Jump to content
IGNORED

BA have retired all 744's with immediate effect


Shaksey

Recommended Posts

43 minutes ago, Roadglide said:

What a shame...one thing NOT mentioned is that the 747 is a faster aircraft, than any twin engine commercial aircraft in current usage.

But the design of the 747 is 50 years old, and its 4 engines obviously use substantially more fuel, and cost so much more to maintain than the current crop of twin engine planes. 

And while you're correct that its max speed is technically about 5 or 6 miles per hour faster than today's crop of twin engine planes.........planes almost never fly at max speed.  They fly at cruising speed which takes into account fuel burn.  The statistical flight time difference is so small that it's not even calculable. 

I've flown well over 1,000,000 miles on 747s over the last 5 decades, and I'll opt for a ride on a Dreamliner 787 any day.  It's so much smoother, quieter, more comfortable, has larger windows, is more pressurized, and the air is filtered and conditioned better.  Progress!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Flying LHR-BKK once on BA 747. One of the RB211's wouldn't play ball. This is T3 so have to wait ages for spanners guys to get over from BA engineering base. They get the lump working. BA9 was scheduled for 22:00 i think back then, it was now gone 23:00. Trundle to 27L. Guy in Eco has a heart attack. Career back to nearest available stand. Paramedics on. Patient off. Now we don't have enough fuel on board. Captain demands a top up and uses some seniority to get the last departure of the day. We career back to 27L, way past the midnight cut-off.  

We arrive in BKK - EARLY.

I said thanks to the Captain and two FO's while waiting for luggage....he said oh thank my employer, it's BA who paid for the extra £20,000 of fuel we just burned to arrive on time :D

747-400 can CRUISE at much higher speeds than the new crop of twin jets. Sure they can nearly go as fast flat out but they can't cruise anywhere near as fast in an economical manner which is the whole point of them in the first place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, vivid2 said:

But the design of the 747 is 50 years old, and its 4 engines obviously use substantially more fuel, and cost so much more to maintain than the current crop of twin engine planes. 

And while you're correct that its max speed is technically about 5 or 6 miles per hour faster than today's crop of twin engine planes.........planes almost never fly at max speed.  They fly at cruising speed which takes into account fuel burn.  The statistical flight time difference is so small that it's not even calculable. 

I've flown well over 1,000,000 miles on 747s over the last 5 decades, and I'll opt for a ride on a Dreamliner 787 any day.  It's so much smoother, quieter, more comfortable, has larger windows, is more pressurized, and the air is filtered and conditioned better.  Progress!!

Don't think you have been on a Qatar 787-8 Dreamliner !  Nickname is ' Nightmareliner' for a good reason. in Economy 9 abreast 17" seat width.

I always try and avoid 787-8 when flying Qatar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In economy there can be a couple of inches difference in leg room between different planes and airlines. This may not be a big deal when you are 170 or even 180 cm. But when you're nearly 200 cm, it makes a heck of a difference. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Better 3-3-3 seating in a Screamliner, than 3-4-3 in an tatty elderly BA 777-200 to BKK, I've heard bad things about their packed-in tourist-flights out of Gatwick to the Caribbean, too. 

I wonder what BA will be using in-future on the Bangkok run, after this current-mess subsides, and more-normal travel resumes ? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, semi-retired member said:

Better 3-3-3 seating in a Screamliner, than 3-4-3 in an tatty elderly BA 777-200 to BKK, I've heard bad things about their packed-in tourist-flights out of Gatwick to the Caribbean, too. 

I wonder what BA will be using in-future on the Bangkok run, after this current-mess subsides, and more-normal travel resumes ? 

JAL has 2-4-2 seating in their 787, as another poster mentioned they are a smother flying aircraft and the air is better, but it will be a shame to see the 747 going away.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

747 v Dreamliner.  No comparison.  Its like comparing a modern car with a classic.  Sure, the new car is quieter and has lots of pretty lights on the dashboard, but the old girl has class.

Sad to see the end of an era. They are just a magnificent sight on the Runway.  But, once I'm in the air, I'll take the Dreamliner anyday.  That said, many people dont ever get to experience the joy of flying, so I'm always grateful at takeoff and landing, as I look down on all those houses, that I get to fly.  

Fairwell you beautiful plane.   Just like many of the girls in Patts, I'm happy to have been inside you.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, semi-retired member said:

Better 3-3-3 seating in a Screamliner, than 3-4-3 in an tatty elderly BA 777-200 to BKK, I've heard bad things about their packed-in tourist-flights out of Gatwick to the Caribbean, too. 

I wonder what BA will be using in-future on the Bangkok run, after this current-mess subsides, and more-normal travel resumes ? 

