British Airways : BA: BAW :

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and the Unite union have reached an agreement to resolve their long-running cabin crew dispute.

Following a series of meetings between BA CEO Keith Williams and Unite general secretary Len McCluskey, an agreement has been reached that will be put to a ballot by cabin crew over the next month.
"I am particularly pleased that staff travel concessions will be restored in full with the signing of the agreement and the implementation of the new structure for working together that we have negotiated," said McCluskey.
The two sides in April 2011 agreed to postpone by 28 days the deadline by which, under UK law, the union had to announce dates for industrial action following its latest strike ballot. This avoided strike action over the Easter holiday period.
BA resisted several attempts by the union last year to disrupt its operations through strike action. The dispute had been going on for over a year.
BA is in the process of preparing a response to the latest development.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]' agreement with the Unite union contains a clause aimed at ensuring the long-running cabin crew dispute will not be repeated.

"Our agreement with Unite involves acknowledgement by the union that the cost-saving structural changes we have made in cabin crew operations are permanent," said BA in a statement.
"We have also agreed changes that will modernise our crew industrial relations and help ensure that this kind of dispute cannot occur again."
The two sides reached an agreement on Thursday 12 May that will put an end to a bitter dispute that has been continuing for more than a year.

Jeannot a écrit:Lu dans Air et Cosmos N° 2267 du 27 mai 2011

Offensive en Grande Bretagne

British Airways et Virgin Atlantic Airways sont depuis plusieurs semaines l'objet d'une intense offensive de la part des vendeurs de Boeing. Ces derniers cherchent à placer auprès des deux compagnies un certain nombre de 747-8 Intercontinental. Si Virgin Atlantic Airways a des priorités plus urgentes que l'achat de très gros porteurs, British Airways pourrait bien; comme Lufthansa, adhérer à l'argument du "vide de capacité entre 300 et 500 sièges" que développent les commerciaux de Boeing.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] is eyeing an increase in maximum take-off weight for the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] as part of a series of improvements over 2010-12.

The airframer, which lists the type's current MTOW at 560t, is not disclosing the size of any increase.

But Airbus executive vice-president of programmes Tom Williams, speaking to ATI during a briefing in Hamburg today, said it would be a "small" improvement which operators could trade for increased range or payload.
[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] product marketing head Richard Carcaillet says the airframer is still evaluating the potential improvement and is "not authorised to offer it to the market".

He adds that it would apply to the[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and would not amount to a new variant of the aircraft. There would also be "no empty weight impact".

Other improvements tentatively planned for the A380 during 2010-12, says Williams, include a progressive removal of 2t from the manufacturer empty weight for the type, and new operational functions such as flexible climb.
Earlier enhancements, which are set to be introduced in the fourth quarter of this year, aim to expand on-board diagnostics through built-in test equipment, and bring on board dual head-up displays and functions such as brake-to-vacate.

Un des deux prototypes de l'A380 encore chez Airbus devrait effectuer sur la plateforme de Toulouse-Blagnac un décollage avorté (Rejected Take-Off) avec une masse de six cents tonnes. Bien qu'anodin, cet événement marque le début d'un Airbus A380-800 à rayon d'action accru.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] will take delivery of an improved version of the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] from 2012 offering a slightly better payload/range performance through a modest increase in maximum take-off weight.

Although the airframer has confirmed the weight increase, which will be offered as an option from 2012, it will not disclose the actual figure until the modification passes a critical design review next month. "We'll begin offering it to customers from September, it will be a nice [increase]," says A380 product marketing chief Richard Carcaillet.
The A380-800 is currently offered with a baseline maximum take-off weight of 560t, with an increase to 569t available as an option. Airbus quotes a typical range for the 560t version of 15,200km (8,200nm).

The increased weight version, which is not a new "-800R" type variant, says Carcaillet, will be introduced with a new build standard in 2012. He adds that the performance gain came from a requirement for a couple of customers during sales campaigns against the Boeing 747-8I. BA and Emirates will be the first to receive the upgraded aircraft, in 2012.

The baseline thrust rating currently offered for the A380-800's engines is 70,000lb (312kN), with 72,000lb as an option. Carcaillet does not expect the new weight to require additional thrust, but says this will be confirmed after the critical design review.

Airbus executive vice-president Tom Williams says the weight increase will require a paperwork change for aircraft with the requisite structural capability.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] is about to begin production of an upgraded [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] with increased operating weights that will offer more range and payload capability when it enters service with launch customer [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] in 2013.

