Chaos at Terminal 5
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BAEngineering
Slightly off the thread,but was not Tech BlockA,so called because it had been on the Drawings as TBA(To Be Announced)for so long,no one could remember what it was going to be called?They then decided to call them Tech Block A,B,C etc.A certain BA Senior Training Captain told me sad stories of chaos in those days.Does anyone remember Sid Davies,Tridextrous,and 1011,then757????
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Security
Sorminnorm:
Quite, but my point is that this is the first major project attempted since the lunatics had full run of the asylum. While we all know that normal operations are all but impossible with the levels of interference and bureaucracy imposed on us, trying something of this scale without major revisions to the security regime just put the whole project at risk. BA should have raised the stakes and refused to sign up without unfettered access being accorded to the necessary staff. 
This security problem has been going on for years.
And no-one at the BAA could care less.
And no-one at the BAA could care less.
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28000 Bags
Seems we were misled earlier. As mentioned above, the true figure released by a question raised in Parliament today states that 28000 bags remain unprocessed in T5. The key word is 'remain' which means either BA/BAA were lying on Friday or it is going to get a whole lot worse before it will ever get any better. By April 1st it will quite possibly be 30000 and next week, 35000! Who knows?
What a shambles.
What a shambles.
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Willie Walsh will be interviewed live on a Sky news programme at 1930hrs this evening by Jeff Randell
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It gets worse everyday:
British Airways flew into more trouble this morning after investment bank Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock from a "buy" to a "sell" saying lower revenue and oil prices would cut profits by up to 46 per cent.
British Airways is already reeling from the chaos in the opening days of its £4.3 billion Terminal 5 headquarters, which prompted a public apology from BA chief executive Willie Walsh.
The fiasco has resulted in 399 flights being cancelled up to and including Wednesday, with an estimated cost to the airline of £20 million so far.
Shares in the airline fell nearly 4 per cent to 230.75p in morning trading.
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Goldman Sachs has reduced its three month price target for the stock from 330p to 200p and has transferred it from its Pan Europe Buy List to its Pan Europe Sell List.
Goldman Sachs said in research published today: "We are cutting our 2009 and 2010 earnings estimates by 43 per cent and 46 per cent respectively, mainly due to the increase in oil price."
The broker now bases its BA forecasts on an oil price of $100 per barrel and warned: "We believe the revenue environment is deteriorating both from a demand and a competition point of view.
"On revenue, its challenges are the UK consumer, the weakness in the financial services industry, the increase in competition on the North Atlantic, the weakness in the US — its most important long-haul market — and the operational challenges of Heathrow," the broker said.
BA is facing increased competition on its most lucrative routes after the “open skies” agreement, which allows any European carrier to fly to any American city, came into force yesterday.
In addition, the airline still faces the threat of its pilots going on strike despite threats of industrial action over Easter being averted.
BA is in dispute with the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) over its plans to use non-BA pilots for its new service between Europe and the US.
The sweeping away of restrictive rules that govern transatlantic air travel could cost British Airways £250 million a year in lost profits.
From tomorrow, BA, which is reeling under a torrent of criticism for the chaos that has surrounded the opening of Terminal 5, its new base at Heathrow, will face increased competition on its most lucrative routes as the “open skies” era begins.
The agreement allows any European carrier to fly to any American city, effectively smashing the Heathrow cartel. To this end, on Sunday Continental, Delta US Airways and even Air France will muscle in on transatlantic services from Britain's largest airport. This is expected to drive down air fares, particularly in business class.
The arrival of new carriers at Heathrow is a particular threat to BA, which controls 40 per cent of the airport's slots and is the largest transatlantic carrier.
Airlines make almost no money on transatlantic economy fares but reap large profits from business and first-class passengers. BA is thought to make as much as 60 per cent of its profits from its Heathrow-to-New York operations alone.
British Airways flew into more trouble this morning after investment bank Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock from a "buy" to a "sell" saying lower revenue and oil prices would cut profits by up to 46 per cent.
British Airways is already reeling from the chaos in the opening days of its £4.3 billion Terminal 5 headquarters, which prompted a public apology from BA chief executive Willie Walsh.
The fiasco has resulted in 399 flights being cancelled up to and including Wednesday, with an estimated cost to the airline of £20 million so far.
Shares in the airline fell nearly 4 per cent to 230.75p in morning trading.
Related Links
Goldman Sachs has reduced its three month price target for the stock from 330p to 200p and has transferred it from its Pan Europe Buy List to its Pan Europe Sell List.
