LHR ATC Shortages - again

[TopBunk]

Not for the first time in the last couple of months, 40 minutes holding delays morning of 29th July. OK, so at that time of day 15 minutes is common, but when asked, ATC (LHR Director) advised that the reason was a shortage of controllers in the tower.

Here we are with a much-in-demand airport with underfunded infrastructure, operating at 100% capacity averaged across the day (and at about 120% capacity during peak hours), being unable to even use the facilities available resulting in abysmal service to the people paying the bills (airlines and passengers). Who is answerable?

And no I'm not having a go at the controllers, they do a fantastic job with the facilities at their disposal. I burnt about an extra 1.5 tonnes yesterday morning and another 0.4 tonnes later on costing my airline approx £400/$650 in the process - money ill-affordable at the moment. At least I didn't have to divert - just!:(

[Bearcat]

I went in BNN yesterday morning for 40mins. When I got to BNN it was just us , a BA and a Midland floating around. I thought the place would be jammers. ATC just told us "volume of traffic"

[Jerricho]

Hey guys,

Yeah, it was a real problem yesterday. More than one jet told us that if they weren't off the stack right on their EAT they were going to have to go elsewhere (and on or two mentioned if they went around it was going to be declaring a PAN).

Unfortunately, while staffing probelms have been the issue of many delays like tis ofer the past couple of months, there were 5 staff off sick in the Tower yesterday, hence the requirement for 4 mile spacing on final approach. There were some heft flow restrictions in place to try and catch some of it, but it didn't help that much. And, although it doesn't help those who did hold for all that time, at 1300 when we went back to normal spacing, the delays did come down considerably.

Personall, I have to say thank you for all your patience yesterday (especially when the EATS were being put back a couple of times). I haven't seen that many jets holding for ages!

[Charlie32]

As a regular commuter on the BA NCL-LHR run, I cannot help but observe that by the early evening, it is now almost normal to expect at least an hours delay, sometimes more, due to "delay on the inbound aircraft". Presumably this has built up form the cummulative effects of the early morning flights. Too many flights and not enough resources, ATC included, to turn them around fast enough. This is yet another nail in the BA "premium business" coffin.

Sadly I have seen all aspects of the whole service deteriorate over ten years, to a point where reluctantly I shall have to consider either the dreadful railways, or flying myself to Biggin, and foregoing the evening champagne!!

[2 six 4]

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[Spartacan]

Far better that the controllers were off sick than at work in an unfit state.

So what if it cost the airlines some money and some flights were delayed. How would it have been viewed if their had been a controller related incident?

The encouraging thing about this situation is that the employment culture in the Tower at LHR is mature enough not to pressurise sick controllers to work.

[TopBunk]

Spartacan

Far better that the controllers were off sick than at work in an unfit state

Absolutely .... but where else in the world does a major international or domestic airport running at 110% capacity as a norm drop to 80% capacity due sickness?

My point is not aimed at the guys at LHR who do a fantastic job, day in day out at maximising the utilisation of the 2 runways, but at the management who cannot provide the numbers of controllers required. By all accounts the London weighting allowance paid to the LHR guys falls well short of that required to attract people of the right calibre to work at LHR - too many course failures???? The cost to the airlines may be relatively small but the point is that we are paying for a service which is not being delivered.

[Gonzo]

but at the management who cannot provide the numbers of controllers required.

[Bigpants]

Would this shortage have anything to do with the number of very "English" contollers now working with Euro-Control in Maastrict?

Reduced flow rates smacks of under staffing, poor morale and working conditions.
Regards BP

[Jerricho]

While Bigpants' observation regarding flow isn't far from the truth, I will have to stick up for some of our Traffic Managers (and this is a very rare thing for me, I can tell you).

There have been some flow restrictions in place of late to allow for management of the inbound delay to London TMA airfields to a level that a safe dispersal can take place given the situation regarding our lack of a TC contingency plan (should the flood gods find it their want to vent their wrath again!!!).

[Not Long Now]

Bigpants, if you think Eurocontrol is sounding distinctly ex-Londonish, wait til the next time you go to Canada.
Anyone for a nice cup of tea old bean?