BA Advanced Delay Prediction

[5711N0205W]

I’m travelling long haul on Saturday, just went to the BA website to fill in API details and a delay (unquantified) is showing on the site. The Friday and Sunday operation on this route are showing as on time. How is the delay predictable about 39 hours in advance?

[sherburn2LA]

its like forecasting there will be rain in Manchester.

[wiggy]

This is very much an “it depends”...the Ops folk will have an ideal plan for which aircraft on which sectors several days out but if the plan for Saturday involved an aircraft that has suddenly gone sick there might be some rejigging going on and the company might decide to declare delay unknown or unquantifiable until they have a fix...so it is possible you may not have a delay after all.

It’s also worth worth considering that:

1. There generally aren’t many if any spare airframes and crews.

2. Longhaul aircraft leaving LHR may not get back to base for quite some time (12 to 48 hours plus) and so “reactionary or “ knock on delays” can be known 24 hours or more in advance.

Hopefully this far out I’d suggest there’s a chance of a fix and your flight will “come good” and there will be no delay..Good Luck.

[5711N0205W]

Thanks wiggy that makes sense.

[Ancient Observer]

Even if there is a delay, BA normally insists that you turn up as if the flight was on time.
Don't assume you can be late! They will cancel your ticket.

[PAXboy]

On the day, whilst waiting, you can amuse yourself by using one of the flight monitoring services to identify which aircraft is due to operate your flight. Then track it and see where it is an how much on schedule it is. I have sat in lounges with info displaying the flight as on time, whilst I can see that the aircraft is behind schedule on its previous service. Helps plan your time.

[Heathrow Harry]

Even if there is a delay, BA normally insists that you turn up as if the flight was on time.
Don't assume you can be late! They will cancel your ticket.

what is maddening is that they do this when the airport is already stuffed to the doors with delayed passengers and the police are saying "don't go but contact your airline.."

[wiggy]

On the day, whilst waiting, you can amuse yourself by using one of the flight monitoring services to identify which aircraft is due to operate your flight. Then track it and see where it is an how much on schedule it is. I have sat in lounges with info displaying the flight as on time, whilst I can see that the aircraft is behind schedule on its previous service. Helps plan your time.

In the context of BA I’d say that tactic works OK at the outstations..However a health warning - it has on (rare) occasions been known to backfire with unfortunate results for some at LHR when the inbound service has been so disrupted that Ops have magically switched aircraft between services and/or also by magic managed to produce a standby crew...

[PAXboy]

Yes. indeed. At hubs you might get lucky. Sadly, you do have to turn up on time. My reference was more about what to do once at the terminal.