PDA

View Full Version : Fog for the next 48 hours?


teleport
20th Dec 2006, 12:42
BA's website refers to a weather forecast for fog remaining for the next 48 hours.
Anyone familiar with the exact phenomenon?
(Was affected a year ago, and due to fly from LHR on the 28th)
________________________

copy/paste:

Flights between London Heathrow and mainland Europe are also severely disrupted by the fog. Flights to and from London Gatwick are also facing lengthy delays.

Due to the dense fog and low visibility Air Traffic Control has placed restrictions on how many flights can land and take-off each hour at London Heathrow. Flow rates have been at 50 per cent of normal capacity throughout the morning and this has affected all carriers at the airport.

This situation is beyond British Airways control and the airline is doing all it can to assist customers.

British Airways would urge all customers due to travel on domestic flights to or from London Heathrow on Wednesday 20 December not to travel to the airport.

Customers who were planning to use a domestic flight to get to London Heathrow to catch an onward connection are urged to check to see if their onward flight is still operating.

If their onward flight is operating then they will need to make alternative arrangements to get to Heathrow.

The fog is likely to remain over south east England for the next 48 hours.

There are likely to be severe delays and possibly cancellations to many British Airways shorthaul and domestic services to and from London Heathrow for at least the next 48 hours. British Airways flights to and from London Gatwick are also likely to be impacted.

flybywire
20th Dec 2006, 14:12
Teleport, since I am working at LGW I can assure you that the fog has been pretty bad for the last two days. In fact it took me 20mins longer than usual to come to work this morning due to the very poor visibility. I could barely see the car in front of me.

You only need to watch some weather forecast to see that we're expecting more fog to come in the next 48hrs. Keep an eye on the forecast for the 28th.

BA had to cancel most of its domestic flights because of fog on the other end as well and because London ATC couldn't cope with the normal number of movements.

By the way, I would like to add something......Please let's not start another BA bashing thread, when it's BA's fault we all agree but I do not think God (or whatever/whoever one thinks drives the weather changes in this country) has a job in the company!

lexxity
20th Dec 2006, 14:15
LHR ATC have said that flow rate is down to 50%, something has to give and BA have taken the decision that fits best for them, better to keep the longhaul programme going than the shorthaul.

flybywire
20th Dec 2006, 14:18
lexxity it is partially true. My other half was stuck at GLA yesterday morning because of fog in GLA as well, and same thing for EDI today. So the problem affected not only LHR but the arrival/departure points as well.

the dean
20th Dec 2006, 14:34
[quote=teleport;3029589]BA's website refers to a weather forecast for fog remaining for the next 48 hours.
Anyone familiar with the exact phenomenon?
(Was affected a year ago, and due to fly from LHR on the 28th)

seems nobody has answered your question yet...sure the weather boffins will do a better job...

but essentially we are in a high pressure throughout the british isles..

there is no gradient ( wind flow from one pressure system to another )..

temperature and due point ( saturation point of the air in temperature) are the same....eg...heathrow EGLL is 01 temp. and 01 dew point,
shannon EINN is 04/04, cork is 06/06, but east midlands EGNX is 06/04....( so they have only haze not fog.)

when the temperature and the due point are the same the air has reached saturation point and cannot hold any more moisture.

if you get a little wind by the 28th you will be ok but i would'nt hold my wind on that so to speak...looks like fog might be here for a few days but the 28th is a good bit away.

PRAY FOR WIND....but with so much of that recently ...do'nt tell people you are doing it...:oh:

good luck...:ok:

the dean.

teleport
20th Dec 2006, 14:36
Thanks! Let me be a little clearer.
What is the big picture weather conditions that impose such longwinded fog conditions?
the dean: many thanks for the explanation!!!

the dean
20th Dec 2006, 14:38
Thanks! Let me be a little clearer.
What is the big picture weather conditions that impose such longwinded fog conditions?


hi teleport,

think i stepped on your transmission.

hope the above is of some help.

gear up.:ok:

the dean.

PAXboy
20th Dec 2006, 23:37
For more techincal explanations on this (and a LOT of BA bashing!) there is thread from the R&N that is now in Airports, Airlines & Routes. In amongst the trash it does explain why the flow rate is down, how that works and what might be done about it for the future.

manintheback
21st Dec 2006, 08:27
One would assume that BAA having maxed out the number of planes that can fly, theres absolutely no give in the system, so total chaos ensues when anything in the chain has to give a little.

Felix Saddler
21st Dec 2006, 23:44
Im Due to fly on the 1st into LGW at 7:45AM then out to the USA at 11:15AM. Do you think this will be affected?

teleport
22nd Dec 2006, 12:03
It looks like the centre of the high pressure will shift eastwards by Tue Dec 26. You can follow the weather forecast on BBC's website.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/ukweather/pressure.shtml#no_url
Jan 1st? too early to tell.