Category Archives: Travel

Have a sneaky look inside the first British Airways Airbus A380

Travel, , , ,

Continuing my occasional look at the building and painting of British Airway’s Airbus A380 there has been a recent lack of new photos of the fully painted aeroplane.

However BA released this video showing the inside of their new double-decker super jumbo. It looks great.

You can see the four classes of travel:

  • FIRST
  • Club World (Business Class)
  • World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy)
  • World Traveller (Economy)

Apparently BA will use the A380 on the London Heathrow to Los Angeles route so if you are travelling there from July onwards you never know you might get lucky.

Your turn: What do you think of this look inside the first British Airways Airbus A380? Does it really make any difference if you are travelling in economy class? Let me know what you think and please do share this video.

 

Revealed – first British Airways Airbus A380 Seat Map

Travel, , , , , , ,

As part of my ongoing series of posts about the first British Airways Airbus A380, which they say will fly passengers for the first time in May 2013, here is a sneak peek at the seat map which BA have published.

first British Airways Airbus A380 Seat Map
British Airways Airbus A380 Seat Map

I remember when Airbus first announced the A380 that there was talk of shopping malls, gyms, restaurants and bars on board. But we all knew what would really happen didn’t we? Once built, this giant aircraft would simply be crammed to the rivets with seats.

So unless you can afford to fly FIRST, Club World or World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy) – it’ll be the same knees into chest cattle class experience for the majority.

Still I believe the plane is much quieter!

Over to you: What do you think of the first British Airways A380 seat map?Whilst the first British Airways A380 has yet to fly passengers I’d love to hear stories of your trips on other airline’s A380s. What’s it like in all classes? Does the economy traveller really notice a difference? Share your thoughts. Click on “Leave a reply” just below and tell your story

Or for a taste of BA’s premium cabins please click here to watch my video review of flying BA FIRST Class on a Boeing 747.

Or for a two-minute trip report video of a BA Domestic flight – click here.

Video of first British Airways Airbus A380 landing in Europe – but it looks “naked”

Travel, , , , , , ,

Continuing my occasional look at building a BA super jumbo, here is a great YouTube video I found of the first BA A380 landing in Europe.

It looks “undressed” as they have only painted the tailplane and engines into BA colours – the rest of the plane is curiously “naked“.

The video is 5 minutes long but the landing happens within the first 30 seconds and that’s what is worth watching.

I still think that this is an ugly aircraft – even more so when it is in the “buff“. But you cannot avoid being amazed by how such a huge lump of metal can stay in the air.

Over to you: If you liked this Video of first British Airways Airbus A380 landing click here to see a picture. Or for a taste of BA’s premium cabins please click here to watch my video review of flying BA FIRST Class on a Boeing 747.

Rolls Royce Trent Engines fitted to first British Airways Airbus A380

Travel, , , , , ,

Continuing my occasional look at building a BA super jumbo, here is a shot of the Rolls Royce Trent engines fitted to first British Airways Airbus A380.

Rolls Royce Trent Engines fitted to first British Airways Airbus A380
First BA A380: Click to tweet this photo:

Each Trent 700 delivers 70,000lbs of thrust.

Rolls Royce usually name their engines after UK rivers. The Avon engines powered the Comet in the 1960s. Spey engines kept the BAC 1-11 in the air. The Tay was build for the Fokker 100 aircraft. And most recently the Trent jets appeared on Boeing 777s and Airbus A330/340s. I’ve always thought it odd that perhaps the most famous of all Rolls Royce’s jets, the one that powered the original Boeing 747 Jumbo was known only as the RB211. Why not the Tyne or the Mersey?

Rolls Royce Trent Engines fitted to first British Airways Airbus A380
First BA A380

Over to you: If you liked this post click here to see the first British Airways Airbus A380 coming out of the construction hangar. Or for a taste of BA’s premium cabins please click here to watch my video review of flying BA FIRST Class on a Boeing 747.