A/C 777 tech in LHR on 11th

[doo]

AC 777 tech in LHR and offloading pax 11th around 2045Z any info?

[Lost in Saigon]

AC 777 tech in LHR and offloading pax 11th around 2045Z any info?
When I first read your post I couldn't help but think of the Monty Python RAF Banter sketch.

Yes, Air Canada's newest Boeing 777 (aircraft #733, flight 2857) had a technical problem at LHR on June 11th around 20:45Z. They departed 1:19 late and arrived 0:56 late in Toronto.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rKYL0tW-Ek

Bovril: Morning, Squadron Leader.

Squadron Leader : What-ho, Squiffy.

Bovril: How was it?

Squadron Leader : Top-hole. Bally Jerry, pranged his kite right in the how's your father. Hairy blighter, dicky-birdied, feathered back on his Sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harper's and caught his can in the Bertie.

Bovril: Er, I'm afraid I don't quite follow you, Squadron Leader.

Squadron Leader : It's perfectly ordinary banter, Squiffy. Bally Jerry...pranged his kite right in the how's yer father...hairy blighter, dicky-birdied, feathered back on his Sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harper's and caught his can in the Bertie.

Bovril : No, I'm just not understanding banter at all well today. Give us it slower.

Squadron Leader: Banter's not the same if you say it slower, Squiffy...........................................

[secret agent 86]

Uhh...no...we didn't depart 1:19 late and arrive yyz :56 late...more like we arrived 21:45 late. Spent the night in the hotel at LHR. Kudos to the crew and groundstaff as it must have been a logistical nightmare and all was handled well. I believe it was a brake problem...anti skid maybe?

[Norsuperior]

hello:
Yes, we were told it was the anti skid system and that parts were needed.

We actually left the gate for an on-time departure, with passenger notified of a "small technical problem" around 13:30 and the aircraft was parked at one of the remote stands. The technical team arrived and started work after about 30 minutes. This photograph was taken sometime that day, link: http://www.heathrowpictures.com/images/index_aca_b773_cfitw.jpg

Buses took passengers to terminal 3 around 16:30 and collected us from 17:40 to 18:30. After about another hour we thought we were on our way, only to be told that the problem had not been fixed. Very soon after this the announcement came that the crew had exceeded their hours...hotels were needed, but our checked bags would stay in the plane.

I was lucky enough to be at the hotel near the airport even though I was in economy, there was some discussion that the local hotel (Park Inn) was intended for people in business class. Others I spoke with were bused to a hotel near Euston Station (Central London), arriving at 00:30 and collected at 06:00 for a 09:30 departure.

On the next day (Tuesday), we arrived back at Terminal 3, negotiated our way to the gate only to be told that there would be a further delay, Department of Transport required our bags to be unloaded, rescreened and reloaded. We departed at 11:00, arriving YYZ just before 13:00.

While it must have been a logistical nightmare for Air Canada, it was also a stressful period for many passengers.
The Air Canada people I encountered tried to be helpful, but seemed not to be aware of any set of company procedures or legal requirements for such an incident.
In Europe the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 applies, yet we as a group heard nothing of it, for example "(20) Passengers should be fully informed of their rights in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights, so that they can effectively exercise their rights." from http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/archive/2005/dbcrsecc/deniedboardingcompensationre1293?page=5

I wonder if members can add some information as to what procedures Air Canada might be expected to have had in place, and how they are dealing with the EC regulations.

[BeechNut]

I wonder if members can add some information as to what procedures Air Canada might be expected to have had in place, and how they are dealing with the EC regulations.

It would appear, none. Last year I went with Mrs. Beechnut and two of the ground crew on a nice little two-week holiday in the UK (Wales, Southern England, with obligatory pilgrimage to Duxford). Few AC CYUL-LHR, in back-of-the-bus class (except it wasn't a 'bus, but a 767). Sunday night departure, rent car at Thiefrow the next morning, drive 5 hours to the far west of Wales. That was the plan (I've done the drive on the left thing many times before so wasn't too stressed about that). Technical problem (allegedly fueling problem) delayed us. Like you, got us all on board, then needed more time to fix problem, then crew busted the clock. So we off-loaded. We had to clear customs (!) even though we never left the country because we were in no-man's land. Everybody rounded up in the departure area...it was 0'dark-thirty by then and the airport was deserted.

Big bloody SNAFU/cluster f*ck, whatever you want to call it. We finally got to our hotel at 03h30...and they wanted us back at 6 am for an 8 am departure. Nobody seemed to have a CLUE what was happening. The AC staff that is, not the pax; the pax knew what was happening: chaos. We finally left at close to 10 am the next morning and got into LHR well after 9 pm, about 12 hours late. The 8 am departure became 10 am because...even though the plane sat at the gate all night, someone forgot to restock it with food the next morning. We ended up driving to a hotel near Reading.

We had a great trip in the UK, but the return flight was scarcely any better...it was on the Saturday immediately after the terrorist round-up in the UK when all the hassles about liquids, no carry-ons, etc, happened. About the only thing more disorganized than AC in a crisis, is LHR in a crisis...shuttle bus from the car hire parking lot stuck in gridlock, 3+ hours to clear security; had to hike the last bit to T3 with luggage and severely irritated spouse and offspring.

This year we are vacationing at home...flying the airlines has become distinctly unpleasant, much prefer spending my vacation time flying my spamcan.