art work from local artists.

United also promises to accelerate the retrofitting of the Polaris cabin with, on average, one aircraft will be added with the new seat every 10 days between now and 2020.

It should also be added that London Heathrow – San Francisco is one of the very few London routes with a good chance of experiencing the new Polaris seat. Flight UA949 from London Heathrow to San Francisco is operated with a Boeing 777-300 which is fitted with the new cabin.

United also expects to open new Polaris lounges at Newark, Houston and Los Angeles airports later this year.

North American Airlines and airports have not been known for leading the way in lounge facilities so it’s obviously encouraging, along with Air Canada’s new Signature lounge in Toronto and American Airlines’ new Flagship lounges, to see investment.
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London Air Travel’s Monday Briefing – 30 April 2018

Welcome to our weekly Monday Briefing on the main developments in air travel in London and around the world, as published every Monday morning at 06:00 BST.

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BOAC Boeing 747-136 aircraft (Image Credit: British Airways)

Hello and welcome to our Monday Briefing for the week beginning 30 April 2018, summarising the main developments in air travel over the past week, and a look the week ahead.

Alex Cruz interviewed

Two years in to his role as CEO of British Airways, Alex Cruz has been something of a lightning rod for criticism of the airline.

Whatever the complaint, the finger of blame is pointed squarely at Alex. The reality is far more complex. Some decisions, such as not installing a new Club World seat on Boeing 787 and Airbus A380 aircraft, were made before his arrival. Many decisions, such as required levels of profitability on short-haul, are set by the parent company IAG and are outside of his control.

Alex made a number of public appearances last week, including the Routes Online conference in Bilbao, where he was interviewed by John Strickland.

As with any interview, Alex is constrained by the fact that some initiatives have to remain commercially confidential and City rules require any significant announcements to be announced by IAG to the Stock Exchange first.

However, there were some points of note:

– Alex is adamant that lessons have been learned from last May’s IT outage, both in terms of IT resilience and customer support.

– First Class is going to remain at BA, but it will continue to be downsized, as it has been over the past 20 years. It is expected that some four class Boeing 777-200 aircraft will be converted to three class and it seems inevitable that First will go from more routes as the Boeing 747 is retired.

– The much anticipated new Club World seat is still in development. So the seat you will see on Iberia’s soon-to-be-unveiled Airbus A350-900 aircraft will not be installed on BA’s Airbus A350-1000 when it arrives in 2019. Alex understandably did not give much away about the new cabin. However, it will be an entirely new seat and cabin layout for BA. There are 11 defined parameters such as direct aisle access for all and greater privacy.

– It has been known for some time that Club Europe catering is going to be reviewed again. However, as this was initially planned for April, it is going to be delayed for a few months.

– Buy-On-Board catering on short-haul is going to evolve with the possibility of pre-ordering food and improved options for the use of Avios and possible changes for Executive Club members.

– There is a strong emphasis on improving BA’s ground services, both in terms of departure punctuality and premium ground services. You may have noticed dedicated First Class areas at baggage belts for arrivals at Heathrow from New York JFK and initiatives such as this are to extended.
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“British Airways: 100 Years in the Sky”

Channel 5 takes a look at 100 years of BA at 21:00 on Tuesday 1 May 2018.

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British Airways Boeing 737 in Landor livery (Image Credit: British Airways)

British Airways celebrates its centenary in 2019. The airline itself will no doubt be planning a lot of events to mark the occasion.

The official date of BA’s 100th anniversary is not until 25 August 2019. However, Channel 5 is well ahead of the game as it will take a look at the history of BA in a two part series “British Airways: 100 Years in the Sky”.

The first episode airs at 21:00 on Tuesday 1 May 2018 and will be available to watch on demand at My5 after broadcast.

The programme is produced by Title Role Productions whose related credits include World’s Wildest Flights.

There’s actually not much that has been released in terms of pre-broadcast publicity, beyond “The first passengers sat in wicker chairs with no toilets.” Also, it is not known whether BA has co-operated with the production, which would influence how much archive material has been available. Researchers were looking for contributors online earlier this year, which suggests the production turnaround is quite quick.

Postscript

Having just watched the first episode, Title Role has done a very creditable job at covering a very broad subject. There’s a lot of high quality archive footage and a good range of informed contributors including journalists, social and cultural historians and former staff of BA and its predecessor airlines.

London Air Travel’s Atlantic Update – 25 April 2018

The Atlantic Update is published every Wednesday morning at 06:00 BST, providing a weekly bulletin on developments on transatlantic travel between Europe and North America.

