BA halts Sydney, Bangkok flights to Oct 2021, axes Kuala Lumpur

British Airways now won't return to Australian skies until the back end of 2021.

By David Flynn

 

 

British Airways will suspend its London-Sydney flights until at least October 30 2021 in a sweeping 'right-sizing' of the airline's international network.

 

London-Bangkok flights will also be halted until the end of October, although the daily London-Singapore service will remain open.

 

However, BA's footprint across Asia will be cut by a third as Kuala Lumpur, Seoul and Osaka are scrapped entirely.

 

Full story: https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/ba-halts-sydney-bangkok-flights-to-oct-2021-axes-kuala-lumpur

 

-- Executive Traveller 2020-12-17

4 hours ago, webfact said:

BA halts Sydney, Bangkok flights to Oct 2021, axes Kuala Lumpur

British Airways now won't return to Australian skies until the back end of 2021.

By David Flynn

 

 

British Airways will suspend its London-Sydney flights until at least October 30 2021 in a sweeping 'right-sizing' of the airline's international network.

 

London-Bangkok flights will also be halted until the end of October, although the daily London-Singapore service will remain open.

 

However, BA's footprint across Asia will be cut by a third as Kuala Lumpur, Seoul and Osaka are scrapped entirely.

 

Full story: https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/ba-halts-sydney-bangkok-flights-to-oct-2021-axes-kuala-lumpur

 

-- Executive Traveller 2020-12-17

No great loss. <deleted> airline with creaky old planes and even creakier old cabin crew.

I once asked cabin staff to help me load my carry on bag into the overhead locker. They said they weren't allowed to ...... health & safety regulations!

I guess it's somewhat of a loss and worry for those of us stuck in the UK, but EVA is more than acceptable to me and have used them for the last 10 years or so. I only used BA recently as they were cheaper for some reason. 

 

I imagine if the world opens up sooner, BA will change their mind. But that said, if BA stops flights till October, I would suggest that many airlines might follow suit forcing the TAT to amend their figures down mightily next year.

good, it will help keep the world healthier..

Expect the vacant slots will be snapped up by competitors quite quickly. Thailand not likely to suffer from this, nor customers flying to Bangkok

42 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

I guess it's somewhat of a loss and worry for those of us stuck in the UK

 

How many of you stuck in the UK fly to Thailand via Sydney?

I've not really flown BA as they often are the more expensive airlines and when I have they have by no means been the worst I have flown. I must admit but it really goes against the grain Air France has been my favourite however their stewards some of the worst. I would say to those who are thinking all will be roses in 2021 are greatly mistaken and quite often where BA goes others follow. Sit back and watch as airline after airline cut back flight routes as less and less people fly. Governments have got a taste of heavy handed power over their people and will not let it go and all use people who have enabled this hang your heads in shame. 2021 is going to be the same as 2020 but I have a feeling it's going to be worse and a lot worse.

They were and are advertising flights to uk out off Bkk and only a few days ago into Bkk . Yet when I was looking for flights in May to uk Ba advertised flights then a few days before cancelled every one and then done it for months . That way they get people’s money to keep them ticking over and just issue people with vouchers to book later dates or alternatives. 

Reading some of the comments here a few observations.

 

To those of you that don't work in the aviation business, try to reflect on the real cost of that ticket you buy versus what it was 20, 30 years ago.

 

The upshot of all that deregulation and competition is that it's an industry that has to invest millions in capital to get razor thin margins in return.

 

What that has meant as a consequence is that airline profit margins are now heavily reliant on business and first class travel where the margins are much higher.

 

That market has totally collapsed for the time being.

 

Then you come to load factors. No airline in the world makes money when an aircraft at anything less than 80%, and currently the industry is running at best in the 50-60% range with many routes running much lower than that.

 

Now I have no real interest in BA, or the IAG group, haven't flown on any of their aircraft for years, but they are a commercial enterprise, not some government subsidized entity running a public service.

 

These are hard nosed decisions, where if the demand isn't there, a handful of disgruntled Brits wanting the cheapest coach fare, trying to get back to Asia, does not make a business case to bring widebodies back from storage and operate them at a fraction of capacity.

 

This is going to last for a while yet. I work for Delta, and demand is to say the least 'choppy'. We had a couple of months where things looked to be on the up, but the latest covid surge passenger numbers tanked again.

 

Until passenger numbers are on a sustainable upswing, and the very very important business travel sector improves, don't expect anything close to normal, from any of the airlines!

 

 

Edited December 17, 20205 yr by GinBoy2

2 hours ago, Salerno said:

 

How many of you stuck in the UK fly to Thailand via Sydney?

There are those on this site who provide intelligent input, and there are others who..........

5 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

There are those on this site who provide intelligent input, and there are others who..........

 

Can't read the title of the topic? Have no sense of humour? Are grumpy old <deleted>?

Edited December 17, 20205 yr by Salerno

10 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

There are those on this site who provide intelligent input, and there are others who..........

Proof that you can't make a wit out of two halfwits...

for the dummies. Australia borders are closed! 

 

BA no longer fly this route, it's not economical even for freight 

35 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

Can't read the title of the topic? Have no sense of humour? Are grumpy old <deleted>?

 

Sydney-Bangkok flights in the headline doesn't mention the UK. Maybe the headline writers should have written Sydney-Bangkok-London. Interesting though, isn't it, that BA are still offering daily flights to Singapore but Bangkok isn't worth flying to anymore.

3 hours ago, Salerno said:

 

How many of you stuck in the UK fly to Thailand via Sydney?

I'm guessing actually reading the content of the article is beyond some people !

"London-Bangkok flights will also be halted until the end of October, although the daily London-Singapore service will remain open."

Hmm, October 2021. Do they know something about when Thailand will allow mass tourism to restart that the rest of us haven't been told? 

BA cutting Thailand on the Syd - London via bbk is interesting. I wouldn't be surprised if thats the end of it. Singapore the winner. Asian carriers will benefit in the long run. They still have Qantas as the One World provider on those legs though.