EDINBURGH

[mike2000]

From the Edinburgh News:

PASSENGERS due to fly from Edinburgh to Madrid last night had to be put up in hotels after their flight was delayed by a bomb alert.

The security scare was triggered when staff on the easyJet plane found a note on board after it landed at Edinburgh from Spain shortly after 7pm yesterday.

Police and bomb disposal experts were called to the aircraft.

Passengers waiting to board were held in the terminal while a full search took place.

By the time the plane had been cleared, the crew had reached their maximum number of hours and were unable to fly the plane.

So passengers were given overnight accommodation and the flight only took off this morning.

A police spokesman said the note "initially caused concern to the cabin crew" but added there was no danger at any time to the passengers, crew or aircraft.

[Caudillo]

added there was no danger at any time to the passengers, crew or aircraft.

So why spend ages looking and searching?

[Piltdown Man]

added there was no danger at any time to the passengers, crew or aircraft.

Don't panic, Mr Mainwaring, Don't Panic!

This I'm afraid is standard UK policy. There's no danger, so we'll shut everything down. So does that mean that it would be dangerous if they didn't? Or is this just a standard over-reaction? Or are aviation security procedures so worthless that they can not be relied upon?

PM

[tigger2k8]

So why spend ages looking and searching?

common sense, safety and security comes to mind

id rather we over-reacted about things.. instead of under-reacting and possibly missing something... better safe than sorry

[sTeamTraen]

added there was no danger at any time to the passengers, crew or aircraft.

So why spend ages looking and searching?

Oh please. There was no danger because as it turned out, there was no bomb. Had there been a bomb, there would have been danger. The security people didn't know that at the time.

Of slightly more interest, not that we'll find out, is what the "note" contained. If it said "there is a bomb on board this aircraft" then I'm afraid that the police have to take that at face value. If it was a Tesco's shopping list in Tamil which someone took for an Al-Qaeda suicide checklist because it "looks all Middle Eastern" (something similar happened in the US a while after 9/11), then it might be considered an overreaction.

[afterdark]

anyone heard who may replace the summer 10, Wednesday flights to SSH, I believe GSM were planned to operate these flights for UK package holiday companies before their unfortunate circumstancies arose.

[habs_fan]

TC had a allocation on the flights during the summer last year so they might use one of their aircrafts or it could be gone for good and everyone have to go threw to GLA for charter flights

Would be good if someone took on the orlando flight for the summer and a flight to toronto would be nice

[Enji]

QR won't be flying from Edinburgh - no plans to in the near future.

[cabot]

Sorry to have a whinge but why have BA consistantly cancelled all EDI / GLA shuttle operations over the past 2 days.Is this a case of saving cash or are all aircraft in the wrong place due to the weather ? Even Aberdeen seems to be affected.Before anyone jumps down my throat i have noticed BMI operating flights out of EDI to Heathrow.I spoke to someone who had a connecting flight to Lusaka and was concerned that they may not make the flight.

[frontcheck]

I have noticed on many occassions that as soon as there is a problem BA cancel all domestic flights whereas bmi operate to an almost full schedule , credit where credit is due to BD

[CabinCrewe]

I think you are missing the point. Comparing BMI and BA- who has a huge international network? What would you concentrate on on ? crew and aircraft (including diverted long haul aircraft) in the wrong places, If you have alternatives methods of travel ie excellent intra UK train links (operating with minimal delays), coach and car then they can concentrate all the efforts and crew on long haul flights. I dont think there is any conspiracy against shuttle flights. Just common sense. A bit like just gritting trunk roads.

[DutchBird-757]

Just re-book them on the BA LCY flights that seem to operate as normal and have a shuttle bus ready for LHR at LCY. Adds a bit of exitement to the journey as well.