London Air Travel » Page 101

British Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (Image Credit: Heathrow)

Hello and welcome to the The Atlantic Update for Wednesday 25 April 2018, providing a weekly bulletin on developments on transatlantic travel between Europe and North America. The Atlantic Update is published every Wednesday morning at 06:00 BST.

BA and Virgin Atlantic cancel Boeing 787 flights

A recent Federal Aviation Administration Directive on Boeing 787 aircraft with certain models of Rolls Royce engine is having an impact on flight schedules and operations for both BA and Virgin Atlantic from London Heathrow.

BA has cancelled select flights from London Heathrow to Baltimore, Newark and San Jose. It has also cancelled flights to Los Angeles, including one daily flight, for the entirety of May 2018.

Here are known BA cancellations in recent days:

BA281 from London Heathrow to Los Angeles, and the return BA280, is cancelled on Sunday 22 April 2018.

BA279 from London Heathrow to San Jose, and the return BA278, is cancelled on Monday 23 April 2018.

BA185 from London Heathrow to Newark, and the return BA184, is cancelled on Tuesday 24 April 2018.

BA229 from London Heathrow to Baltimore, and the return BA228, is cancelled on Wednesday 25 April 2018.

BA189 from London Heathrow to Newark, and the return BA188, is cancelled on Thursday 26 April 2018.

BA281 from London Heathrow to Los Angeles, and the return BA280, is cancelled for the period Tuesday 1 May 2018 to Thursday 31 May 2018.

Here are known Virgin Atlantic cancellations in recent days:

VS7 from London Heathrow to Los Angeles, and the return VS8, is cancelled on Sunday 22 April 2018.

VS45 from London Heathrow to New York JFK, and the return, VS46, is cancelled on Tuesday 24 April 2018.

There have also been some equipment changes to Virgin Atlantic flights. For example, VS107 from London Heathrow to Seattle has been operated with an Airbus A330 in recent days.

This issue has been affecting both airlines for some time, particularly Virgin Atlantic which has had to lease in aircraft, and is likely to run for some months.
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BA to serve Union Hand-Roasted Coffee

British Airways is to serve an exclusive blend of Union Hand-Roasted coffee in First, Club World and its UK lounges from May 2018.

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Union Hand-Roasted Coffee on British Airways — Union Hand-Roasted Coffee (Image Credit: British Airways)

If we had one complaint about BA Club World above all else, it’s not the lack of direct aisle access for all passengers, it’s the quality of the coffee.

It has always been awful.

The coffee should improve considerably from May, as BA partners with London based Union Hand-Roasted Coffee to provide coffee in First, Club World and BA’s UK lounges.

It a dedicated blend developed by Union to account for changes in taste at altitude. The coffee is a medium roast blend sourced from Peru.

BA says the new coffee should be available by the end of May 2018, which suggests it may be rolled out progressively across long-haul routes.

There won’t be any changes to equipment on board aircraft which means that BA will continue to offer only filter coffee in Club World. BA will continue to offer a choice of latte, cappuccino, filter coffee and espresso in First. There are no changes in World Traveller and World Traveller Plus, nor on short-haul flights.

The coffee stations in the UK lounges will also be revamped as part of the changes (staff with tape measures were spotted at Heathrow last month).

We do have the opportunity to try out the coffee in Club World in June and will certainly report back.
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London Air Travel’s Monday Briefing – 23 April 2018

Welcome to our weekly Monday Briefing on the main developments in air travel in London and around the world, as published every Monday morning at 06:00 BST.

London Air Travel » Page 101

BA Boeing 787 at British Airways Maintenance Cardiff (Image Credit: British Airways)

Hello and welcome to our Monday Briefing for the week beginning 23 April 2018, summarising the main developments in air travel over the past week, and a look the week ahead.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner Woes

Following a recent Federal Aviation Administration Directive limiting the ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standard) of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with certain models of Rolls Royce engines, it is not known how many of BA’s 26 Dreamliners are affected.

However, in the absence of any official statement from the airline, it is clear that it is beginning to have an impact on its operations.

There have been tactical cancellations of Boeing 787 flights to Baltimore, Los Angeles and San Jose (California). In addition, some flights traditionally operated with the Boeing 787-9 have been substituted with a Boeing 787-8.

As the Dreamliner represents about 20% of BA’s wide body fleet it should have the capacity to absorb any additional maintenance requirements. However, this could continue for some time.

There’s more detail in this article which we will update over the next week.
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BA adjusts Boeing 787 schedules following FAA Directive

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Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (Image Credit: British Airways)

As has widely been reported, operators of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are required to comply with an Air Worthiness Directive issued by the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States.

The FAA Directive

The FAA Directive applies to operators of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with certain engine models manufactured by Rolls Royce.