BA had scheduled change from 30th June with B787-9 Dreamliner.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, semi-retired member said:

Better 3-3-3 seating in a Screamliner, than 3-4-3 in an tatty elderly BA 777-200 to BKK, I've heard bad things about their packed-in tourist-flights out of Gatwick to the Caribbean, too. 

I wonder what BA will be using in-future on the Bangkok run, after this current-mess subsides, and more-normal travel resumes ? 

It will probably be back to the grubby old 777-200's. The BKK route for BA is not a high yielding or "prestige" route so they don't try too hard

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what the aircraft is, it is down to how the individual airlines configure and maintain them that makes the difference in my opinion

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BA,  London LHR <-> Bangkok BKK.

- According to the British Airways website and Kayak, the daily passengers flights will resume on Sept.1.

- Type of aircrafts : From Sept.1 to Oct.24, Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner ///// From Oct.25 to Dec.31, Boeing 777-200. British Airways has currently 4 configurations for the B777-200 (3 with 3 classes, 1 with 4 classes), from 224 seats to 336 seats. I don't know which one they will use for this route.

Of course, things could change quickly : number of flights/week, type of aircraft, prices ...

- LHR -> BKK = flight BA9 ///// BKK -> LHR = flight BA10.

BA is currently operating  3 cargo-only flights/week to/from LHR/BKK with B787-800 and 777F (freighter).

- Boeing 747. Superb design !!! I hope to fly one more time on a 747-400 or 747-800. Maybe with Lufthansa or Korean Air. The 747 freighters will operate for many more years with Cargolux, UPS, Cathay, etc. Here is an interesting article about the British Airways 747s from 1971 to 2020. https://londonairtravel.com/2020/07/17/british-airways-retires-boeing-747/

Note : Before the outbreak, BA had planned to retire his last B747 in 2024.

B747-400 BA.jpg

Edited by tulakom
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 19/07/2020 at 18:44, Kandinski said:

Marginal faster and nothing noticable https://thepointsguy.com/2017/03/fastest-passenger-jets/

 With respect, the points guy is not a valid source of aeronautical engineering information.  He barely knows what he's (or his hacks, sorry content creators) are talking about on a good day.

Mach velocity formulae is not linear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

737s are also in the news. It's a bit disturbing. Hopefully, airlines are being diligent about keeping up their maintenance while so many aircraft are sitting idle.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2020/07/24/faa-emergency-inspections-boeing-737-corrosion-engine-failures-coronavirus-storage/5501391002/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 16/07/2020 at 22:07, jaynewcastle said:

Some people actually plan & book their flights based on the type of airplane used on the route.

 

Hard to believe, but true 


If you fly on an aircraft type with an aluminum fuselage the humidity will be close to zero (by design) and that fucks you up on a long flight.

If you fly on an aircraft type with an aluminum fuselage, cabin altitude is much higher (again by design) and the effects of altitude sickness fucks you up on a long flight.

If you fly on an aircraft type that bleeds air from the engines to pressurize the passenger cabin, air contamination fucks you up on a long flight.

High levels of ozone prevalent in the stratosphere contaminate the air you breath on most aircraft types that don’t filter, and that fucks you up on a long flight.

Knowing a bit about aircraft types enable you to make choices that will spare you the pain from all of the above.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Left Bangkok for Frankfurt on a Lufthansa 747 on Monday night. Imagine it might be a last time for me. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some people actually plan & book their flights based on the type of airplane used on the route.
 
Hard to believe, but true 

I wouldn’t say I book flights based on airplane type but I would certainly look for alternatives if it was a 737 Max.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, footix said:

Left Bangkok for Frankfurt on a Lufthansa 747 on Monday night. Imagine it might be a last time for me. 

B747-800. Maybe not your last time ... Lufthansa has presently 19 B747-800 (average age : only 7y). Presently, 8 are active and 11 stored. Impossible to know what will happen in the coming months. I would be happy to go back to Thailand with this aircraft. I chosen several times LH between Frankfurt and BKK, good timing, good service and good price but it was with A340-300 or A330-300. Now (before the outbreak !!!) I fly with Thai Airways. More comfortable.

LH has also 7 old 747-400 presently stored. They will probably be retired (as BA ). Below : LH 747-800. Cheers.

LH 747-800 364seats 90ko .png

Edited by tulakom
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 17/07/2020 at 00:12, Shaksey said:

All 31 of them they still operated. Not so long ago, until 2015 i think they were operating 54.

Gutted.

Absolutely bloody gutted.

1A/K, 62A/K (day), and 64A/K (night) were/is/are the best seats on any commercially operated aircraft, ever, apart from any of the 100 on Concorde, obviously.

