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BA's first all-business New York flights takes-off
Sri Carmichael, Consumer Affairs Reporter30.09.09
The first direct flight from London City Airport to New York is launched today by British Airways in a gamble to improve its dire finances.
The company, which lost £401 million last year, is running a business class-only service on the route — costing a minimum £1,901 return — in an attempt to attract bankers travelling to JFK airport for Wall Street meetings.
Experts view the move as risky after a slump in international corporate travel from London's airports.
The number of business seats booked on scheduled flights fell six per cent last year after an 11-year rise, and use of executive jets was down 20 per cent in the last three months of the year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.
Other business class-only airlines offering connections between London and New York, including Eos, MAXjet and Silverjet, have collapsed. Their flights were from Luton and Stansted.
Industry experts say BA hopes to prove it can fill flights on the London-New York route without needing to operate lots of European flights to feed in passengers.
They believe the company may ditch some domestic and continental routes, where it struggles because of competition from budget airlines, and concentrate on long-haul if today's new JFK route is a success.
Howard Wheeldon, senior strategist at BGC Partners LP in London, said: “This is an airline that really has to bite the bullet on short-haul, looking long and hard at whether they can ever get a decent margin out of it.”
Environmental group Plane Stupid were planning a demonstration at London City Airport about an hour before the first service leaves. Activists posing as yuppies will be holding placards calling for global warming while lording it over a group representing “the world's poor”.
BA has traditionally made most of its profits from first- and business-class travel. Its new route is flown by two Airbus 318s with 32 flat cabin beds and technology that allows passengers to text, email and use the internet for the first time on a BA flight.
But the journey time of nine hours and 25 minutes is less impressive. There is an enforced stop at Shannon Airport to refuel because the London City Airport runway is too short for an Airbus with a full load of fuel.
However, Irish law means passengers can use the stopover to clear US customs and immigration, potentially more than making up for the 45-minute delay when they pass through JFK faster. Check-in at London City stays open until 15 minute before departure.
Tickets on the new route are 10 per cent more expensive than flying BA business class from Heathrow. In-flight catering is provided by British restaurant Roast, based in Borough Market.
The launch flight number is BA001, the prestigious code used by Concorde until its retirement in 2003.
Reader views (22)
I can understand why BA are try out this venture. There business class service is rubbish, it's always taken me over 20mins to get though there separate security lane at Heathrow T5. I then tried out Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class and what a difference! you get your own security lane which seems to be empty and you just get wisked though, you find yourself in the Upper Class lounge before you know it. I have always found once you step off the plane at JFK there are no ques as you are always the first person off the plane.
What happens if some of the pax have a problem with US immigration in Ireland? does that delay the plane?
- Harry, London
The Wednesday flight from City had only 2 people. Money down the drain. I dont give it that long before this adventure for BA fails. The journey time on there web site from City to JFK is about 9.45 hours the journey time from Heathrow to JFK is 8 hour. I have always cleared immigration and custom well before and hours so dont really see an advantage of paying more and wasting time.
The flight from JFK to London City is much more attractive though.
But I doubt with the enhanced cost this model will be sustainable in the long term.
- Mark, London
Re. re-fuelling - the plane only refuels going to the US, not returning. The issue is to take off with a full fuel-load is not possible for these planes at London City. They can land on a reduced fuel-load so don't stop at Shannon returning - they want to be as empty as possible coming in to LCY.
- Gc, London
Not very green. Amazing how priorities change. We must all work to save the planet. Rich bankers are evil. Now we need rich bankers to waste carbon flying upscale so the economy and British Airline jobs can be saved.
Isn't this a bit schizophrenic?
- James Andrews Kwby Kw, sacramento, California USA
Lots of flights have stops for one reason or another. So we'll stop and tank up. Gives us a chance to wake up, stretch the legs, clean up a bit.
Small crowd, good seat, good service = winner.
- Trunk, US
Will be a success because of 1) pre-clearance of customs before JFK 2) Shorter travel to, and reduced pre-flight check in times at City 3) From pushback to take-off at City is often less than five minutes 4) Shannon airport is uncongested 5)The small number of passengers should allow fast baggage reclaim (should there be baggage).
