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KelvinD
23rd Dec 2014, 16:19
It seems BA have suffered a bit of a PR disaster today.
Flight BA117 was due to go to New York at 08:20. According to which feed you read/believe, the aircraft originally slated to go was subbed. Eventually they ended up putting G-CIVZ on the route and that (allegedly) broke. Rumours talk of a smell of burning and others talk of a burning fuel pump.
Of course, the chatter mills are full of people speculating on the chances of anyone actually getting across the pond now before Xmas.

Donkey's years ago I was travelling LHR to JFK on Xmas Eve with BA and we were delayed as an earlier US bound departure had only made it as far as the Channel and turned around. Eventually, some of the passengers from the aborted flight were transferred to our flight and off we went.
With a grand total of 27 souls on board a VC10! That total of 27 included the crew!
That was my "4 hangover Xmas". Left Jeddah early morning on a BA Tristar. Spent a few hours in LHR recovering from the first hangover. Was hijacked by a lovely young lady on the VC to New York and she insisted on drinking brandy & beer until we both fell asleep. Recovered from that at JFK and then took a Delta 727 to New Orleans and b*&^er me, they were only serving free champagne. Being sat in the last row, next to the galley, I was issued with a refill every 10 minutes!
Topped off with a 100 mile trip to Pascagoula and off to a party.
I wish I had just 10th of that sort of stamina now!

DaveReidUK
23rd Dec 2014, 16:49
Currently showing as "Delayed 21:00". Not looking good ...

champair79
23rd Dec 2014, 22:41
Departed around 2200.


The delay was due to getting a 3rd aircraft (777-300ER) crewed and waiting for an available aircraft. The 747 pilot situation is a little precarious at the moment so there weren't any standby crew to re-crew a replacement 747-400.


The same happened yesterday with a late substitution on the 263/262 RUH flight from a 747-400 to a short haul 767-300ER. Then the allocated aircraft went tech resulting in another delay while another SH 767 was brought out!


During other times of the year, passengers would be dispersed or smaller aircraft put on but as the flights are all so full, the flights must operate...even if it means incurring a huge delay.


Champ

KelvinD
23rd Dec 2014, 23:07
I noticed the delayed departure (around 21:45), using G-STBF.
And some time later, I was surprised to see the Sao Paulo flight departing, using G-CIVZ. The same aircraft that failed to depart for JFK earlier in the day. Nice work on someone's behalf!