British Airways Makes Big Changes To US Airbus A380 Flights This Winter

Summary

• British Airways has pulled the Airbus A380 from Dallas/Fort Worth in November and December.
• Double daily Miami flights are coming aboard its largest aircraft, similar to previous years, but it was not scheduled until now.
• While subject to change, the carrier plans seven A380 routes this coming winter.

Based on the schedule update over the weekend, British Airways has changed its A380 plan. It will not use the double-decker quadjet to Dallas/Fort Worth in November or December, and Miami will grow to twice daily A380. While the latter has existed in previous years, it has not been scheduled or confirmed for this coming winter until now.

BA to Dallas/Fort Worth

The oneworld carrier has deployed the A380 to Dallas/Fort Worth, the busiest hub of transatlantic joint venture partner American, since July 2022. Until now, it has operated year-round, with the Texas airport seeing it every month.

While this was the plan in 2024, the latest information shows that the last A380 service will be on October 25, two days before northern airlines, including BA, switch to winter schedules. The Boeing 787-10 will operate until December 31, 2024, providing 213 fewer seats per departure. It will, at least, help with higher loads and better winter yields. The capacity difference is as follows:

• Six fewer first seats
• 49 fewer business seats
• 20 fewer premium economy seats
• 138 fewer economy seats

BA’s daily service supplements American’s four daily 777-300ER/777-200ER Dallas-Heathrow offering.

It would be easy to say that the freed-up aircraft would be used to Miami, as discussed below, but this seems to have been planned anyway. It is, therefore, unclear if anything else is to materialize.

When the A380 returns to Texas on January 1, 2025, BA193 will leave London Heathrow at 10:40 – I often see it climbing away while in my office – and arrive at 15:05 local. Returning, BA192 will depart at 18:50 and arrive home at 09:45+1.

BA to Miami

During the northern summer season, BA has a daily A380 service to Miami, alongside American’s double daily 777-200ER/777-300ER operation. However, as in previous years, BA has confirmed the quadjet will operate twice daily to the Florida hub from October 27, the day the carrier switches to winter schedules based on IATA slot seasons.

In mid-November, the twice-daily A380 schedule will be as follows, with all times local:

• Heathrow-Miami: BA207, 10:00-14:50; BA209, 14:15-19:05
• Miami-Heathrow: BA206, 17:10-06:30+1; BA208, 21:30-10:55+1

Seven winter A380 routes

As of April 4, BA’s winter plan with the equipment is as follows. However, it is subject to change, so treat it cautiously.

• Miami: double daily
• Johannesburg: daily
• Los Angeles: daily
• San Francisco: daily
• Dallas/Fort Worth: daily (except October 26-December 31)
• Singapore: daily (terminator service; it does not continue to Sydney)
• Dubai: daily

How it compares to previous winters

Examining Cirium schedules shows that BA used the A380 to Chicago O’Hare in winter 2023, with daily flights between November 15 and December 12. It marked the end of all A380 flights to O’Hare. BA also had double daily A380 service to Dubai from October 30 to November 14.

The periods mentioned above correspond to when Dallas
won’t
see the double-decker. Will O’Hare welcome the equipment again? Will the ever-popular and hot winter market of Dubai have more capacity again? When writing, there is no evidence for either suggestion.

In winter 2022, Chicago, Doha, and Washington Dulles had BA’s A380s. Doha was a special case, as it supported close partner Qatar Airways during the World Cup.

What do you make of it all? Let us know in the comment section.