British Airways's First A380 Under Construction

[onyx39]

First picture I have seen of the actual aircraft.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/the-big-pict...

[brenflys777]

Shiny.

[croyde]

Jeez! it looks like a resto off Wheeler Dealers. Bet Ed spent more than a week sanding that lot down

[Fishtigua]

Bloody Airfix, they never look finished like the ones on the box lid.

[Vieste]

Thanks croyde i have just spat my wine out

[onyx39]

Being delivered in July apparently.

[Seight_Returns]

Cool - which routes will they be using them on ?

[RedLeicester]

I think I saw a mail about them being on LHR-LAX, but I may be imagining it. Anything has to be better than the creaking 747-400s!

[onyx39]

Seight_Returns said:

Cool - which routes will they be using them on ?

Jnb, lax, and hkg rings a bell.

[V8LM]

LAX and HKG. Currently looks like October for first flights according the their website.

[anonymous-user]

RedLeicester said:

Anything has to be better than the creaking 747-400s!

Depends what the source of the creaking is I suppose.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/15/us-airbu...

[onyx39]

el stovey said:

RedLeicester said:

Anything has to be better than the creaking 747-400s!

Depends what the source of the creaking is I suppose.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/15/us-airbu...

I thought the BA aircraft was one of the first with the modified wings?

[scubadude]

They need something new on the Cape Town route, the current 747 on that route has more DIY bodge fixes on it that my car... and thats saying something!

The rearmost toilets are a testament to what man can reassemble with No-More-Nails and Silicon sealant :-)

[knight]

BA's 747 fleet has its days numbered due to the new aircraft such as the 777-300, A380 and 787

[RedLeicester]

scubadude said:

They need something new on the Cape Town route, the current 747 on that route has more DIY bodge fixes on it that my car... and thats saying something!

The rearmost toilets are a testament to what man can reassemble with No-More-Nails and Silicon sealant :-)

The LAX ones are much the same - the seat in front of me had no lower back a couple of weeks ago - all the cables exposed.

Having said that, I'll miss sitting upstairs.

[onyx39]

RedLeicester said:

scubadude said:

They need something new on the Cape Town route, the current 747 on that route has more DIY bodge fixes on it that my car... and thats saying something!

The rearmost toilets are a testament to what man can reassemble with No-More-Nails and Silicon sealant :-)

The LAX ones are much the same - the seat in front of me had no lower back a couple of weeks ago - all the cables exposed.

Having said that, I'll miss sitting upstairs.

Not on the A380 you wont!

[RedLeicester]

onyx39 said:

Not on the A380 you wont!

Not quite the same as it being just a little gang!

[Seight_Returns]

Showing my age - but it doesn't seem that long ago that BA were using 747-100s on the US East Coast and Mid West routes - they really were getting ropey at the end.

[onyx39]

I remember flying to and from Houston in an ex BCal DC10 in 96.... was pooping myself all the way....

[miln0039]

scubadude said:

They need something new on the Cape Town route, the current 747 on that route has more DIY bodge fixes on it that my car... and thats saying something!

The rearmost toilets are a testament to what man can reassemble with No-More-Nails and Silicon sealant :-)

Yeah, the mid-J config 747s have seen better days, as have the 767 fleet. Both are being retired in the next 5 years or so I believe, most 747s going first.

BA have finally finished upgrading all of their 777-200 fleet now though as the 773 has been introduced. Long overdue!

Think Virgin finally upgrading their LGW/MAN/GLA fleet has forced BA's hand a bit now, particularly on the "leisure" routes.