London Heathrow Archives – Page 4 of 18

BA and Qatar Airways to establish joint-venture

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Qatar Airways aircraft in Oneworld livery (Image Credit: Oneworld)

British Airways and Qatar Airways have today announced the formation of a joint-venture on the airlines’ respective flights to UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia via their respective hubs in Doha and London Heathrow.

The joint-venture will take effect from 30 October 2016.

The two airlines will codeshare on all their respective flights between the UK and Doha. This will include Qatar Airways operated flights from both London Heathrow and UK regional airports (Birmingham, Edinburgh and Manchester).

Qatar Airways will codeshare on selected British Airways operated flights from London Heathrow to the UK and mainland Europe.

British Airways will codeshare on selected Qatar Airways routes from Doha to the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

These routes include Colombo, Ho Chi Minh City, Multan, Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Denpasar Bali, Addis Ababa, Entebbe, Dar es Salaam, Basra, Baghdad, Khartoum, Sulaimaniyah, Kilimanjaro, Al Najaf, Dhaka, and Djibouti.

There appear to be some exclusions.

For example, Qatar Airways flights to Australia (which BA serves with its own aircraft and codeshares with Qantas Airways and Cathay Pactific) are not mentioned. Nor are BA flights to North America included, where the growth of Middle Eastern airlines has been politically contentious.

Qatar Airways will not codeshare on British Airways routes from London Heathrow to the UK and mainland Europe which it serves directly from Doha.

Similarly, British Airways will not codeshare on Qatar Airways routes from Doha which it serves directly from London Heathrow.

The two airlines will also seek to co-ordinate schedules and fare pricing.

BA and Qatar have been working more closely in recent years. However, codesharing has been limited to a small number of routes and has not been helped by the fact that, until the end of October, BA flies to Doha via Bahrain and its flights were not well timed for onward connections. BA will fly to Doha non-stop from 30 October 2016.

For BA, this deal enlarges its route network to cover a number of destinations it does not serve from London Heathrow such as routes it has withdrawn from in Pakistan and Africa. Qatar Airways gains access to BA’s distribution network and frequent flyer base in the UK to help it compete more effectively against Etihad Airways and Emirates.

Qatar Airways now owns 20% of BA’s parent company International Airlines Group. Qatar Airways has also announced a codeshare arrangement with fellow IAG member airline Vueling.

More details are available in the IAG press release and codeshare flights are on sale now at ba.com

BA to open dedicated First Class security channel at Terminal 5

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British Airways First Wing, London Heathrow Terminal 5 (Opens April 2017)

Ever since Terminal 5 opened at London Heathrow in March 2008 a familiar complaint has been the circuitous route passengers have to take from the South Security area (via an often crowded set of escalators and past numerous shops and restaurants) to the Galleries South lounge complex.

This is in spite of the fact that the lounges are immediately adjacent to the security area!

Indeed, only passengers with access to the Concorde Room lounge (First Class passengers and Concorde Room card holders) have the privilege of avoiding this via a special door (once rumoured to have cost BA many millions of pounds).

Next April, some nine years after Terminal 5 opened, all this will change for passengers travelling in First Class and British Airways Executive Club Gold card holders (and Emerald members of Oneworld frequent flyer programmes) who will have access to a dedicated security channel near to the existing First Class check-in area at the south end of the terminal. This security channel will also provide direct access to the Galleries First lounge.

BA is confident that this new security channel will also reduce queuing at the existing North & South security zones.

It is obviously encouraging to see investment to improve the experience for passengers at Terminal 5, particularly when so many other airlines are investing in their ground experience at London Heathrow. BA has released some computer generated images to preview the new area which are below.
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BA delays launch of London Heathrow – Tehran to Thursday 1 September 2016

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British Airways Logo (Image Credit: British Airways)

British Airways has delayed the relaunch of its route from London Heathrow to Tehran, Iran from Thursday 14 July to Thursday 1 September 2016.

No specific reason has been given for the delay. However, we surmise that the delay is either due to a shortage of suitable long-haul aircraft or operational and regulatory delays in establishing operations in Tehran.

Affected passengers have the option of an indirect reroute on the following airlines: Lufthansa (via Frankfurt/Munich), Alitalia (via Rome Fiumicino), Turkish Airlines (via Istanbul), or Aegean Airlines (via Athens). Connections to the aforementioned airlines flights will be via British Airways operated flights from London Heathrow.

BA has also revised its schedule for London Heathrow – Tehran which is now as follows:

London Heathow – Tehran

Flight BA153 Depart London Heathrow 20:30 – Arrive Tehran 05:45 (Daily, except Sundays)

Tehran – London Heathrow

Flight BA152 Depart Tehran 08:35 – Arrive London Heathrow 11:10 (Daily, except Mondays)

(Timetable is indicative and may vary by season.)

BA launches London Heathrow – Innsbruck from Sunday 4 December 2016

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British Airways is to launch a new route from London Heathrow to Innsbruck Austria from Sunday 4 December 2016.

The airline will fly to Inssbruck all year round. Flights will operate four times weekly (Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays) for the winter season and twice weekly for the summer season (Wednesdays and Sundays).