Gutted.

 

 

I've flown in all those seats on a BA 747s plus I flew BA Concorde on 13th March 2003 to New York for St Patrick's day. I was working for BA at the time - It was 339 GBP one way LHR-JFK and 44GBP to get back home on a 747 in economy.

My last BA 747 flight was in 2019 and I hadn't been on one in ages but it felt so familiar. Little did I know it would be the last one. I spent my twenties and thirties travelling all over the world on staff travel on BA 747s and 777s. In fact, my fist trip to Thailand was on BA9 back in 2001 and IIRC that was on one of their last serving classics.

Over the past few years, I have flown biz on BA, Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, Finnair, JAL, Cathay, United, American, Royal Jordanian and Qantas. BA's hard biz product up until this year was truly awful (I have not flown the new one) and I understand the knockers but I'd take a BA 3-3-3 777 over any 3-4-3 from any airline, they are horrific.

Edited by javasumatra
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cardiff:

510E619C-1F7F-4A38-8508-456F39842F60.jpeg

  • Like 2

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

So remember to “Enjoy every sandwich”

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, javasumatra said:

I've flown in all those seats on a BA 747s plus I flew BA Concorde on 13th March 2003 to New York for St Patrick's day. I was working for BA at the time - It was 339 GBP one way LHR-JFK and 44GBP to get back home on a 747 in economy.

My last BA 747 flight was in 2019 and I hadn't been on one in ages but it felt so familiar. Little did I know it would be the last one. I spent my twenties and thirties travelling all over the world on staff travel on BA 747s and 777s. In fact, my fist trip to Thailand was on BA9 back in 2001 and IIRC that was on one of their last serving classics.

Over the past few years, I have flown biz on BA, Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, Finnair, JAL, Cathay, United, American, Royal Jordanian and Qantas. BA's hard biz product up until this year was truly awful (I have not flown the new one) and I understand the knockers but I'd take a BA 3-3-3 777 over any 3-4-3 from any airline, they are horrific.

I was nearly on but had to change dates, the last BA9 744 service to BKK a few years ago. Still annoyed by missing that now. 

CW on upper deck in 64A/K I think was the best Biz Class seat in the sky - it was just such a massive area of super private enclosed space and being on the ud made it even better.

The new CW suites are really really nice. Better than Qatar's Q's.

I managed to find one pic of me in 1K on BA 744 my friend took last year (he was an ass and swiped 1A from me at checkin as he "owned" the booking, git). I  subsequently am looking like a moody git and remember saying to him don't worry these are flying until 2024, plenty of time and future flights to get pics of us looking cool in 1A/K. 

I was wrong :rolleyes:

Inked1-K-a-LI.jpg

Our return flight was also booked in 1A/K on 744 but one of the RB211's went NBG so we got bumped onto a 773. Rather annoying now in hindsight that my last 747 flight was lost like that.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My last BA first flight was back in 2006 LHR-NRT on a 744. BA used to give staff courier flights which were eligible for business on a duty onload code. I got pushed from 36B to 4K at the gate :-)

My most recent first experience was Cathay ORD<>HKG in 1A on a 773 in 2018, I thought that flight was awesome and far superior to BA first although maybe not a fair comparison as BA was many years before.

My best business class flight was QR on the A380 and that was not even qsuites.

My last flight back from Thailand was SQ Y+ on the A350 SIN-EWR. That was about 18 hours but super comfy and great service. Mrs Sumatra and I had the 2 seats on their own and the time flew.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
On 21/07/2020 at 00:21, Shaksey said:

 With respect, the points guy is not a valid source of aeronautical engineering information.  He barely knows what he's (or his hacks, sorry content creators) are talking about on a good day.

Mach velocity formulae is not linear.

As far as I'm aware the 747 cruises using only 2 engines, the other 2 idle. With 4 used only for takeoff and possibly landing (braking)

But I could be wrong

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have also flown a few million miles on 747's over 40 years, mainly in Business and First, mostly BA - loved the plane. Really loved the private jet feel of the upper deck, that was the way to fly!

With all the new twin engined planes on long haul I hadn't been on a 747 for a few years and then had a BA flight from the US to London on one last year. Still loved it, but I was surprised how noisy it was compared with the A380 and the newer twin engined aircraft. The comparison was significatnt to me even though I was right up front. Just shows how things can improve, even though the 747 was brilliant.

Fly A380's while you can as i suspect they will be next to go.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guys, guys its just a plane, eat, drink, sleep arrive.....Simple.   Sadly we all fly by price and as a result the future will be slower and more cramped aircraft. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shame,I will miss them

Lots of good nostalgic memories.....

I wonder if I will feel the same way about A380's

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.