The new version features a 4t increase in maximum take-off weight to 573t and an additional 190km (100nm) range that will enable it to fly distances of 15,360km on MTOW-limited missions. Maximum landing weight and maximum zero fuel weight have also each increased by 2t, and structural payload capability rises by 1.5t on MZFW-limited missions.

"Because we understand design cycles much better now, we are able to further optimise the performance," says Airbus's executive vice-president programmes Tom Williams.

Full-scale fatigue testing of the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] has passed 45,000 cycles, which Williams say is 2.4 times the original design service goal or "aircraft life", and testing is continuing to beyond 2.5 design service goals.

To achieve the operating weight increases the airframe structure has been strengthened, which will become standard on aircraft delivered from 2013, although the higher operating weights will be offered as an option. According to Williams the increases are made possible through reductions in flight loads, which are partly achieved by the optimisation of the fly-by-wire control laws.

This new A380 build standard will be introduced later this year when assembly begins of the first wings at Airbus's Broughton, UK plant, and these will also incorporate a 1.5° increase in twist to further optimise aerodynamics as part of the improvement package. Airbus says that the upgrade does not require any thrust bumps, and is not capable of retrofit to earlier build aircraft.

BA is due to be the launch operator for the improved A380, when its first [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]-powered aircraft is delivered in 2013. Airbus executives previously disclosed that the weight and performance gain came from a requirement for a couple of customers during sales campaigns against the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]-8I...........

Il y en a qui oublient !

French parliamentarians have launched a petition calling on Air France-KLM to place a USD$20 billion - USD$25 billion plane order with Airbus and not Boeing -- but airline officials said they would split the order.

Bernard Carayon, a member of President Nicolas Sarkozy's ruling conservative UMP party, who claims authorship of the popular term "economic patriotism" to defend French firms, said he had collected signatures from 102 members of parliament.

"When the Americans buy American, Europeans should buy European," said Carayon, whose list of signatories amounts to more than one in six members of the lower National Assembly.

Mais .... ! ?

Air France-KLM is negotiating with Boeing and Airbus and their engine makers after launching a tender for 100 mid-sized Airbus A350 or Boeing 787 jets to renew its long-haul fleet.

The order for the latest carbon-composite aircraft is seen as one of the biggest industry battles in the coming year.
Airline officials said the contract would be designed according to the needs of the group's two main networks and would probably be split between Boeing and Airbus.

"My view is that at some point in the future, both types of aircraft will be flying on both of our networks," Peter Hartman, chief executive of Dutch carrier KLM said.

Air France and KLM merged in 2004 to form Europe's largest airline by revenues but they kept separate networks and brands.

Historically, KLM has tended to buy Boeing aircraft and Air France has a mixed fleet with emphasis on Boeing for long trips.
Asked whether the Air France-KLM group would miss out on the best price by stating in advance that it was ready to split the order, Hartman said: "Half of 100 is still a lot of planes."

A final decision is not expected for several months.

Carayon's intervention is unlikely to have an immediate impact on the negotiations but is seen as an early warning of the potentially volatile backdrop to the deal as employment once again looks set to dominate French elections due in 2012.

Certainss disent que Bernard CARAYON et le France auraient plus d'impact dans ce genre d'exercice, s'ils décidaient de se montrer plus "européens", et de parler davantage des intérêts des acteurs de l'UE, plutôt que de ceux de la France, seule !

Aerospace is a major source of high-tech jobs in France.

Aircraft industry executives say plane orders such as this one tend to trigger intense lobbying from both sides of the Atlantic, often dragging in the heads of respective governments.

The contest is also happening as the United States and European Union draw towards the close of the world's largest trade battle involving mutual allegations of aircraft subsidies.

Any sign of interference in the Air France-KLM deal will likely be seized on by Boeing as evidence of unfair competition.

The French government owns 15.7 percent of Air France-KLM and 15 percent of Airbus parent company EADS.
Airbus and Boeing are the world's only manufacturers of aircraft in the 250-300 seat class targeted by Air France-KLM. They face the threat of new competition from China, Canada, Russia and Brazil for their best-selling smaller models.
Airbus has sold 2,894 planes to North America in its 40-year history, according to data on the company's website. Over the same period, Boeing has sold 4,100 planes to Europe including to Air France and traditional Boeing buyer British Airways.

(Reuters)

Que pensent nos Forumistes de ce genre de "patriotisme économique" ? [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]

Jeannot a écrit:Pour être complet il faut aussi dire qua BA a aussi pris du 787. Non ?

• A318 : 2 (moteurs : CFM-56) ;
  
• A319 : 33 (moteurs : tous IAE V2500) ;
  
• A320 : 44 (moteurs : 40 x IAE V2500 ; 4 x CFM-56, "héritage" A320-100 de B-CAL) ;
  
• A321 : 11 (moteurs : tous IAE V2500).
  

