BA2788 LGW-BOD 18/11/11

[ihatechewinggum]

Curious SLF here...

I was a passenger on BA2788 earlier today. We departed LGW, climbed to cruise level and all seemed well. After about 10 minutes in the cruise, I noticed a sudden rise in cabin temperature followed almost immediately by a marked change in cabin pressure, so my ears told me. About 5 seconds later the seat belt signs went on, and we started what seemed like a fairly rapid descent, during which both my ears and sinuses complained bitterly... My amateur eye would say that we then levelled off at something like around 10,000 and continued on to BOD at that level. I asked the CC whether she knew if there had been any pressurisation issue, but she didn't. No word from flight deck other than usual update 20 mins before arrival.

Clearly this was a non-event in terms of safety - we all arrived happily in Bordeaux - but I'm guessing something less than routine must have taken place on this flight. Especially as when I checked my flight track app, I saw that the return leg back to LGW had been cancelled. The old bird in question was G-DOCZ.

I take around 100 or so flights a year, and can't recall anything like this happening before. Might there be someone here who has an idea about what could have happened?

Thanks!

[champair79]

ihatechewinggum,

I don't know the answer to your question unfortunately but it does sound like a pressurisation issue. Strange that the flight deck didn't say anything. Normally I would say you were 'overreacting' but considering you do 100 flights a year, then you're clearly a seasoned traveller so I'm taking your word for it!

The best bet would be to keep an eye on www.thebasource.com (http://www.thebasource.com) and see if the issue is listed over the weekend.

Take care,

Champ

[gorter]

I can't comment on the exact circumstances. But if you'd had a pressurisation issue and returned 10000ft then you'd never have had enough fuel to continue on to destination.

Of course the crew could have loaded round trip fuel and used that for one way, but only a short time after departure, it seems like an odd decision if that's what happened. Just return home. Engineers and replacement aircraft on hand.

Not sure on the -400 as it has a different pressurisation system to the 737's I used to fly. However the MEL on those stated (I think) that one air con pack inop (one of 2) then limited to 25000 feet. However that's only pre despatch (though most crews will consult the MEL eventually I hope). The QRH (to be used post despatch) has no such limitations. But perhaps they did descend to 25000. But again the fuel burn issues are still relevant.

I wasn't there and am only speculating. But a descent to 10000ft and continuing on to BOD seems very unlikely.

[easyflyer83]

Sounds like pressurisation problems if the flight continued at 10,000ft. If so CRM must have been bad for the cabin crew not to be informed. As you rightly say it was a non event as the flight was completed safely but in terms of communication between the flight crew and cabin crew, the lack of it is a big deal.