It limits the scope of the ETOPS (“Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standard”). ETOPS allows twin-engined aircraft like the Boeing 787 to operate between 60 and 330 minutes’ away from the nearest airport that can handle a diversion of the aircraft. This Directive may be modified subject to remedial action by Rolls Royce.

Rolls Royce issued a statement on 13 April 2018 outlining which engines are affected. This has been acknowleged by Boeing.

The requirement for additional maintenance to Rolls Royce engines has been going on for some time and has impacted a number of airlines, notably Air New Zealand, Norwegian and Virgin Atlantic. All have leased in aircraft to cover some flights. BA has also cancelled its flight to Doha for an extended period of time to release aircraft for other routes.

BA has made no official statement on the impact of this directive on the airline. As such, it is not known how many of its aircraft are affected. However, as BA currently operates the Boeing 787 Dreamliner on a number of long-range routes to Asia and Latin America, it will inevitably have an impact on the airline’s operations.

BA may choose to substitute aircraft at short notice, or cancel flights as aircraft undergo maintenance.
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London Air Travel’s Atlantic Update – 18 April 2018

The Atlantic Update is published every Wednesday morning at 06:00 BST, providing a weekly bulletin on developments on transatlantic travel between Europe and North America.

London Air Travel » Page 101

Los Angeles Proposed People Mover (Image Credit: Los Angeles World Airports)

Hello and welcome to the The Atlantic Update for Wednesday 18 April 2018, providing a weekly bulletin on developments on transatlantic travel between Europe and North America. The Atlantic Update is published every Wednesday morning at 06:00 BST.

Southwest Airlines Incident

As has been widely reported, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft has been involved in an incident.

Southwest Airlines Flight 1380, which was scheduled to operate from La Guardia New York to Dallas Love Field airport, made an emergency landing in Philadelphia after crew reported issues with the number one engine. There was one fatality.

As investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board is underway. Southwest Airlines is providing updates at its Newsroom.
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BA reveals its new lounge concept at Rome Fiumicino airport

British Airways has opened its new lounge at Terminal 3 of Rome Fiumicino airport, showcasing a new design concept for the airline.

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British Airways Lounge, Rome Fiumicino Airport (Image Credit: British Airways)

British Airways has today, Monday 16 April 2018, opened its new lounge at Terminal 3 of Rome Fiumicino airport.

The lounge is 460m2 in size with capacity for nearly 140 customers.

The lounge features a granite topped bar as its centre piece. In peak times, the bar will be staffed by a mixologist. At other times, it will operate as a self-pour bar.

Whilst there is clearly ample table seating in the lounge it’s not clear from the BA press images and release what is on offer in terms of food.

The lounge also features artwork from artist Patrick Caulfield and a number of pieces from his series of 22 screen prints from 1973 entitled “Some Poems of Jules Laforgue”.

This lounge is a radical departure from recent BA lounge developments such as London Gatwick and the “Galleries” lounges developed by both Davies & Baron and Graven. Indeed, with its relatively muted tones and clean lines, at first sight you would be forgiven for thinking this lounge belonged to SAS Scandinavian Airlines or SWISS. This lounge would certainly not look out of place on the pages of Wallpaper* magazine.

The lounge may also provide some clues to what to expect for future BA lounge developments. BA is also due to open refurbished lounges in Aberdeen and New York JFK Terminal 7. Please see here for BA’s lounge refurbishment plans for the coming years.

BA flies to Rome from London Gatwick and Heathrow. Passengers travelling in Club Europe and British Airways Silver and Gold Executive Club cardholders (and Oneworld Sapphire and Emerald equivalents) are eligible to use the lounge.
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Your children can fly free on BA domestic flights this summer

Your children can fly for free on selected BA flights between London and Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds-Bradford & Newcastle this summer.

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British Airways “Kids Fly Free” Summer Promotion

Your children can fly for free on BA between London Heathrow and select UK domestic short-haul this summer.

BA is once again running its summer “Kids Fly Free” promotion. Children up to the age of twelve can fly for free with at least one adult on flights between London Heathrow and Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds-Bradford and Newcastle. Unlike previous years, no destinations in mainland Europe are included in the promotion.

The promotion only applies to flights to/from London Heathrow and bookings in EuroTraveller economy. It does not apply to flights to/from London Gatwick or London City.

The offer is valid for travel from Friday 1 June 2018 to Monday 5 November 2018. with no blackout dates.

Flights must be booked by Sunday 13 May 2018, as per the attached PDF issued by BA.

It is also worth noting that children can travel for free on the Heathrow Express.

Flights can be booked now on ba.com