BA to start flying from NYC to continental Europe

[i_mizrahi]

The first sign of change in the European airline market, about six months before the new US - EU open skies aviation agreement takes place:

http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=10315

British Airways CEO Willie Walsh does not expect the first stage of EU-US open skies, set to take effect at the end of March, to have a major impact.

"I expect nothing radical and nothing like the predictions of [European Commissioner of Transport Jacques] Barrot," he said at the Routes Leaders Forum in Stockholm. He foresees a move of some capacity from London Gatwick to London Heathrow, but nothing far-reaching and nothing that will cause BA to lose significant transatlantic market share.

Walsh confirmed to this website that BA will start operating from "two or three" bases in continental Europe to New York JFK with newly refurbished 757s. The carrier has 13 757s in its fleet and currently operates them on short/medium-haul services. He stressed that BA will not operate 757s on transatlantic routes from the UK and that only "some" will move to the continental Europe transatlantic routes. "The 757 is not the perfect aircraft [to operate transatlantic] but it will compete well [with US carriers]," he said.

He conceded that US passengers rather than European customers are the target of the expanded transatlantic services. "BA is a very strong brand in the US," he explained. "We have a strong market presence because we serve 18 [US] destinations out of London and are known for our excellent service and product. We have our own terminal in JFK. Overall, we see [continental Europe-US services] as a low-risk operation, but we will start small."


by Cathy Buyck

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http://aviationblog.wordpress.com

[T-Bird76]

Wow BA 757s at JFK! That will be pretty cool to see. Those 757s are dam old though, they were some of the first off the line at Boeing.

[RDU-JFK]

Terminal 7 would be awfully cramped with these added flights, no?

[Ari707]

I like how he says the 757 isn't the perfect aircraft for tran-atl but it will compete well with the us carriers.....was that a little dig???

[LGA777]

Keep in mind BA has operated the 757 before at JFK from BHX and GLA with one doing a round-trip to YYZ between the TA sector. Also the older part of the BA 757 fleet have been gone for several years most with TNT as freighters. The remaing ones where built between 1990-1998 with over half being 1997 and 1998 models. Sorry Tommy.

LGA777

[T-Bird76]

Keep in mind BA has operated the 757 before at JFK from BHX and GLA with one doing a round-trip to YYZ between the TA sector. Also the older part of the BA 757 fleet have been gone for several years most with TNT as freighters. The remaing ones where built between 1990-1998 with over half being 1997 and 1998 models. Sorry Tommy.

LGA777

I stand corrected.

Act 24398 757-236 G-CPEL British Airways 1992-08-24
Act 24882 757-236(ER) G-BPEC British Airways 1994-10-31
Act 25059 757-236(ER) G-BPED British Airways 1991-04-30
Act 25060 757-236(ER) G-BPEE British Airways 1994-11-20
Act 25806 757-236(ER) G-BPEI British Airways 1994-03-09
Act 25807 757-236(ER) G-BPEJ British Airways 1994-04-25
Act 25808 757-236(ER) G-BPEK British Airways 1995-03-17
Act 28665 757-236 G-CPEM British Airways 1997-03-28
Act 28666 757-236 G-CPEN British Airways 1997-04-23
Act 28667 757-236 G-CPEO British Airways 1997-07-12
Act 29113 757-236 G-CPER British Airways 1997-12-29
Act 29114 757-236 G-CPES British Airways 1998-03-17
Act 29115 757-236 G-CPET British Airways 1998-05-12

Wow I thought by that time most of their biz beside the wide body product went to Airbus. Ron it never ceases to amaze me of the knowledge you have of the former air routes out of the area, really great stuff.

[cancidas]

peel is a walking encyclopedia! seriously though, could this bring a need to have BA's 757 fitted with bent wings? please oh please oh please!!

[adam613]

I still can't figure out who in their right mind would willingly pay for a coach-class seat in a 757 for an 8+ hour flight.

[hiss srq]

I remember 757's at JFK. I miss them. I loved those planes in the Landor colors. Some of the sexiest airplanes to ever fly. Old or not. Giggity giggity. Today has been such a good day thus so far for me it is not even funny in the airline world. :borat: :borat: :borat: :borat:

[LGA777]

Tommy and Matt, thanks for the kind words. I have 2 or 3 video's I shot from JFK with the BA 757's and watching these from time to time helps me to jog my memory. And adam613, while 8 hours on a 757 would seem painful its not that bad. I did SFO-STL-LGA once on TWA, around 7 hours including the stop. And once I did a day trip when US subbed a 757 for the normal 727-200 and flew LGA-MCO-SJU-PHL-LGA but that was in First, was about 13 hours LGA-to-LGA. CO provides the only nonstop service to NYC via EWR from Europe on some of it's 757 routes and many people would prefer 8 hours on a 757 as apposed to 7 hours on a wide-body but 10-11-12 hours total travel time because of a connection. Other advantages include a less crowded boarding area, less time to board, and similar advantages upon arrival. And while the 757's 3 and 3 config is undesirable to some keep in mind many widebodies are now 3-4-3 so for us window seat fans the same basic results.

Cheers

LGA777

[ISP Pilot]

Even though BA serves 18 US destinations, they are at an extreme disadvantage since oneworld AAdvantage members cannot accrue miles on BA transatlantic flights to/from the US.

[nwafan20]

C'mon BA, bring one of those 757's to replace the flight you took away from us!!! If we can't even have a 767 flight, give us a 75!

[NYARTCCFAN]

Hiss don't ou want the Chance to Say Speedbird at LGA. BA TO LGA w/757 which more than fit's nicely on 4/22 OR 13/31

[Nonstop2AUH]

I'm curious to know if the new (i.e. recently refreshed and heavily advertised) Club seat units would fit in a 75 because the 2 seat outer units (forget the odd 4-seat middle in this case) strike me as kind of ill-suited to be fitted in a single aisle aircraft. But I imagine they have to find a way to offer at least a near-Club product on these aircraft otherwise they will disappoint their FF base and dilute the brand. Consistency of the onboard experience in premium cabin is a major reason why even when they may have come up short in other areas from time to time, BA has some very dedicated customers.

That said, this summer I had a chat with a longtime BA cabin service director who said they were moving towards tailoring the service levels to the level of competition on specific routes; e.g. in Asia/Middle East offering their latest and greatest because they are up against SQ and EK and in Africa and on Atlantic routes (especially those US to London routes where VS doesn't compete) maybe offering a little less where they can get away with it.

[hiss srq]

Hiss don't ou want the Chance to Say Speedbird at LGA. BA TO LGA w/757 which more than fit's nicely on 4/22 OR 13/31

I could only dream. Saturday only serivce perhaps? lol (dreams)

"Speedbird 604, Short of Kilo for the 737 than make the right on Zulu Alpha and up to spot 21. Expect clearnce to the gate from there." :borat: :borat: That would be naiiiiice!