We receive a lot of enquiries regarding BA’s plans to replace and refurbish its short and long-haul fleet.
We suspect this is, in part, due to the wide variation in the condition of many of its long-haul aircraft in particular!
BA has a conservative approach to fleet expansion and refurbishment. This is unlikely to ever change. Here’s a run through of recent and forthcoming deliveries and refurbishments by aircraft type:
When an airline introduces a new type of long-haul aircraft into its fleet, it is standard practice to undertake short-haul test flights. This is so pilots can undertake a sufficient number of take-offs and landings to fly the aircraft and cabin crew can become familiar with the layout of the cabins and galleys.
It is for this reason that Finnair will be bringing its brand new Airbus A350 to London Heathrow in October 2015 as part of a series of test flights across Europe.
The Airbus A350 is due to operate on the following flights between London Heathrow and Helsinki and flights can be booked now on Finnair’s website.
Tuesday 6 October 2015
Flight AY831 Helsinki – London Heathrow
Flight AY840 London Heathrow –Helsinki
Thursday 15 October 2015
Flight AY995 Helsinki – London Heathrow
Flight AY996 London Heathrow – Helsinki
Friday 16 October 2015
Flight AY995 Helsinki – London Heathrow
Flight AY996 London Heathrow – Helsinki
The aircraft features an entirely new cabin, including a business class cabin with aisle access for all seats. It is due to fly from Helsinki to Shanghai, Beijing, Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong progressively from 25 October 2015.
We should sound a note of caution that schedules may change at short notice if there are teething issues. It is entirely within Finnair’s discretion to let passengers change flights if this happens, if the rules of your ticket do not allow any changes.
This is one, perhaps, for readers more interested in the hardware of aviation than the “softer” aspects of flying.
Tonight, 24 April 2014, on Channel 4 (UK), “Grand Designs” presenter Kevin McCloud will challenge a team of three engineers to recycle the entire contents of an Airbus A320 aircraft into reusable consumer products in Kevin McCloud’s “Supersized Salvage” (also repeated just after midnight on 4 Seven). Continue reading “See an Airbus A320 recycled in Kevin McCloud’s “Supersized Salvage””
British Airways Logo (Image Credit: British Airways)
International Airlines Group has just announced that it has ordered 18 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft for British Airways for delivery between 2017 and 2023 and has secured a further 18 options.
The group has also secured delivery slots for Iberia, in anticipation of a future order for Iberia, subject to a satisfactory restructuring of the airline.
Whilst this is not the first long-haul order for Airbus by either BA or IAG, for Airbus this is still a significant long-haul order by BA as the A350-1000 aircraft is likely to form a major part of BA’s long haul fleet as a replacement for the Boeing 747-400.
