Where were the airline updates?
Firstly thanks for all the work that ATC and airline personnel do during these difficult times, it does however lead me to ask one question.
As a corporate travel agent, I have spent today fielding calls (until I finished at 2030bst) from travellers stranded at Heathrow, and other european airports, asking what is happening to their flight. When I check Flifo in the BA and BD systems there are no updates, not even to say the flight was cancelled, and I then have to start searching through the Net for airport screens (which mostly only show arrivals) to try and find out what is going on.
In this day of supposed technical automation I always feel at a loss as to why, when the data is most required, it is not available. The public service voices always seem to be saying that travellers should contact their airlines, however it is then normally impossible to get through on the phone lines, and their agents - who SLF expect to know all - are stuck as well.
Oh well, back to the drawing board and another week that will probably see us sorely tried by more distruption (only joking) somewhere in the world that will cause havoc - whether it be air, rail or any other means of transport.
Have a good weekend all and keep on smiling!
Scottie Dog