Goldman Sachs said in research published today: "We are cutting our 2009 and 2010 earnings estimates by 43 per cent and 46 per cent respectively, mainly due to the increase in oil price."
The broker now bases its BA forecasts on an oil price of $100 per barrel and warned: "We believe the revenue environment is deteriorating both from a demand and a competition point of view.
"On revenue, its challenges are the UK consumer, the weakness in the financial services industry, the increase in competition on the North Atlantic, the weakness in the US — its most important long-haul market — and the operational challenges of Heathrow," the broker said.
BA is facing increased competition on its most lucrative routes after the “open skies” agreement, which allows any European carrier to fly to any American city, came into force yesterday.
In addition, the airline still faces the threat of its pilots going on strike despite threats of industrial action over Easter being averted.
BA is in dispute with the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) over its plans to use non-BA pilots for its new service between Europe and the US.
The sweeping away of restrictive rules that govern transatlantic air travel could cost British Airways £250 million a year in lost profits.
From tomorrow, BA, which is reeling under a torrent of criticism for the chaos that has surrounded the opening of Terminal 5, its new base at Heathrow, will face increased competition on its most lucrative routes as the “open skies” era begins.
The agreement allows any European carrier to fly to any American city, effectively smashing the Heathrow cartel. To this end, on Sunday Continental, Delta US Airways and even Air France will muscle in on transatlantic services from Britain's largest airport. This is expected to drive down air fares, particularly in business class.
The arrival of new carriers at Heathrow is a particular threat to BA, which controls 40 per cent of the airport's slots and is the largest transatlantic carrier.
Airlines make almost no money on transatlantic economy fares but reap large profits from business and first-class passengers. BA is thought to make as much as 60 per cent of its profits from its Heathrow-to-New York operations alone.
Last edited by randomair; 1st Apr 2008 at 22:22.
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Re #782 ...
Is this "Goodbye, BA" ?
Can it honestly survive T5, Open Skies and a strike?
I got rid of my shares years ago .... and my next trip in BA Club is a Sale Offer
Is this "Goodbye, BA" ?
Can it honestly survive T5, Open Skies and a strike?
I got rid of my shares years ago .... and my next trip in BA Club is a Sale Offer
Can it honestly survive T5, Open Skies and a strike?
Which is probably why the US pilots are so supportive of the BA pilots in their grievances, and are encouraging them to go for it.
Perhaps just T5 and Open Skies will be enough.
But I believe that the majority of the blame lies with BAA for the T5 debacle; BA's biggest error was not to spot it coming, and to have ridiculous notions of the "big bang" transfer, in the face of their knowledge of BAA's appalling management.
Surely, when the groceries and drinks salesman who thought he could run an airport jumped ship on February 28th, BA's alarm system should have sounded off?
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I wish I could have put it better.
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Morning Line: Why Willie Walsh must go
By Richard Lander | 11:06:44 | 31 March 2008
I am not sure people have yet taken in the gigantic scale of the PR disaster that the Terminal Five fiasco has wrought on British Airways.
People who can change airlines are already doing so. Meanwhile those caught up in the T5 maelstrom of cancelled flights and lost bags are already Blackberrying their friends with tales of kitting out the kids with new ski outfits at £100 a go in Zermatt. Many of these people are lawyers and have already used said devices to dictate compensation letters to BA via their secretaries.
Walsh has only made things with his dreadfully insensitive remark on Friday that the debacle ‘was definitely not British Airways' finest hour.’
What an appallingly condescending soi-disant turn of phrase that was. How droll, how dry, how reminiscent of an MCC committee member chuntering on about another England batting collapse over the port (‘64-7 at lunch, eh Carruthers? Definitely not our finest hour’).
Willie, the umpire is in no doubt. You’re out.
Morning Line: Why Willie Walsh must go
By Richard Lander | 11:06:44 | 31 March 2008
I am not sure people have yet taken in the gigantic scale of the PR disaster that the Terminal Five fiasco has wrought on British Airways.
People who can change airlines are already doing so. Meanwhile those caught up in the T5 maelstrom of cancelled flights and lost bags are already Blackberrying their friends with tales of kitting out the kids with new ski outfits at £100 a go in Zermatt. Many of these people are lawyers and have already used said devices to dictate compensation letters to BA via their secretaries.
Walsh has only made things with his dreadfully insensitive remark on Friday that the debacle ‘was definitely not British Airways' finest hour.’