Flights will be operate from London Heathrow Terminal 5 using an Airbus A320 aircraft in a two class, Club Europe business class and EuroTraveller economy class configuration.

BA also flies to Innsbruck from London Gatwick and it will be possible to “mix and match” flights if convenient.

Passengers travelling with ski equipment should be mindful that the “basic” EuroTraveller economy fare does not include any checked baggage allowance and the “plus” EuroTraveller economy fare should be selected for checked baggage.

Flights are on sale now at ba.com

United Airlines to introduce new “Polaris” business class cabin

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United Polaris Business Class Cabin (Image Credit: United)

United Airlines has today announced it is to introduce a new business class seat called “Polaris” on its fleet of long-haul aircraft.

The new seat is a bespoke patented design for United Airlines by London based Acumen Design Associates and PriestmanGoode and is manufactured by Zodiac Seats.

The seat offers a fully flat 6′ 6″ bed. In common with many other long-haul airlines, all seats will have direct access to the aisle in a 1-2-1 configuration. However, United will maintain the same seating density by combining inline and angled seats in the cabin.

All seats are forward-facing and each customer’s seat will feature a “Do Not Disturb” sign, mood lighting, one-touch lumbar support, storage areas, multiple surfaces for simultaneous working and dining, and a 16″ high-definition entertainment screen.

United Airlines also promises significant improvements to in-flight amenities and dining. The Polaris cabin will also feature a walk-up bar for in flight snacks.

The Polaris business class seat will be first installed in December 2016 on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and subsequently on Boeing 787-10 and Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. It will also be retrofitted to Boeing 767-300 and Boeing 777-200 aircraft. It will not be fitted to Boeing 787-8, 787-9, Boeing 747 nor Boeing 757 aircraft (which currently operate on a number of London Heathrow flights). United is yet to specify which London Heathrow routes will operate with the Polaris cabin.

United Airlines is also rolling out nine Polaris business class lounges worldwide. These lounges will feature daybeds and pre-flight dining. A Polaris lounge will be fitted out at London Heathrow Terminal 2 in 2017.

Other locations will include Chicago O’Hare airport, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, New York Newark, Washington Dulles, Tokyo Narita and Hong Kong.

This latest development does mean that all-aisle access business class seating is now becoming standard on most long-haul transatlantic airlines. The one exception being British Airways which seems intent on maintaining its primarily 8-across “yin-yang” seating in its Club World business class cabin.

There’s more online on a dedicated a microsite. There’s also more insight behind the design from Acumen Design Associates and and PriestmanGoode.

United Airlines flies from London Heathrow Terminal 2 to New York Newark, Chicago, Washington Dulles, Houston, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Virgin Atlantic To Fly To Seattle From 26 March 2017

Virgin Atlantic will fly from London Heathrow to Seattle from 26 March 2017, replacing Delta on this route.

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Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Upper Class Cabin (Credit: Virgin Atlantic)

Virgin Atlantic is to fly to Seattle from 26 March 2017.

Flights will be operated from London Heathrow Terminal 3 to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport using a Boeing 787-9 aircraft offering economy, premium economy and Upper Class cabins.

Strictly speaking, this is not a new route as Virgin is merely replacing its transatlantic joint-venture partner Delta on this route.

In turn, Delta will also replace Virgin Atlantic on one of the daily frequencies it operates from London Heathrow to Atlanta and Detroit.

Delta has also today announced that it is to fly from London Heathrow to Portland, Oregon from 26 May 2017.

London Heathrow – Seattle

Flight VS105 Depart London Heathrow 11:00 – Arrive Seattle 13:20

Seattle – London Heathrow

Flight VS106 Depart Seattle 19:10 – Arrive London Heathrow 13:00

Delta launches London Heathrow – Portland from 26 May 2017

Delta Air Lines has launched a four times weekly summer seasonal route from London Heathrow to Portland, Oregon from 26 May 2017.

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Delta at London Heathrow (Image Credit: London Heathrow)

Delta Air Lines has announced it is to launch a new direct route from London Heathrow to Portland, Oregon from Friday 26 May 2017.

The route will operate four times a week on a summer seasonal basis to Portland International Airport using a Boeing 767-300 aircraft. The service will end in early October 2017, but will resume in May 2018.

Flights will operate from London Heathrow Terminal 3 (an earlier draft stated Terminal 4 before Delta consolidated all services at Terminal 3) and will be codeshared with Delta’s UK transatlantic joint-venture partner Virgin Atlantic.

This route will be the only direct flight between London and Portland. Flights are on sale now at the websites of both Delta and Virgin Atlantic.

The flight time from London to Portland is approximately 11 hours.

This is also a route that had been a likely contender for a new direct service by British Airways with its Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Delta’s announcement may prompt a rethink on BA’s part. BA may either launch this with a near daily year round service route, or choose another US city that is not already served from London.

London Heathrow – Portland

Flight DL37 / VS4002 Depart London Heathrow 12:30 – Arrive Portland 15:15 (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday)

Portland – London Heathrow

Flight DL36 / VS4001 Depart Portland 17:13 – Arrive London Heathrow 11:10 (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday)

Note that timings are approximate and precise timings may vary throughout the summer.

