BA grounding 747 and A380

[HoHoHo]

For good

Just had a chat with a friend who’s a BA Captain and BA have just announced they’re grounding all 747 and A380 aircraft for good with immediate effect.

This stty virus has a lot to answer for.

[Scaleybrat]

For good? Struggling to believe that for the A380 but, if true, this might be the early death knell for the aircraft with other airlines grounding their aircraft.

[boxst]

I don't see why it would be for good. The routes I took regularly before this madness (San Francisco) -- the A380s were full.

[HoHoHo]

I’m only the messenger, I think we will hear for sure shortly.

Unprecedented circumstances mean unprecedented decisions.

[Dr Jekyll]

A BA A380 has just taken off, flight BA11 to Singapore, presumably won't be grounded for at least a couple of days then.

[surveyor]

For good for now is my suspicion. Park the a380 in the dessert. What else can they do with them? No market right now.

I could see some tough decisions being made on 747’s coming up to heavy checks though.

[Mr. Potato Head]

It's no trifling matter.

[scottydoesntknow]

Biggest mistake for the A380 was no freighter version or possibility of conversion.

Old 747s don’t die, they get converted to freighters.

[anonymous-user]

scottydoesntknow said:

Biggest mistake for the A380 was no freighter version or possibility of conversion.

Old 747s don’t die, they get converted to freighters.

Couldn’t be done due to changes / differences in the wing(s).

Well it could be done but wouldn’t have been effective.

I can’t remover now if jig 4 was for F or it was the footings for an F jig 5.

Ultimately no feasibility.

[aeropilot]

Scaleybrat said:

For good? Struggling to believe that for the A380 but, if true, this might be the early death knell for the aircraft with other airlines grounding their aircraft.

I can certainly understand that decision.

The A380 is doomed to a very short life with many airlines.

Air France had already started grounding their A380 fleet even before this virus kicked off.

I just don't think there will be a demand for A380 sized aircraft after this.

As for the 747, well, its days with BA were drawing to an end in a few years time anyway, so again, understandable.

[bobmedley]

Mr. Potato Head said:

It's no trifling matter.

[Europa1]

bobmedley said:

Mr. Potato Head said:

It's no trifling matter.

Have another

[CAPP0]

That's a real pisser if true, I had every intention of flying on a 747 this year or next before they went out of service.

[anonymous-user]

Fantastic bit of insider knowledge, of course the captain would be one of the first to know about the permanent grounding of aircraft.

Pistonheads is worse than the bloke down the pub at times.

[Dr Jekyll]

A BA 747 has just departed for Miami, so certainly the 'immediate effect' bit was wrong.

[dci]

Dr Jekyll said:

A BA 747 has just departed for Miami, so certainly the 'immediate effect' bit was wrong.

I was about to post the same but for NYC.

If BA had any sense they would use the time to carry out any maintenance, repairs, airworthiness directives and such while the aircraft arent required for everyday service.

I'd say that as a result of this slow down and subsequent lack of funds that BA may choose to delay any new aircraft deliveries. We may see the 747s for a while longer than expected.

[Dr Jekyll]

dci said:

I was about to post the same but for NYC.

If BA had any sense they would use the time to carry out any maintenance, repairs, airworthiness directives and such while the aircraft arent required for everyday service.

I'd say that as a result of this slow down and subsequent lack of funds that BA may choose to delay any new aircraft deliveries. We may see the 747s for a while longer than expected.

I'm sure they are, only a small proportion of their aircraft seem to be in service.

[dci]

Dr Jekyll said:

I'm sure they are, only a small proportion of their aircraft seem to be in service.

I have family who work in BA avionic engineering. They have let go of most contracting staff as of last Friday and are set to become very quiet.

They would normally expect to be all hands on deck in a situation like this with refurbishment and upgrade of IFE, avionics, interiors etc.

[dxg]

scottydoesntknow said:

Old 747s don’t die, they get converted to freighters.

Which is deeply ironic, given the origins of the 747...

[generationx]

Europa1 said:

bobmedley said:

Mr. Potato Head said:

It's no trifling matter.

Have another

And another