trouble is when you run every airline so that every airframe is in use and you have 45-60 minute turnarounds PLUS your software does it's damnedest to fill every seat every time there just isn't much slack in the system to handle this sort of problem

Personally if I'm going somewhere where I HAVE to be there I always add a day at the start just in case.................

I doubt that there is one person above who has ever recovered a heavy aircraft from soft ground, it usualy entails getting together lots of perforated steel planking, long steel cables, usualy two tugs and visiting parts of the Aircraft mantanance manual that you have never seen before. All that before you start digging ramps behind the wheels to drag the Aircraft out.

I was lucky in the fact that when I last got involved with an incident like this we just had to deal with the practical engineering aspects of moving the Aircraft, no doubt the guys who had to get this Aircraft off the grass also had to be dealing with the hiderance of elf & safety experts who’s Aircraft knowlage extends to being able to recognise one from their office window.

What exactly was a shambles?

What if there's no options? The Airlines and Airport staff aren't magicians.

Hotel/Accomodation wise, it would take forever to book these for the hundreds/thousands of people that needed them and get them there. The easiest provision is book your own hotel (If you have the money to do so) and claim it back from the Airlines. This is what happened yesterday.
As for flights, all flights are going to be busy. A number of flights were rescheduled for today by BE, BM, FR and EZY. The operational challenges of getting those flights sorted at short notice are complex. Getting the slots, the crews, if there's actually an aircraft available to do those.

From how I see it, the Airlines were tied by info from BRS. BRS were tied by info from the AAIB. In this situation, safety is priority. The AAIB obviously felt the need to investigate. Yes it certainly shouldn't have taken that long, but I don't think BRS should be blamed for the circumstances. It's just before Christmas at the busiest time of year. No Management or Operational teams would sit back and just let yesterday happen. The information just simply wasn't there to give. I've been on the front line in these situations, much smaller disruption too, and I can say that if the information is there, the staff on the ground will tell it. Well done to all the teams working yesterday. No doubt it wasn't an easy day! :D

Wow, so many armchair experts here AAIB might just log on and solve the issues by reading this thread.

I doff my peaked cap of flight deck humility to all of you experts.

Is there a list of the diversions and where they ended up. BR website and FT aren't much help

A & C I agree with you but also being involved in a few of these escapades what happened to the Hover platforms with airbags that I was involved with MANY years ago.
We quickly moved a couple of aircraft ( including a TSR2!) fairly quickly and with no damage.

I think the point ExXB was making is that it’s the customer that picks up the bill in these circumstances. Having to make alternative travel arrangements with different carrier to different airport to arrive later than planned, with the additional costs not covered by EU261 in these circumstances. In my case easyJet offer a refund of the cancelled flight or the option of taking the next available flight (dec 26...). So it’s down to me to cover the £120 delta for the fare to Exeter, plus the bus to Bristol and I fully expect I’ll be expected to pay an extra £28 to cover the extra day in the long stay car park. Someone is responsible for Bristol airports closure for 11 hours yesterday, but it’s not the customer.

I agree, it's certainly not the customer who is responsible, but it also isn't easyJet and all the other airlines who found their fleet scattered over half of England.
You can blame the airline responsible ....but until the AAIB makes its report (eventually !) I think that everyone will be 'p*ssing in the wind', unfortunately.
I really hope that everyone disrupted manages to get away for Xmas.
Having worked in the industry for over 30 years, I've seen the worst kind of disruption and it's always more painful over the holidays.

Nobody died.....

A family member was caught up in the chaos, now flying from SOU to France tomorrow, yes refund from EZY no hassle, wonder how FR passengers are doing with always getting better?

Nicest story was the local farmer cum car park owner, picked them up after flight canx, no sorry can’t accept your money you’ve only been here for 4 hours ( you pay when you get back) hope you have a lovely Xmas and maybe you’ll book with us again next time, a true gent

As for the Embraer well it’s a cat2 aircraft,no auto land,no reverse thrust,no auto brakes and would be around 17t max at landing with 25 passengers.

With an aft C o G they can understeer rather easily in my experience, let’s see what the AAIB come up, yes xmas screwed up for a lot of folks but nothing like loss of a loved one, :mad: happens

I am very astonished what i read here. An inccident occured and the only thing i am reading is about the pax their holiday is ruined?

Some ppl really need to understand their place in life.

And people working in the commercial aviation industry need to remember that it is passengers who ultimately pay their wages.

My apologies if my post upset you. It was certainly not my intention. Out.

In reply to INKJET, this aircraft is ex HOP and does have thrust reversers, perhaps one failed to deploy correctly? That would help explain the AAIB interest.

@culzean

No problems mate. Was not specifically aiming you.

And I recall, I think, that Emerald's paved surface excursion in GCI was the final straw causing the CAA to pull their ticket.

23c I know some airframes acquired from other airline had T/R fitted but for commonality they used to either wired shut or not permitted to be used, maybe this has changed?

If I recall the original order was placed without T/R fitted because of the problems that bmi had with the F100 which required a tail spar inspection if they were used in anger?

