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BA Euroflyer gets its license
Although BA have been operating from Gatwick since they announced their new low-cost subsidiary Euroflyer, it didn’t actually have its own operators licensed to be a stand alone airline, so in fact, we have all technically been flying under the normal BA airline’s license, although the crew have been those recruited for Euroflyer.
BA Euroflyer, is a wholly owned subsidiary of British Airways and has just received its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and Operating Licence from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
BA Euroflyer operates in a similar manner to the company’s existing subsidiary, BA Cityflyer, flying under the British Airways brand and delivering the usual British Airways service customers know. The issuance of an individual Air Operator’s Certificate and Operating Licence for BA Euroflyer enables the airline to begin the transition of aircraft, flight crew and cabin crew to the wholly owned subsidiary, which is based at London Gatwick. As a passenger, you should not notice any difference.
British Airways launched BA Euroflyer on 29 March 2022, when the airline began operations under the British Airways Air Operator’s Certificate.
Over the next six months, ten Airbus A320s and nine A321s will be gradually transitioned across from British Airways to BA Euroflyer with one A320, registration G-GATL, recently joining the BA Euroflyer fleet. Flight crew and cabin crew will attend an Operator’s Conversion Course, obtaining a formal licence to specifically operate BA Euroflyer aircraft.
BA Euroflyer plans to operate from London Gatwick to more than 30 destinations in Summer 2023 including Bari, Dubrovnik and Seville. Flights priced from £39pp each way are on sale now.
Domestic flights and long-haul destinations will be operated by the mainline British Airways.
Etihad confirm the A380 will return to London
I previously wrote about Etihad bringing back their A380; now not only has this been officially confirmed, but it will be on the London route, which is great news. Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has announced it is reintroducing four of its A380s from the summer of 2023.
The move follows a surge in demand for air travel across the airline’s network and customer feedback.
Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “We know this will be welcomed by our guests who love Etihad’s incredible A380 and its award-winning cabins. We have decided the time is right to return some of our A380s into the fleet to satisfy the demand which has made them financially viable once more. We look forward to welcoming our guests again on board this remarkable aircraft.”
Etihad’s A380s feature The Residence and three double-decker aircraft cabin classes, including 9 First Apartments, 70 Business Studios and 405 Economy Smart Seats. This includes 80 Economy Space seats with a seat pitch of up to 36 inches.
The nine First Apartments set across a single-aisle, offer a private living space with a large leather lounge chair and an ottoman which opens up to become a separate 80.5″ long fully-flat bed. The First Apartment is one of the most spacious in its class and also offers a 24″ swiveling LCD TV monitor and personal vanity unit. You can read my review here.
For the first time, Etihad plans to eventually offer The Residence as an optional extra for guests to further enhance their First experience. I don’t have any further details but this sounds amazing. The Residence is the most luxurious experience on a commercial jet with a living area, bedroom and private bathroom. You can see more about it here.
The Lobby, available to guests in First and Business class, is a serviced lounge and bar area located between the two cabins, featuring leather sofas, refreshments and a large TV with a USB connection.
Etihad expects to return four of its A380s to the fleet in the summer of 2023, with plans to operate to London Heathrow, freeing up capacity for increased frequencies on existing routes and the launch of new destinations.
If you wish to fly on Etihad’s superjumbo you can visit etihad.com
Earn Avios and Uber credit on Heathrow Express
Uber has announced that you can now book the Heathrow Express through the Uber app.
You will remember that you can earn Avios on Uber by pairing your account with your BA Executive Club in the Uber app. When you use Uber to book the Heathrow Express that would still apply but you would also get 10% back in Uber Credits on every train, Eurostar or coach booking if you make a booking on Uber Travel, on or before 31 December 2022. Now you only earn 1 Avios per £1 with Uber whereas you can earn 5 Avios per £1 if you book via this link. Obviously it depends which is more valuable to you – Avios or Uber credit.
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Walk-up Heathrow Express tickets are extremely expensive, but if booking only a day ahead one can get a reduction from £25 to £18 (in the second class, called Express Class), by booking online at the Heathrow Express website. These tickets are limited to a single day, but not to a specific train.
Mind you, the slower Elizabeth Line services only cost £11.90.
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