GATWICK
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Moes Tavern, Springfield
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Cubana ended up in Orly, gonna try and position back later today..... Just seen a truck load of stuff turn up at LGW, looks like rescue kit, along with dogs, people, bags... apparently there's an acft waiting to depart to Haiti as part of the earthquake relief effort... any clues who?
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Lewes, UK
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It was heavy. Tried to get the 0700 LGW-MAN which was promptly cancceled as I entered the N terminal. Train up to MAN, but mercifully the 1625 flight did operate- a/c from previous night with normal crew turning up for 1625 duty having overnighted at MAN. On landing at LGW, it was interersting to see so much of thr ramp and taxiways covered in snow still, even though it had thawed some what.
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Whats wrong with Gatwick snow clearance?
Why are the managers at Gatwick finding it so hard to clear their runway of snow? One day last week the snow stopped completely at 10am. The runway stayed closed until 3pm.
For "London's second airport" this is not very impressive. Anyone know what the problem is?
For "London's second airport" this is not very impressive. Anyone know what the problem is?
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: EGGW
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Have you ever thought that you need people to operate the machinery needed to clear the snow.
What happens if the people can not get to the airport, because the surrounding roads are bad or blocked.
This might be your answer, the previous shift can not work around the clock like the old days, due to EU working time regulations.
What happens if the people can not get to the airport, because the surrounding roads are bad or blocked.
This might be your answer, the previous shift can not work around the clock like the old days, due to EU working time regulations.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: london
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...it is a problem that most international airports seem capable of solving. You might expect the UKs second airport to be capable of doing so if its counterparts just down the road can do the same.
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Sussex
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OK, so LHR is twice the size of LGW so it would be fair to assume they have twice the amount of snow clearing equipment and personnel to operate it.
They decide to operate a restricted service on 1 runway at LHR - this means they have double the amount of kit to clear a single runway that LGW has.
Question answered!
They decide to operate a restricted service on 1 runway at LHR - this means they have double the amount of kit to clear a single runway that LGW has.
Question answered!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Liverpoolish...
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Would it be silly to assume BAA didn't leave all the equipment when Gatwick was sold off?
if you sold your house....would it be silly to assume that you left your car on the drive for the new owners?
Yes it would.....
Same principal i assume - unless the new owners "purchased" said equipment of course....
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: South East UK
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Would it be silly to assume BAA didn't leave all the equipment when Gatwick was sold off?
Today 14:04
Today 14:04
....But in the case of company takeovers, GIP will have bought all of the companies assets from BAA, which will comprise the runways, terminals and associated equipment on the asset register, which would have included the snow clearing equipment and de-icing fluid ( stock ), so they should have had all the gear necessary to deal with it.
There would be an exception to this if the Motor Transport and Snow Clearing operation were contracted out, and therefore not part of the assets purchased. This would open up a new scenario, including performance expectations and liabilities between the airport operator and the contractor.
However I would have thought that contracting out snow clearance would be high risk and not a decision to be taken lightly.
I think the "staff couldn't get in" response is a bit weak - other staff and passengers managed to get there didn't they ?
Is it possible that the company had a bit too much faith in the long range weather forecasts issued toward the end of last year and the de-icing stocks were too low to cope with the situation ?
Interesting to see Eurotunnels boss coming clean about their performance with trains stuck in tunnels, it would be nice if Gatwick management were to respond in some way regarding their problems. Wouldn't the regulator be interested in knowing why the country's second busiest airport ground to a halt ?
Last edited by Woofrey; 19th Jan 2010 at 14:04.
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: South East UK
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Intending to price out the smaller carriers?
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Heard a rumour that Gatwick are trying to change the way they charge airlines to use the airport, putting all fees together, and including it in the landing fee, also heard that "Noise" of a/c will be taken into account. As a result, it will cost the same to land a Dash 8 as it will to land a 747. They want to get rid of the 50 and 70 seaters in favour of bigger aircraft per landing slot. Hope this is wrong, sounds like Heathrow all over again
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Heard a rumour that Gatwick are trying to change the way they charge airlines to use the airport, putting all fees together, and including it in the landing fee, also heard that "Noise" of a/c will be taken into account. As a result, it will cost the same to land a Dash 8 as it will to land a 747. They want to get rid of the 50 and 70 seaters in favour of bigger aircraft per landing slot. Hope this is wrong, sounds like Heathrow all over again
Noise is already taken into account when calculating the charges, ( e,g, Chapter 2, Chapter3 and Chapter 3 minus ).
Also it already does cost the same to land all aircraft at certain times of the day, usually the peak periods.
I think you may alluding to "cost the same to turn around" rather than land.
In order for this to happen the landing, parking and passenger charges would all have to be rolled into one fee, something I doubt the airlines would be enthusiastic about.
The current structure is meant to have some kind of economic relevance, ( especially with regard to parking charges where length of stay and stand used are critical components ) and it also allows the operator to make some gestures toward behavioural requirements, e.g. pricing the landing fee very high in the peak period to discourage small aircraft. This didn't stop a "very big airline" operating a very small aircraft at a peak time in the morning to protect it's slot "rights" some years ago ( although these rules may have changed now ).
The new operators should also realise the feeder impact some of these smaller aircraft have.
Suspect this idea is from someone relatively new to the operation and certainly not with any experience of aviation. Probably an accountant or economist with an MBA and degree though
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Snow Clearance
Plane Silly - not sure where you get your info from but I'd ask for your money back. LHR has to clear both RWs to cope with the schedule and never plans to operate from a single strip. Single RW ops would soon bring it to a grinding halt.
Join Date: Nov 2008
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Flyer 55
Strong Rumors are suggesting the return of a weekly Air Seychelles flight to Mahe via Rome, complementing the Heathrow operation. Starting on the 20th April. It is already possible to see this on the Gatwick Airport website timetables.
However, there was also a Royal Jordanian service being rumored about after it was shown on the timetables. Was due to start on 31st March using A319 twice weekly, again complementing the Heathrow operation. It has since disappeared from there, and it has been hush hush since.
Hopefully GIP are working hard to promote the airport more and more to bring in potential new airlines and also others to have split ops between LHR/LGW
Strong Rumors are suggesting the return of a weekly Air Seychelles flight to Mahe via Rome, complementing the Heathrow operation. Starting on the 20th April. It is already possible to see this on the Gatwick Airport website timetables.
However, there was also a Royal Jordanian service being rumored about after it was shown on the timetables. Was due to start on 31st March using A319 twice weekly, again complementing the Heathrow operation. It has since disappeared from there, and it has been hush hush since.
Hopefully GIP are working hard to promote the airport more and more to bring in potential new airlines and also others to have split ops between LHR/LGW