So the 145’s turned up and it was quickly discovered that removing the T/R units saved 125kgs a side this left the CoG so far forward that on the business hand baggage route they had to carry 220 - 330 KG’s of building site blocks, these stayed on 24/7 so with light loads if was often tail heavy.

I’m sure the AAIB will drill down quickly to what happened

Thanks INKJET for the info, I knew there was a weight penalty with the thrust reversers but did not know about the ballast issue. As all the original UK registered E145's were delivered without thrust reversers I just speculated that this may be a factor in this incident.

This wasn’t an incident. It was a crash on landing.

According to their twitter feed, BRS are experienckng problems again this evening, and the airfield is closed.

Runway lighting problems caused diversion of Tui inbound to BHX and the night KL arrival was cancelled.

Did the Emby trip over a lead on its way onto the grass?

Was there or is there any picyures of the emby on the grass.Seasons greetings to all on this thread.

They only speak American in Bristol?

Jay,

He has in all probability done more than you. The information that WWW has posted is good and we may all do well to wait for the AAIB to complete their investigation, that said, in the private forums there is a little more information and what WWW has posted in all likely hood is correct.

Well I expect a few passengers are swearing they'll never use the place again

The Ontario Teachers Pension Fund may have to spend some money on their asset.

Ivor Fynn

In which case I bow to his superior knowledge.

My experience goes back to the days of Robertsons Aviation who maintained my aircraft at Lulsgate in the 1980's.

WWW must have connections with my base at CWL or maybe Swansea in those days.

Whatever it is not good form to prejudge another pilots mishap.

I would say he has probably done a couple of thousand more than I have maybe about 4000 or so would be my guess!

When Bristol city Council were looking to replace Whitchurch due to size constraints they approached The Bristol Aeroplane Company to relocate to Filton and were told that they could not mix a manufacturing plant with a commercial airport and refused Bristol City's request, that's why it went to Lulsgate.

I personally believe it should have gone to Weston Super Mare, plenty of space, but foggy at times.

There was talk years ago that the runway at Weston super mare would be used for mail and freight flights. They could have extended the runway at the northern end with no problems as it was open countryside. It could not be done now as a new road built right down the middle which the road not open yet, but a lot of building with houses and industry off of the runway.

The bmi ballast barrows were the E135s.
There also could have been an issue with the nose wheel tiller, insufficient downward pressure and the nose wheel steering inop happens if turning the handle.
The reversers were fitted on a couple of leased machines but were neither trained for or use mandated as the brake wear was considered higher. Carbon brake wear more when cold and reverser use reduced warm up.

Either way, i will be interested to note the findings. The crew have been hammered on duty hours lately by all accounts...thanks to EASA:mad:

TUI etc
 

TUI will be restarting Tunisia (Enfidha) from May this year from Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol. BRS will have a weekly Tuesday rotation commencing 1 May.

In summer 2018 TUI will have 2 x B 757, 2 x B 738 (+ 1 from 2017) based with 1 x B 788 part-based for four days each week. There is still a need for at least three non-based or third party aircraft to fulfil the remainder of the timetable.

Thomas Cook is adding a third based aircraft (an A 320 likely to be third party) to join its 2 x A321s and easyJet is introducing its customary annual additional based aircraft (the 15th), with a 16th needed for August according to the timetables.

From speaking with airport management at a recent master plan consultation drop-in event it seems that 2018 ought to see circa 8.7 million passengers. This will be a smaller increase (about 450,000) than the last three years that have seen annual passenger numbers rise from 6.3 million to over 8.2 million this year.

The management people to whom I spoke are adamant that there is no need for a runway extension and that it will not feature in the new master plan consultation. Only time will tell whether this turns out to be a wise decision.

The owners are probably wary after the runway extension at BHX which has proved to be problematic, and unnecessary.

easyJet A320 neo
 

An easyJet A320 neo is currently operating out of BRS.

G-UZHC operated GLA-BRS yesterday afternoon having flown LGW-GLA and was swapped with a BRS 320 that had operated BRS-GLA.

The aircraft then operated BRS-CDG-BRS yesterday evening and BRS-AMS-BRS this morning. Currently it's on its way back from the Canaries operating BRS-TFS-BRS.

I am travelling on the Monday flight from Bristol to Madeira next month with Easyjet. I have checked in and been allocated seats 30D and 30E. On the Easyjet website the seat map shows these seats as not existing. I rang Easyjet and they said not to worry as they are using a larger aircraft but I am not convinced.

I read the A319 has 156 seats and the A320 has two versions with 180 seats and 186 seats. Looks like only the A320 186 seat version has 30D and 30E seating. Is this correct? Can I find out the exact aircraft type in advance? Don’t want to be denied boarding due to an over booked flight. Thanks for any help.

Could it be on the new a320neo that's been there this week ?

Thanks Marko1

AAIB on BMI excursion
 

AAIB February bulletins are out, and no mention of the BMI accident investigation. There's obviously more to it than a simple excursion .

Dave Less (MD at Southampton) to become the new CEO at Bristol according to a press release from AGS Airports.

I think you might have made a typo. It's Dave Lees and he will take up his position on 1 August this year.