[Hangerhead]

i was on the flight from madrid to edinburgh - we weren't told very much ether.
originally, we were told that due to too much ice, there wasn't an available stand.
then when we saw a couple of other a/c leave their stands but we still weren't moving, we thought something was up.

later on, we were told the police were coming on board - they went pretty much directly to the rear toilets after speaking with the pilot.
at this stage, i thought it strange that the cockpit door was left open.

eventually, we were all told we could leave - took ages for the luggage to make it's way off...i knew how I had left my zips and they were still intact so assume luggage wasn't physically searched at any rate.

[Based]

I think you are missing the point. Comparing BMI and BA- who has a huge international network? What would you concentrate on on ? crew and aircraft (including diverted long haul aircraft) in the wrong places, If you have alternatives methods of travel ie excellent intra UK train links (operating with minimal delays), coach and car then they can concentrate all the efforts and crew on long haul flights. I dont think there is any conspiracy against shuttle flights. Just common sense. A bit like just gritting trunk roads.

Not specifically criticising BA here but what about the passengers that are supposed to be connecting to these long haul flights? Will they wait on the train to arrive? It's a bit like gritting trunk roads but closing some junctions on to them.

[frontcheck]

CabinCrewe, I was not comparing the size of the operation between BD and BA, and even if I was , BA being a much larger airline with more facilities to fall back on should be able to run a few services at least, what I was trying to say is that BD do their best to run a workable schedule, BA do the same to LCY & LGW but do a blanket cancellation on LHR days in advance. On paper it may seem that there are various alternatives available but in actual fact a large percentage of their customers are transferinhg onto their own longhaul services or those of other carriers so it is not just a simple case of take a train (if points not frozen) or drive. Where is the protection for their customers transiting?
I say it again well done BD......

[nivsy]

Quite agree -well done BD and it is cabincrewe who has missed the point. Is the domestic pound not as valid as the international pound? It is yet another typical example of London Airways attitude in my opinion and regular, long serving, even loyal BA pax from the domestics are always the first to suffer with cancellations from BA.


Nivsy

[CabinCrewe]

So you would all rather have your international long awaited trip to Austrailia cancelled with no other option or alternative, rather than a wee jolly down to London for the weekend....that you could easily fly BMI with ( as you all suddenly appear fans ) or take the train. These are exceptional circumstances particularly for the south east which require rationalisation and prioritisation particularly for an airline (unlike BMI) with a huge demanding international network. Your priorities are obviously different... The point about BMI maintaining services has certainly not been "missed", but they are completely different operation overall and therefore cant really be compared. Its been discusses time and time again. Everyone welcome to their view though.

[nivsy]

That "wee jolly" to London can cost 162 pounds one way (just to see it cancelled) for important business - plus it could be to connect to that "jolly" flight to Sydney or wherever.

European services by BA have a trend to be operated over and above domestic in terms of weather issues or bottle necks at LHR. I do not believe for one moment (and I have experienced it) that AMS,CDG,DUS,FRA,BRU etc get cancelled before or at similar times as GLA and EDI.


Nivsy

[smith]

The problem at LHR is gate availability and stand space. When the airport gets screwed by the weather there is only a finite number of movements that can be made, and because BA has such a huge presence at LHR something has to give. The BA rationale is that it is easier for people to travel by other means within mainland UK than in Europe or the rest of the world as there is no sea crossing to be made within mainland UK. Also if BA can send a plane off to eg Barcelona etc they are pretty sure its gonna get there, if they send one off to Glasgow or Edinburgh they're not that sure its gonna get in and back out if the weather depreciates.

BA policy is to stop domestic routes when weather dictates as it is the best option of a bad lot. Yes I know it can mess things up for a lot of people but you cant please everyone all of the time and they really do try and keep disruption to a minimum as weather delays and cancelations cost them a heck of a lot of money and thats what it boils down to folks.

[PIK3141]

So CabinCrew, how do you make that long awaited trip to Australia when your starting point is a BA GLA-LHR flight ?

One thing for sure, the next time you don't use BA, and you don't go through LHR.