HEATHROW

[FlexibleResponse]

Perhaps BAA could benefit from a few lessons on how to run an International Airport from Singapore or Hong Kong, for example?

Obviously, the expertise doesn't seem to exist in the UK?

[deep_south_gb]

is this a BA or a BAA problem - who is actually responsible for this? It does seem crazy that they can only handle F & J passengers luggage - every one else is told only 2 pieces of hand luggage... but only the 100ml of liquids....

[EagleStar]

Don't forget that there is no customer service at BAA anymore. They only teach their staff the BAA/Ferrovial One Rule of Customer Service... i.e. The middle finger!

How they can expect anyone to fly longhaul without hold baggage is beyond me but don't worry... I'm sure their fabricated monthly reports will be doctored to show how efficient LHR and BAA are and how disruption was kept to a minimum!

Heathrow stinks!

[3Greens]

Deep south

F And J pax have differant carry on luggage allowances so i imagine they are being allowed to take their luggage with them; don't know about oversize items though as they won't fit through the x-ray scanners. BAA is responsible for the infrastructure, BA are only the tennants.

[EagleStar]

It's a BAA problem! I fee sorry for the airlines (even BA at the moment) as the infrastructure of the Terminals is not maintained properly... The good news for BA though is that Bluewater2 is only a few weeks away

Feel sorry for the rest of the airlines who use LHR!

[WHBM]

Yes, apparently they are indeed telling pax they can't travel with any checked bags - and the handbaggage restrictions remain in place, so if you have a suitcase you are stuffed. Expectation of delivery of hold bags at destination if you do check them in foir later handling is being given out as 7 days, but we all know the chances are too high you will never see them again and BA will send them all to auction eventually if that proves to be cheaper.

Of course some of the lazy, latte-stuffed, paper-pushing lot from Waterworld, hundreds of them, could have come over and done it by hand, as the baggage handlers won't do anything beyond their contract, but they can't be bothered either. Actually on reflection security would probably veto that, saying anyone from Waterworld without an airside pass must automatically be Al-Qaeda.

I'm given to believe that if the flight actually operates, but the pax can't/won't travel without their bags, then no EU compensation is payable, which is probably why it is done this way. When will carriers realise that carriage of pax bags is not somehow optional?

What a shower.

[The SSK]

WHBM Things must have changed, I recall baggage strikes in the 1970s when half the occupants of Speedbird House turned out to help, evenings and weekends. Getting an airside pass, scooting around the ramp, crawling through holds - marvellous. Only gripe was that the Supreme Boss bagged the job of tractor driver.

[jimma]

http://www.britishairways.com/travel...b?p_faqid=3148

This is the BA "article" posted on their website. Feel really sorry for anyone wanting to travel through terminal 4. Hopefully this wont affect the new terminal 5 when I fly out in April.

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by The SSK

WHBM Things must have changed, I recall baggage strikes in the 1970s when half the occupants of Speedbird House turned out to help, evenings and weekends. Getting an airside pass, scooting around the ramp, crawling through holds - marvellous. Only gripe was that the Supreme Boss bagged the job of tractor driver.

I remember that too - as soon as the Trident came to a stand one evening a whole lot of the office staff pitched into the hold and the bags were delivered quicker than usual.

One of the beancounters told me all the extra time was paid at baggage handlers overtime rates, and one of the guys built a house extension wth the proceeds !

[hatters united]

The SSK,

You seem to think this is funny.

I don't care what happened in 1970 or whatever

As far as I'm concerned management are ultimately responsable and the LOT OF THEM SHOULD BE FIRED for gross neglegance

[egbt]

Here is the announcement:

Due to system malfunctions there is severe disruption to the carriage of hold baggage at London Heathrow Terminal 4, this includes flight with Air Malta, BA, Qantas, Kenya Airlines, KLM, Sri Lankan Airlines.

BA has made the following announcement:

The following passengers flying from London Heathrow Terminal 4 on Wednesday 20 February:
Should not bring luggage to be checked in.
Long haul passengers in the following cabins
· World Traveller (economy)
· World Traveller Plus (premier economy)
As well as all transfer passengers
Passengers who do bring baggage to be checked in will not be able to travel
The following passengers are not affected
· Passengers in Club World, First and those holding BA Silver & Gold cards.
· Transfer passengers flying from Terminals 1, 2, or 3

[Flame]

LHR T1 Security

Coming through LHR T1 security (PAX) yesterday evening, I was in a line where everyone was asked to take their shoes off for examination....no problem at all, except that in the line beside me, the people were being told that there was no need to take shoes off.

When I asked about this after I passed through, I was told its a random examination that they do at LHR T1...great idea, except that if I did not want to have my shoes x-rayed, I could have picked the line to go through to make sure they were not looked at!!

[WHBM]

I don't think SSK, or indeed any of us, find this funny. It is perfectly reasonable to cite a situation from the past when things were overcome without gross inconvenience to pax, and to compare it to the current posiion when nothing like it happens.

[egbt]

Look guys, have a sense of proportion.

No company with an automated system is going to keep enough people on immediate standby to manually operate the system, even if is physically possible to do so (and don't forget the health a saftey jobsworths who will probably stop "untrained" staff doing the job). Clearly IT systems should have backups and there should be some redundancy but sometimes things do go wrong.

[WHBM]

Are KLM (who presumably use the same BAA baggage system in T4) and the other T4 carriers also stopping pax checking bags today ?

[747-436]

I presume the rule about no hold luggage for non-premium passengers might have come from the BAA and not the Airlines?

[Flying Grasshopper]

This is effecting ALL the airlines at Terminal 4, what a bloody shambles BAA are not fit for purpose.

[green granite]

Look guys, have a sense of proportion.

No company with an automated system is going to keep enough people on immediate standby to manually operate the system, even if is physically possible to do so (and don't forget the health a saftey jobsworths who will probably stop "untrained" staff doing the job). Clearly IT systems should have backups and there should be some redundancy but sometimes things do go wrong

What a load of , their JOB is to get passengers onto the aircraft with their luggage. It's called providing a service, if the company (BAA) is not able to provide that service then the senior management should be removed and more competent people put in their place, There should always be a back up system for any failure mode and failure to have one in place is incompetence. It's probably due to worshipping the great god of "profit before service" or " the customers the share holders are more important" syndrome.

[BahrainLad]

Are BA honestly suggesting that a pax checking in at say, JFK in WT+ with a flight transferring to say, Dubai who may have spent $4,000+ on their ticket will be told at the desk that can only travel with a small laptop bag?

If so, the wheels have well and truly come off this shower of an air transport system.

[Hydroman400]

What a .....I am flying through t4 tomorrow and was planning to bring a large case to fill it up with some decent food from old blighty...as forgein food is gash There goes my cunning plan

Bugger Anyone Always