British Airways will add San Jose service next spring with a new 787-9. (Image: British Airways)
The newest transatlantic gateway for British Airways will be San Jose; Korean Air will put a brand new jumbo on its San Francisco route; and American will end an international spoke from US Airways’ Philadelphia hub.
British Airways has set a May 4, 2016 launch date for new transatlantic from London Heathrow to Mineta San Jose International, using one of its brand new Boeing 787-9s, featuring a newly-designed eight-passenger first class cabin, as well as 42 seats in business class, 39 in premium economy and 127 in regular economy. Seats go on sale August 27.
BA already flies from London to San Francisco (where it put an A380 into service earlier this year), Los Angeles and San Diego. Full details here. Coincidentally (or not) Virgin Atlantic is deploying a Dreamliner on SFO-London this October.
The new route is highly subsidized, too. According to the San Jose Mercury News, “the airport waived landing, gate and ticket center fees — which all airlines are expected to pay — for two years,” in order to convince the airline to serve SJC.
Related: BA adds new A380 at SFO, expands lounge
- Korean Air has started to take delivery of its newest aircraft, Boeing’s 747-8 Intercontinental, and it will put the new plane onto its Seoul Incheon-San Francisco route effective November 1. Initially, KAL will fly the big jumbo to SFO four days a week, increasing to daily flights December 3. It will replace a 777 on the route. Korean has ordered 10 of the big jets, which are equipped with 368 seats (the 747-8 is 18 feet longer than the 747-400), including its new Kosmo Suite first class seats that come with sliding doors and privacy partitions.
- American Airlines will end its only service to Israel on January 5 when it discontinues service from Philadelphia to Tel Aviv, a route that US Airways started flying in 2009. American said the route was unprofitable.
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Very interesting that British Airways uses a smaller plane in the 787 and has four classes of service. Frankly if I lived anywhere south of San Francisco airport I would use this service in a heartbeat.