Every airline and route is different, but the airline is balancing several parameters within the context of their strategy. It's a dynamic optimisation challenge where they're balancing things like Heathrow curfew and slots, aircraft utilisation and scheduling patterns, network connections, etc. We can look at this case more specifically, starting with the northbound legs (JNB/CPT to LHR):
In this case, BA want to get the return flight from JNB/CPT into LHR as early as possible to maximise connections (onto other European destinations and North America) and probably more importantly they want to get the aircraft back to LHR early since they need the aircraft to fly onto North America. The major bank of North American departures from LHR starts mid to late morning so getting as many widebody aircraft back into LHR early is important. North America is the largest and most important part of BA's network!
Leaving JNB later, say at midnight gets into LHR at 1:30pm, much later than they'd want. It limits connections and onward aircraft utilisation. Leaving JNB earlier runs into the LHR curfew. So that narrows the window for departures on the northbound!
On the southbound, there are also some implications. Particularly JNB where they want to get in early to maximise onward connections (both domestic and regional connections - JNB is really the big connecting hub in Southern Africa). It's noticeable that they don't mind much later departures for CPT, getting into CPT later since they less focussed on onward connections from CPT.
They could spread out the departure from LHR a little more. Getting BA55 into JNB earlier could open up more connections, however the challenge is that it may compromise connections at LHR - it's a balancing act! But more importantly, they can't leave LHR too early since they need to the aircraft to get back! The widebody morning arrivals into LHR tend to go onto North America, however the evening widebody departures from LHR tend to operate with aircraft that came in from Asia & west coast US. These start arriving from the early afternoon limiting the ability to leave for JNB earlier.
This highlights that there are some opportunity costs to spreading out the departures more. The calculus varies route-to-route, but the principles are the same in terms of balancing various parameters.
It's an interesting question. BA have 8x daily flights LHR-JFK mostly on B77W (some on B772). That's in addition to 4x daily AA flights that they have a joint venture partnership with. One might also add 2x daily LHR-EWR!
Same capacity as 8x daily LHR-JFK flights could be operated with +- 4x A380s 1x B777, or 2x A380s 4/5x B777s. This would save slots and reduce costs. So why don't they do it? Answer lies in revenue! It's a very competitive market and higher frequency generates higher yields.
VS 5x daily, DL 2x, B4 2x, UA 5x (EWR), all spread out throughout the day driving BA to favour frequency over raw capacity. Gives them a competitive advantage offering more options than other carriers, but also gives them more connection options on both ends and generates higher yields. 8x daily flights are well spread out through the day, e.g. ex-LHR 8:20, 9:55, 11:40, 13:20, 14:40, 16:20, 18:05 and 19:05.
CPT & JNB don't have the same level of competition. VS 1x daily on JNB, 1x daily seasonal on CPT, N0 <daily seasonal CPT (LGW). Not under pressure to provide more frequencies to drive higher yields. Furthermore, nature of north-south versus east-west doesn't generate same network effects permutations with time differences.
Yes but I remember having spoken to people at BA that they’ll retrofit the 380s with Club Suites so it’ll be competitive - very odd that they don’t send their flagship to the most popular destination.
BA's A380 don't have the Club Suites yet whereas the B77Ws (and B772s) that dominate the route do have the Club Suites. It'll be several years before most of the A380s get Club Suites.
Its a common occurrence in other markets as well, but why do airlines schedule departures on the same sector with almost similar departure times?
Every airline and route is different, but the airline is balancing several parameters within the context of their strategy. It's a dynamic optimisation challenge where they're balancing things like Heathrow curfew and slots, aircraft utilisation and scheduling patterns, network connections, etc. We can look at this case more specifically, starting with the northbound legs (JNB/CPT to LHR):
In this case, BA want to get the return flight from JNB/CPT into LHR as early as possible to maximise connections (onto other European destinations and North America) and probably more importantly they want to get the aircraft back to LHR early since they need the aircraft to fly onto North America. The major bank of North American departures from LHR starts mid to late morning so getting as many widebody aircraft back into LHR early is important. North America is the largest and most important part of BA's network!
Leaving JNB later, say at midnight gets into LHR at 1:30pm, much later than they'd want. It limits connections and onward aircraft utilisation. Leaving JNB earlier runs into the LHR curfew. So that narrows the window for departures on the northbound!
On the southbound, there are also some implications. Particularly JNB where they want to get in early to maximise onward connections (both domestic and regional connections - JNB is really the big connecting hub in Southern Africa). It's noticeable that they don't mind much later departures for CPT, getting into CPT later since they less focussed on onward connections from CPT.
They could spread out the departure from LHR a little more. Getting BA55 into JNB earlier could open up more connections, however the challenge is that it may compromise connections at LHR - it's a balancing act! But more importantly, they can't leave LHR too early since they need to the aircraft to get back! The widebody morning arrivals into LHR tend to go onto North America, however the evening widebody departures from LHR tend to operate with aircraft that came in from Asia & west coast US. These start arriving from the early afternoon limiting the ability to leave for JNB earlier.
This highlights that there are some opportunity costs to spreading out the departures more. The calculus varies route-to-route, but the principles are the same in terms of balancing various parameters.
Why doesn't the A380 operate to JFK, wouldn't it make sense based on load factor?
It's an interesting question. BA have 8x daily flights LHR-JFK mostly on B77W (some on B772). That's in addition to 4x daily AA flights that they have a joint venture partnership with. One might also add 2x daily LHR-EWR!
Same capacity as 8x daily LHR-JFK flights could be operated with +- 4x A380s 1x B777, or 2x A380s 4/5x B777s. This would save slots and reduce costs. So why don't they do it? Answer lies in revenue! It's a very competitive market and higher frequency generates higher yields.
VS 5x daily, DL 2x, B4 2x, UA 5x (EWR), all spread out throughout the day driving BA to favour frequency over raw capacity. Gives them a competitive advantage offering more options than other carriers, but also gives them more connection options on both ends and generates higher yields. 8x daily flights are well spread out through the day, e.g. ex-LHR 8:20, 9:55, 11:40, 13:20, 14:40, 16:20, 18:05 and 19:05.
CPT & JNB don't have the same level of competition. VS 1x daily on JNB, 1x daily seasonal on CPT, N0 <daily seasonal CPT (LGW). Not under pressure to provide more frequencies to drive higher yields. Furthermore, nature of north-south versus east-west doesn't generate same network effects permutations with time differences.
Yes but I remember having spoken to people at BA that they’ll retrofit the 380s with Club Suites so it’ll be competitive - very odd that they don’t send their flagship to the most popular destination.
BA's A380 don't have the Club Suites yet whereas the B77Ws (and B772s) that dominate the route do have the Club Suites. It'll be several years before most of the A380s get Club Suites.