Jeannot a écrit:Merci Sevrien pour ces détails. Il me semble même avoir lu récemment qu'Airbus venait de livrer à BA son 100ième appareil de la famille A320.

Je vais aller à la recherche des détails, mais je ne suis pas sûr de les rattraper complètement (s'il y a un As, qui soit friand de ce genre de 'chasse'......?). ;) :study:

• by Rhodri Evans, Western Mail
  
• [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]
  

AIRBUS has delivered its 100th aircraft to British Airways.
The latest A320 aircraft, with wings produced at the Broughton plant in Flintshire, joins the two A318s, 33 A319s, 48 A320s and 16 A321s already operated by British Airways.

The 100th aircraft is also the 205th Airbus single-aisle delivered to International Airlines Group, which was formed in January this year with the merger of British Airways and Iberia.

Keith Williams, British Airways’ chief executive, said: “This milestone underlines British Airways’ commitment to continue to invest in new aircraft for the benefit of our customers. The average age of our short-haul Airbus fleet is just over seven years old, making it one of the youngest Airbus fleets of the European network carriers.”

British Airways became an Airbus operator in 1988, when it introduced the A320 in its fleet. It added the A319 in 1999, the A321 in 2004 and the A318 in 2009.

“We are very proud that a world-class airline like British Airways operates every member of our single-aisle family aircraft, and even prouder to deliver to BA their 100th Airbus A320 family aircraft,” said Tom Enders, Airbus president and chief executive. “We look forward to broadening and deepening our partnership with BA,” .

With more than 7,000 aircraft ordered, and more than 4,600 aircraft delivered to over 330 customers and operators worldwide, the A320 family is the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft family.

BA Ops Change Hints At Possible Airbus Orders

British Airways (BA) is restructuring its flight operations unit into Airbus and Boeing divisions, fueling speculation that the airline may still be considering further Airbus acquisitions, including the Airbus A350-1000.
The restructuring along fleet lines is thought to be aimed at streamlining crew training and support requirements, and moves the airline away from the former long-haul and short-haul divisions that have been in place since the merger of British Overseas Airways Corp. and British European Airways in 1974. Airline insiders say the change reflects the airline’s view that aircraft type and flight deck philosophy have now become more important to operations than route structure and flying style.
However, because the change emphasizes the division in fleet, it also exposes the gap in the BA Airbus fleet line-up between the short-haul Airbus A320 family now in service and the yet-to-enter-service fleet of 12 Airbus A380s on order.
The airline previously said that, despite ordering six Boeing 777-300ERs, it still is considering the A350-1000 as part of its future large-twin fleet. BA chief Willie Walsh has acknowledged that the 777-300ER is a potentially obvious replacement for the Boeing 747-400 but, at the same time, has insisted the acquisition never indicated a longer-term preference over the A350 in the airline’s evaluation process.
BA already has ordered 24 Boeing 787-8/9s, which will replace 767-300ERs, but ostensibly selected the 777-300ERs as a stopgap, capacity-filling measure to cope with 787 delays. The long-haul fleet “big twin” contest is therefore still officially open, with the now revised A350-1000 up against whatever upgraded 777-300ER design Boeing may field from 2017 onward.
As it currently stands, BA crew aligned with the Boeing fleet have a relatively easy career progression through 737-400s and 767-300ERs and its 787-8/9 successors, to 777-200ER/300ERs and 747-400s. The Airbus crew, on the other hand, have a more cohesive training system, based on the common flight deck design approach adopted early on by the European airframer.

Jeannot a écrit:La réorganisation de BA pourrait conduire à des commandes d'Airbus.

BA Ops Change Hints At Possible Airbus Orders

British Airways (BA) is restructuring its flight operations unit into Airbus and Boeing divisions, fueling speculation that the airline may still be considering further Airbus acquisitions, including the Airbus A350-1000.

The restructuring along fleet lines is thought to be aimed at streamlining crew training and support requirements, and moves the airline away from the former long-haul and short-haul divisions that have been in place since the merger of British Overseas Airways Corp. and British European Airways in 1974. Airline insiders say the change reflects the airline’s view that aircraft type and flight deck philosophy have now become more important to operations than route structure and flying style.

However, because the change emphasizes the division in fleet, it also exposes the gap in the BA Airbus fleet line-up between the short-haul Airbus A320 family now in service and the yet-to-enter-service fleet of 12 Airbus A380s on order.