Update December 2017

This route is scheduled to resume on Friday 4 May 2018 until Saturday 6 October 2018.

BA launches London Heathrow – Santiago, Chile from 3 January 2017

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British Airways Boeing 787-9 First Class (Image Credit: British Airways)

British Airways is to launch a new direct route from London Heathrow to Santiago, Chile from Tuesday 3 January 2017.

The airline will fly to Santiago (Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport) four times a week from London Heathrow Terminal 5 using its Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner, offering four classes of travel (First Class, Club World business class, World Traveller Plus premium economy, and World Traveller economy).

This route will be the longest direct flight on BA’s network with a flight time of 14 hours and 40 minutes.

It will also be BA’s fifth direct destination in Latin America after Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Lima.

BA previously flew to Santiago between 1993 and 1999, initially via a stop in Sao Paulo and then Buenos Aires.

Santiago is a hub of BA’s Oneworld alliance partner LATAM. The two airlines have recently applied to operate a joint-venture on flights between Europe and Latin America. We expect that onward connections on LATAM flights from Santiago may become available in due course.

It will also be possible to “mix and match” direct flights between London Heathrow and Santiago and daily indirect flights via Madrid on Iberia which can be booked as a codeshare with BA.

Flights are on sale now at ba.com BA has also produced a summary PDF document for the new route launch.

London Heathrow – Santiago

Flight BA251 Depart London Heathrow 22:00 – Arrive Santiago 09:45 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)

Flight BA250 Depart Santiago 17:30 – Arrive London Heathrow 10:50 (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday)

(Schedule is indicative and may vary by season.)

BA to fly non-stop to Doha & Muscat from Sunday 30 October 2016

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British Airways is to introduce direct non-stop flights from London Heathrow to Doha in Qatar and Muscat in Oman from Sunday 30 October 2016.

BA has long served both Doha and Muscat. However, a one hour stop-over in Bahrain for Doha and Abu Dhabi for Muscat has been required, adding approximately two hours each way to the journey time.

BA will now fly daily direct to Doha with a four class Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner. BA will fly five times a week to Muscat with a four class Boeing 777-200 aircraft. Flights are on sale now at ba.com.

Why has BA introduced this change?

Well, it now has more departure and arrival slots at London Heathrow. The flight times are more convenient for passengers. Airlines also prefer not to use long-haul aircraft for short flights for operational reasons.

The one significant change is that flights from London Heathrow to Doha will now arrive in Doha in the morning rather than late at night.

BA codeshares with Qatar Airways, a shareholder in BA’s parent company International Airlines Group, on a number of routes from Doha to Dar es Salaam, Peshawar, Karachi, Entebbe, Dhaka, Islamabad and Lahore. Passengers with existing bookings will need to review their itineraries to see if connections are valid or if accommodation is required in Doha.

It is also worth noting that BA does offer flights between Bahrain and Doha and between Abu Dhabi and Muscat for sale and these will clearly not be available from Sunday 30 October.

Flight schedules to Bahrain and Abu Dhabi have also been adjusted to account for the changes to these routes. All flights will also continue to operate from London Heathrow Terminal 5.
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Brussels Airport Closure: BA launch temporary Heathrow – Liege service

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BA Airbus A319 aircraft at London Heathrow (Image Credit: British Airways)

Following the closure of Brussels Airport, British Airways has suspended all of its London Heathrow – Brussels services until Tuesday 29 March 2016. In addition, flight BA389 from Brussels to London Heathrow on Wednesday 30 March is cancelled.

Update Sunday 3 April: All BA flight to and from Brussels have been cancelled through to Thursday 7 April 2016.

The airline is running an alternative service to Liege Airport which is located approximately 90km from Brussels.

Flights will operate up to Thursday 7 April 2016 at the earliest.

Update Sunday 3 April: Flights to Liege will continue until Thursday 7 April 2016 at the earliest.

Flight BA406 Depart London Heathrow 08:55 – Arrive Liege 11:05
Flight BA407 Depart Liege 11:55 – Arrive London Heathrow 12:15

Flight BA410 Depart London Heathrow 13:55 – Arrive Liege 16:10 (28 & 29 March only)
Flight BA411 Depart Liege 17:00 – Arrive London Heathrow 17:15 (28 & 29 March only)

Flight BA408 Depart London Heathrow 15:15 – Arrive Liege 17:30
Flight BA409 Depart Liege 18:15 – Arrive London Heathrow 18:30

Note that if you are booked onto a flight to/from Brussels which has been cancelled you will not be automatically accommodated on these flights to/from Liege. You need to contact BA or your travel agent to be reboooked.

BA is also offering passengers booked to fly to Brussels up to Sunday 3 April 2016 to rebook onto alternative services to Brussels up to Sunday 17 April or to alternative airports such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Paris, Frankfurt and Dusseldorf.

It should also be noted that BA will not meet any incidental expenses such as ground transportation as a consequence of the change in departure / arrival airport.