What an appallingly condescending soi-disant turn of phrase that was. How droll, how dry, how reminiscent of an MCC committee member chuntering on about another England batting collapse over the port (‘64-7 at lunch, eh Carruthers? Definitely not our finest hour’).
Willie, the umpire is in no doubt. You’re out.
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Giving birth to a new terminal
So, let's be clear about this. My local hospital opens a new maternity unit and even without the ability to do dummy runs, manages to deliver all the babies, and some not expected on the specific day, without any EVIDENT problems. Lots of running around by staff, I am sure. But no chaos, no lost children, no delayed deliveries. And they had less than twenty years to plan the opening.
The difference is that the hospital understands what all the players want, including the mums to be and the dads to be. And the staff. And the unions....need I go on.
BAA/BA only understand the retailer. Not the passenger, not the crews, not the managers who work at the airports on a daily basis. Anyone tried to buy a cup of coffee in T2 at LHR in advance of the LX departure at 06:05? At T4 after 21:30 before the final departures of the day? Anyone succeeded??
The difference is that the hospital understands what all the players want, including the mums to be and the dads to be. And the staff. And the unions....need I go on.
BAA/BA only understand the retailer. Not the passenger, not the crews, not the managers who work at the airports on a daily basis. Anyone tried to buy a cup of coffee in T2 at LHR in advance of the LX departure at 06:05? At T4 after 21:30 before the final departures of the day? Anyone succeeded??
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BA is a dead firm walking. It is a relic of a day gone by and is not fit for the modern world of CAT.
Its cost base is too high, its aircraft are poor and its staff demotivated and intent on ensuring the company has not future.
Best thing would be for it to be shut down, sell off all the slots at Heathrow and give good value to the custmers.
I used to always make the effort to support BA come hell or high water especially as a passenger but not now.
ABBA - Anything But BA
Its cost base is too high, its aircraft are poor and its staff demotivated and intent on ensuring the company has not future.
Best thing would be for it to be shut down, sell off all the slots at Heathrow and give good value to the custmers.
I used to always make the effort to support BA come hell or high water especially as a passenger but not now.
ABBA - Anything But BA
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Has anyone seen the Chairman of BA or the board members this week ?.Some absent leader he's turning out to be.
The terminal is fantastic and will be great when its up and running but i wonder if the building contract stated 'finished' along with 'on time' and 'cost'.
The terminal is fantastic and will be great when its up and running but i wonder if the building contract stated 'finished' along with 'on time' and 'cost'.
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I can't believe that Sky are giving WW the opportunity to explain himself as they (and the BBC) were not allowed in the Terminal yesterday and I believe that they still are.
WW has so far said nothing other than 'its all my fault' blame me. He has mentioned that its not 28 000 bags, he had a briefing where he was told 19 000. I wonder who briefed the Aviation minister today??
He really doesn't come over very well at all does he!
WW has so far said nothing other than 'its all my fault' blame me. He has mentioned that its not 28 000 bags, he had a briefing where he was told 19 000. I wonder who briefed the Aviation minister today??
He really doesn't come over very well at all does he!
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Really hope someone mentions Kirkwood's performance.
Edit: Nope, nothing. All it was was Walsh taking the blame, nothing about what he's going to do about it and how he's going to do it.
Edit: Nope, nothing. All it was was Walsh taking the blame, nothing about what he's going to do about it and how he's going to do it.
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Just seen the W/W interview, two points struck me.
1/ He claimed things are getting better,,,,, why then are 50+ flights daily, almost 20% of the planned throughput still being canx.
2/ We must take advantage of the Open Skies opportunity,,,, ie there is going to be a head on dispute with the pilots if ?? the Courts rule in BALPAs favour.
My suggestion to him is he moves the 50+ flts back to T1 until the situation in T5 is stable. At least that way he will not be paying compensation to those pax on these canx flts.
Whose numbers on lost bags are right? His or the Government?
1/ He claimed things are getting better,,,,, why then are 50+ flights daily, almost 20% of the planned throughput still being canx.
2/ We must take advantage of the Open Skies opportunity,,,, ie there is going to be a head on dispute with the pilots if ?? the Courts rule in BALPAs favour.
My suggestion to him is he moves the 50+ flts back to T1 until the situation in T5 is stable. At least that way he will not be paying compensation to those pax on these canx flts.
Whose numbers on lost bags are right? His or the Government?