The airline previously said that, despite ordering six Boeing 777-300ERs, it still is considering the A350-1000 as part of its future large-twin fleet. BA chief Willie Walsh has acknowledged that the 777-300ER is a potentially obvious replacement for the Boeing 747-400 but, at the same time, has insisted the acquisition never indicated a longer-term preference over the A350 in the airline’s evaluation process.

BA already has ordered 24 Boeing 787-8/9s, which will replace 767-300ERs, but ostensibly selected the 777-300ERs as a stopgap, capacity-filling measure to cope with 787 delays. The long-haul fleet “big twin” contest is therefore still officially open, with the now revised A350-1000 up against whatever upgraded 777-300ER design Boeing may field from 2017 onward.

As it currently stands, BA crew aligned with the Boeing fleet have a relatively easy career progression through 737-400s and 767-300ERs and its 787-8/9 successors, to 777-200ER/300ERs and 747-400s. The Airbus crew, on the other hand, have a more cohesive training system, based on the common flight deck design approach adopted early on by the European airframer.

La vérité est aussi sous les ailes.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] Ops Change Hints At Possible Airbus Order

Le groupe aérien hispano-britannique International Airlines Group (IAG), issu de la fusion de British Airways et d'Iberia, a annoncé vendredi avoir transporté 4,53 millions de passagers en juin, soit 3,8% que les compagnies fondatrices un an plus tôt.

2011 AFP

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] has struck a deal to buy sought-after take-off and landing slots at London’s Heathrow airport from BMI, [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]’s loss-making UK subsidiary.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], BA’s parent company, said on Friday it had authorised the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], which each consist of daily take-off and landing rights.

IAG, which also owns Spain’s [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], is [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] if Lufthansa decides to sell or break up its UK subsidiary.

BA has its home at Heathrow, but cannot expand its services there without additional slots because the airport is already operating at full capacity and the government has rejected the case for building a third runway.

“BA is always looking to increase its slots portfolio because there is no spare capacity,” said an IAG spokesman.

Lufthansa said the slots sold to BA were not needed by BMI for its operations at Heathrow. The transaction should be seen as separate to Lufthansa’s [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], which could lead to the disposal of the UK subsidiary, said people familiar with the situation.

IAG said its share of slots at Heathrow, consisting of take-off and landing rights held by BA and Iberia, would increase from 44 per cent to 45 per cent following the transaction with BMI. IAG added it would not need regulatory approval for the transaction. .....................................

A strategic pawn has been placed in the middle of the Heathrow airport power struggle by [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], as it investigates the possibility of selling British Midland International.

By appointing investment bank Morgan Stanley to look into the potential sale of the loss-making subsidiary, the German carrier is finally addressing a long-standing problem. Meanwhile, other airlines will consider the prudence of a takeover move.

On offer is the second-largest number of slots at Heathrow - an invaluable commodity at one of the world's busiest international airports which is bursting at the seams.

Airport Coordination Limited reported BMI's share of Heathrow's slots as being roughly 8.4% of the total capacity, in its Heathrow summer 2011 start of season report.
Willie Walsh, chief executive of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] parent International Airlines Group has been open about his interest in BMI, telling Airline Business earlier this year: "It's no secret that we've been interested in BMI, but largely because of its slot ­position at Heathrow, rather than the brand."

Andrew Lobbenberg, European airline research analyst at RBS, feels that a purchase of BMI by IAG would be the most natural fit. With British Airways owning approximately 40% of the Heathrow slots, such a move would give it control of around half the airport's total.

He is less convinced by the viability of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] Airways' assertion that it continues "to have a close interest in a combination with BMI".

He explains that it is not obvious how a combination of BMI and Virgin could be a successful or profitable enough business to compete against BA.

Lobbenberg also questions whether Virgin could indeed afford such a purchase.

Citi Investment Research's (CIR) break-up analysis values BMI's equity at £106-248 million ($168-392 million). "Though, if it could find a new backer with deep pockets and the appetite, of course its ability to buy BMI could be transformed," he adds.

Lobbenberg says he is "very unsure about what the industrial logic would be of any combination of BMI with a Gulf carrier".

CIR questions whether any buyer would be interested in purchasing BMI in its entirety, because the carrier's three distinct divisions - BMI, BMI Regional and BMIbaby - do not match with most other airline groups, and that Lufthansa must therefore consider each separately.

The final intriguing development of the saga is that the news came at the same time as the announcement that Lufthansa's Stefan Lauer, chief officer of Lufthansa's subsidiary airlines, will be stepping down from the role of chairman of BMI.

In his place, BMI appointed Vagn Ove Sørensen, the former deputy chief executive of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

British Airways, an International Airlines Group company, has selected Airbus Flight Hour Services (FHS) to provide aircraft inventory support for its A380 fleet of aircraft.

