Well after yesterdays launch of the BA ERJ-170’s, we now turn to the big launch of the week – the London City (LCY) to New York JFK International (JFK) via Shannon. (SNN).
BA has also resurrected the magic flight numbers – BA1, BA2, BA3, and BA4 – last used on it’s Concorde flights.
Lets try and work out what BA were thinking when this route was dreamed up and see how it will work in practicality.
BA1 Outbound
Plane takes off at LCY for a short hop to SNN, where immigration is completed and the plane is properly fuelled for it’s onward trip to JFK (headwinds and runway lenght don’t allow a good length takeoff for it to make the USA).
Onboard service will be a light snack between LCY and SNN, then a full meal after SNN – and a snack before JFK .
BA 2 Inbound
It’s a non stop flight from JFK to LCY. Service will be either dine in lounge or dine in plane, with a breakfast or a brown baggie to take away.
The plane
Ok… the Airbus A318. Some may be boggling at this – can a small jet like that make it over the pond safely? Considering that smaller corporate jets do it daily, as do Boeing 737’s as do other Airbus A319’s. The aircraft is rated for ETOPS 180 (Extended Twin Engined OperationS), thus can endure for 180 minutes with a single engine fail.
Inside, the plane is configured for 32 seats in a variation of the Club World design with the usual flat seats (all forward facing), with 3 cabin crew (in other words a very upper deck of a 747 affair) – and a first for BA – onboard datacoms/wifi and even mobile access (not voice though) powered by OnAir
Cute.
So the big question is: will it work? Are people prepared to pay the sums needed? Lets get rid of the £4000 price tag to start with – least of all, this will be a corporate shuttle in some respects, and thus paid on lower rates anyway.
I think it will succeed over time, least of it gives a better connection for City people and the Docklands Business community. No matter what happens – business people will choose a service to fit their needs – BA has made a new service.
It’ll be interesting to see loads over the next few months.