Overall there will be less stress on the passengers.
- Rodney, Toronto, Canada
"Climate change is almost certainly not man-made" - Johnfaganwilliams, London
Oh dear! Exhibit A in the case for the decline in scientific literacy.
- Sarah, London
Don't forget it's non stop on the way back
- John, Bromley
Freya, London
If we are talking about servicing the business community, then one would presume that when economic recovery occurs, there will be rather more than 32 people travelling between London and JFK, so regardless, it makes no difference whatsoever.
Secondly, business class at Heathrow has a much lower check in time than the 3 hours you say. (Some of us lesser mortals have checked in less than 2 hours to departure.
- John, Twickenham
The pre-clearance at Shannon may be necessary for fuel/runway reasons, but it gives BA a huge advantage over the competition and will soon become a huge marketing bonus. Walsh is on to a winner here (for a change)!
- John, City
"which will take double the time from Heathrow or Gatwick..."
It's a longer flight time, but check-in at City is 15 minutes before take-off, and not the three hours at Heathrow. Also, City Airport is a good deal quicker to get to from the City or Canary Wharf than Heathrow (and business people are the target passenger group). Someone is blogging from the flight at the moment and says they got through US immigration in Shannon in five minutes, which sounds very different from JFK!
- Freya, London
A few years ago Burstin Holidays had flights to Malta (by Boeing 737) flying out of Southend. A short hop to Le Touquet for refuelling to have the range. Flights by Air Malta. Flights always FULL!
The ability to fly locally avoiding the horrors of large airports and travel in/around/through London was well worth a premium for.
BA might just probably have this one right
- Roy, Billericay Essex
there's no fun being in business if you don't get to snear at those in economy. This is just economy in suits and the idea is already a proven failure with companies trying it and going backrupt.
- Harry Jones, London
Refueling?!?!?
i had to read it twice.
Will never work
The problem with BA is that they treat their economy passenger so badly, even if i wanted to upgrade to premium/business/first, BA would not be my choice.
- Mario Kempe, london
Good luck BA. now find a plane that dosn't need refuelling.
- Mr S.Port, London
A very good idea indeed! With the fast track approach of City Airport, the chance to clear US Immigration enroute (i.e. in Ireland) this should be a very fast way to get to NYC. Since the French accident forced BA to abandon Concorde (thereby increasing travel times) this will most probably become the best way to get from London to New York.
Another great idea from BA.
- Mark, London, UK
So Willie Walsh, in a self preserving attempt to obfuscate the full disastrous impact of his 'business class only' strategy which caused BA's financial implosion in the first place, will deal with the failing fortunes of the company by introducing a 'business class only' strategy from LCY to New York, which will take double the time from Heathrow or Gatwick because LCY is not big enough to take the aircraft to be used, when fully fuelled ?
Words fail me !
- John, Twickenham
Just what planet are the BA bosses living on? can they not see what damage this sort of thing is doing to their brand, which at the moment is pretty much their only selling point.
I give it 12months MAX and it'll be the end of BA!
- Alan, London
If youi take this flight be prepared to be named and shamed at the corporate level - the route to stopping junk flying is to make corporations feel embarrassed about taking them.
- Christian Ball, London, UK
Plane Stupid by name.......Plain Stupid by their activities. Climate change is almost certainly not man-made and to try to stop a company taking a brave initiative to help the City of London get back on its feet in the name of this latest "religion" is crass.
- Johnfaganwilliams, London
And alongside all that opposition, the campaign group in East London,Fight the Flights with FOE, is taking Newham Council to court over it's decision to approve a 50% increase in flights at LCY.
- Local Resident, East London
Newham council is being taken to court today by local residents over its decision to allow a 50 per cent increase in flights at London City Airport without considering changes to Government policy on climate change or consulting local people.
Fight The Flights, a community group represented by lawyers at Friends of the Earth's Rights & Justice Centre, says that before approving the airport's expansion in July this year, the council should have considered the Government's intention to reduce aviation emissions to below 2005 levels by 2050 - part of its effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions under the Climate Change Act.
- Darren, Newham
