Oh My God!!!!!

[flybywire]

Guys....just seen the news on tv about the 20 people arrested because they were planning to blow up some planes between the UK and the US. Apparently they intended of bringing up material (liquid, they think) inside their hand baggage and make at least 20 aircraft blow up.:{

The threat level in both UK and US is critical and the UK home secretary said it is suggested that people allow at least 5 hours to clear security.
Hang baggage will have to be checked in with the exception of medicine and a few items for small kids. Clear plastic bags will be distributed. There is more info on this thread in "Rumour and News".

At LHR some flights have been cancelled, at LGW the situation seems slightly better at the moment, however there will be disruptions all day long.
I do not know anything yet about MAN, other UK airports or the US, but more info to come.

Guys...I am with you today, it's going to be a very tough and challenging day, both with the operation itself and with stressed, distressed and angry passengers. Take care of yourselves guys and do not take any c**p from the usual people who do not want to comply with what the airlines/security/airport authorities say.

Good luck xxxxxxx

FBW

[Yistoph]

Flybewire-

Thanks for the heads up. Do you have any idea at the moment how this is going to affect CC? I'm operational out of LGW early this afternoon- expect to get a call soon with news of restrictions or changes in procedure. I imagine this is going to be the day on which all the training about customer service is really and truly going to count!!

All the best-
Yistoph

[thelynxeffect]

Flybewire-
I imagine this is going to be the day on which all the training about customer service is really and truly going to count!!
All the best-
Yistoph


Yistoph,
If your customers dont' understand that it's all for their safety then tell them to get the **** off the aircraft and walk. tossers

P.s sorry for interfering in the cabin crew section, I was just keen to see what you lot thought of it all.

p.p.s Terrorists are ******* cowards :mad:

[flybywire]

Flybewire-
Thanks for the heads up. Do you have any idea at the moment how this is going to affect CC? I'm operational out of LGW early this afternoon- expect to get a call soon with news of restrictions or changes in procedure. I imagine this is going to be the day on which all the training about customer service is really and truly going to count!!
All the best-
Yistoph

Hi....I do not really know what you could expect, definitely some disruption. Some flights have been cancelled, but most of them are departing, even if delayed. At the moment the situation isn't nice but under control. Of course, due to the short turnarounds planned for the a/c and the luck of spare a/c during the summer season (at least in some airlines) I could imagine that the afternoon flights will suffer from the delays accrued in the morning.

Good luck and remember that all passengers will have their own view on what is correct and what should have happened etc etc, but we are the ones in charge of their safety and security so they will have to comply, whether they want it or not!!

FBW

[flybywire]

Latest news

- AF-KLM, IB, LH and SN have cancelled all the flights into the UK for the time being.

- Minimum two hour queues at LHR check-in desks

[Yistoph]

Thelynxeffect-
I sympathize with the sentiments underlying your comment about passenger comprehension of the situation.
However, I have come to the (sad) conclusion that very often pax acceptance of a difficult situation and their expectations of us as the front line of contact are two different things.
That is why I made the comment about bringing all of our training and experience to the fore today. It is going to be difficult. I am very lucky that the company for which I work has excellent CC and FD cooperation and we will be supporting each other through what I expect is going to be a long day!
All the best
Yistoph

[flybywire]

At the moment LHR has closed for ALL INBOUND flights.

[flybywire]

BAA servers are down, for info on arriving/departing aircraft the best way to find out is either contact your airline or check the teletext

[flybywire]

BAA has cancelled all flights into and out of LHR until at least 3pm

[jennihopkins]

will be interesting to know if cabin crew are allowed 2 take their crew bags into the cabin as usual, seeing as all hand luggage has been abandoned.

[flybywire]

will be interesting to know if cabin crew are allowed 2 take their crew bags into the cabin as usual, seeing as all hand luggage has been abandoned.

At the moment they are allowing operating staff to take their cabin bag on board after careful screening as it's needed for in-flight service.

[flybywire]

However cabin crew are not allowed to place anything liquid such as shampoo, perfume etc.

Cabin crew are allowed to carry electrical equipment such as ipod etc.

[warwicks]

Cabin crew are facing full searches of all their belongings- shoe x rays and liquid products being confiscated.

Some airports are also beginning to ban cabin bags as well- making airline staff use plastic bags like passegers.

I have to say that I think this is a good thing. Safety is the most important thing. I am glad I am not working today to be honest as it must be hard to face the pax who are likely to begin to take out frustrations on staff.

The news coverage is very good today- is managing to keep us informed, but not people in the airports. I can see us all being called in on days off/ rest days as crews go out of hours.

[jennihopkins]

yeh i am also glad that crew are having to be extensively searched like the pax as well. makes sense in most cases. will have to remember not to take any perfume with me next time i fly then just in case! and i guess hand lotion is out of the question too.

i suppose at a push my bad could go into the hold as most of it is night stop stuff (just in case! lol) but i would obviously need my things to operate services etc.

do they know yet how long this is supposed to continue for? on my local news it said the hand luggage restrictiopns will definitely be in place for the next 2 to 3 days at my local airport. but my dad says he reckons this will be for the foreseeable future!