The FHS agreement, which will run for 15 years, provides an extensive scope of A380 line replaceable units (LRUs), spare parts, repairs and logistics services to British Airways Engineering. In addition, it will feature the deployment of a non-exclusive pool of A380 LRU spare parts at London Heathrow Airport, the major A380 hub in Europe.

Garry Copeland, Director of Engineering at British Airways said: “This long-term commitment recognises our confidence in Airbus to deliver the best possible service to future British Airways customers on A380 daily operations around the world.”

Didier Lux, EVP Customer Services at Airbus said: “We are delighted to welcome British Airways as our first A380 FHS customer in Europe. This strengthens both our worldwide market position and ability to expand our presence in this area.”

British Airways currently operates a fleet of more than 80 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. British Airways has ordered 12 A380s, which are scheduled for delivery from 2013 onwards.

The Airbus FHS portfolio today includes half a dozen customers (operators of A330, A340, and A380 aircraft), all benefiting from outstanding operational performance.

• pour ses A380-800, BA est devenu la première compagnie aérienne européenne à avoir conclu avec l'Airframer Airbus un accord, pour une période de 15 ans, de FHS ("Flight Hour Services"), soit un contrat de suivi et de remplacement de pièces (accord multi-pièces), tout à fait du même genre, dans le principe, que les Accords TotalCare de RR ;
  
• pour la motorisation de ces A380, BA a conclu un accord TotalCare avec RR pour les RR Trent 900.
  

C'est dire .... !

Iberia's new subsidiary Iberia Express has been given the go-ahead by the board of parent International Airlines Group to launch operations next summer.

The new division will operate part of Iberia's short and medium haul network from a base at Madrid Barajas using a fleet of Airbus A320s in a two-class, business/economy configuration. It will serve point-to-point markets as well as providing transfer feed onto Iberia's long-haul network.

"The subsidiary will offer competitive fares from Madrid and is being established to compete effectively in the Spanish domestic and European market," said IAG. "Over time it will look to develop new markets and destinations and strengthen the Madrid hub, creating new jobs for the Spanish economy."

The subsidiary will launch with an initial fleet of four A320s, growing to 13 aircraft by the end of 2012 - all sourced from Iberia.

"Iberia Express will have lower operating costs than Iberia's loss-making short and medium haul business," said IAG.

This will be achieved by recruiting staff to the airline "at market rates" and having "improved aircraft utilisation", it added. Initially, maintenance and ground handling has been awarded to Iberia.

"The creation of Iberia Express will not change the terms and conditions of existing Iberia employees or Iberia's existing relationships with Vueling and Air Nostrum," said IAG.

Virgin Atlantic is still keen on buying smaller UK rival bmi despite waning growth across the aviation industry, Virgin Atlantic's chief executive Steve Ridgway said.

"The bmi sale process is ongoing and we're still involved in that," Ridgway said on Tuesday.

Lufthansa, which owns bmi, has said that it is considering finding a partner for loss-making bmi, and has mandated bankers to sound out a potential sale.

Airlines are keen to get hold of bmi's coveted takeoff and landing slots at London's Heathrow airport.

Bmi controls about 10 percent of the take-off and landing slots at Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, making it second there only to IAG-owned British Airways, which now has around 45 percent of the slots.

Last month BA acquired six daily takeoff and landing slots at London's Heathrow airport from bmi for an undisclosed sum.

"Bmi is an important UK asset and I think it needs to be dealt with wisely," said Ridgway, when asked if Virgin would look at acquiring bmi's slots instead of the airline itself.

Virgin Atlantic, majority-owned by billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Group, swung to a full-year profit in the year to March but expects higher fuel prices, weakening consumer confidence and tough economic conditions to impact the business in its current fiscal year.

"Growth rates are low and it's very challenging for airlines at the moment and will probably continue to be like that in the months ahead," said Ridgway.

Industry body IATA last month said it expected airlines to suffer a weak end to the year due to waning consumer confidence, sluggish international trade and high fuel prices.

It said a weak global economy would prompt a sharp fall in airline profits in 2012 and cut the industry's profit margins to 0.8 percent from 1.2 percent this year. IATA forecasts industry profits in 2012 will fall 29 percent to USD$4.9 billion from USD$6.9 billion this year.

Ridgway also poured cold water on a plan to link London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports by high-speed train.

The British government last week said it was considering connecting the airports -- creating a virtual hub dubbed Heathwick -- to increase capacity in the London aviation market

"Building this link between airports is not really practical especially given the constraints placed on runway capacity in the UK," he said.

(Reuters)