Heathrow-3
Join Date: Oct 2002
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nohold
Is that so ? Just one departure interleaved in the arrival sequence (as at Gatwick) on 27L ? And with Heathrow currently running at well under traditional capacity ...
Is that so ? Just one departure interleaved in the arrival sequence (as at Gatwick) on 27L ? And with Heathrow currently running at well under traditional capacity ...
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Wiggy, as ex Shanwick ATC, I would naturally state that you always get what you ask for ! Has that not been your experience ? Yes, not too much fighting over the tracks nowadays . Hopefully, we will get back to normal soon (sentiments not least because my son flies for BA). Although, in this case, the Speedbird made a right turn out immediately after departure & headed up towards Manchester; whereas the Virgin went straight out towards STU. Would they both have already received their OAC clearance at this time (CPDLC) ? In my day , they would have had to call up on VHF & would have received it a bit later on.
Last edited by kcockayne; 9th Nov 2021 at 09:11. Reason: additional info.
Join Date: Aug 2000
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WHBM
There were no holding delays. Both departures were delayed at the runway thresholds as BA1 using the 27R ‘landing’ runway has to wait for a gap in the arrival stream.
There were no holding delays. Both departures were delayed at the runway thresholds as BA1 using the 27R ‘landing’ runway has to wait for a gap in the arrival stream.
The gap created in the landing stream after BA214, to allow the simultaneous takeoffs, was almost 10 minutes.
What do you think the 7 or 8 aircraft that would otherwise have landed during that period did ?
What do you think the 7 or 8 aircraft that would otherwise have landed during that period did ?

Join Date: Jul 2002
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Belt and braces my guess, its surprisingly difficult to organise these things timing wise, throw in slots etc, and the last thing anyone would have wanted was a go around in the mix - the piggy back to beat them all! Just trying to find 3 minutes for an AN124 to run up on the threshold before rolling could take some doing…..
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Not sure who BA contract their flight planning out to if anyone but VS certainly used to contract out. When I used to fly to India VS would often go Dover departure and BA Clacton. Could explain this.
Join Date: Jan 2004
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My understanding is routine runway inspections are co-ordinated with ATC in advance and for the arrival runway an appropriate gap is provided for the inspection teams (two vehicles, one from threshold to mid-point and other from mid-point to end) to carry out the inspection on a sterile runway without going on/off between movements. One of these normally occurs mid-morning, so given the take-off times were much earlier I doubt a runway inspection was the cause of the inbound holding as there would not have been the need to carry out an extra inspection for this event. I can only think that the inbound holding was so that ATC could ensure the aircraft using the arrival runway for take-off had a sufficient gap in arrival traffic so, if necessary, it could wait on the runway for a few minutes until the aircraft on the other runway was lined up ready for take-off.
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I really can't see such a wait is justified. When the runways switch over at 3pm, the first departure in the queue is cleared from the holding point the moment the last arrival touches down, and is given the go the moment it clears. It's "Gatwick style". Get the departure on the other runway to line up at the same moment, off you go. There might be a slight loss of efficiency on the departure runway (compensated by shooting off two together), but maybe just one loss of landing, if that. What do our ATC team say ?
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Westjet are coming to Heathrow from Calgary with an extra service starting "spring 2022"...it also says on their website they are keeping Gatwick as well. On sale in a few weeks time it says
Paxing All Over The World
I used the drop off lane charge for the first time last week. I signed up and paid before hand. On checking the account three days later, it shows the transaction but the date of the visit is blank. I'm sure it's only a teething problem.
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At the press conference yesterday PM said all arrivals into the UK have to take a PCR test, given 32% of LHR are transit pax flying out of the country again, how do PCR tests affect them ?
If someone flies into the UK from say the US then onto say Cologne, they may only be in the airport 90 minutes, but they have of course mixed with other pax on the flight, its surely impossible to track contacts down making the whole operation somewhat redundant?
If someone flies into the UK from say the US then onto say Cologne, they may only be in the airport 90 minutes, but they have of course mixed with other pax on the flight, its surely impossible to track contacts down making the whole operation somewhat redundant?
Last edited by Navpi; 28th Nov 2021 at 09:48.
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UK agencies have advanced and full detailed manifests of ALL flights entering the UK even without those scrapping landing documents.
Have done so since the seventies and Irish troubles. That's what makes those booths little more than a confidence trick however I digress.
Whilst transit passengers that remain airside may not be subject to UK COVID 19 testing they WILL be subject to those regulations applicable at the final point of entry.
Shared information channels remain extant between EU/UK health auhorities through rather diluted due to the B word.
Tracking a C19 infected individuals movement ain't that hard !
Have done so since the seventies and Irish troubles. That's what makes those booths little more than a confidence trick however I digress.
Whilst transit passengers that remain airside may not be subject to UK COVID 19 testing they WILL be subject to those regulations applicable at the final point of entry.
Shared information channels remain extant between EU/UK health auhorities through rather diluted due to the B word.
Tracking a C19 infected individuals movement ain't that hard !