LHR-MAN in 6 hours, courtesy of BA
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: terra firma
Posts: 186
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
LHR-MAN in 6 hours, courtesy of BA
No names, no flight number, but what a c...-up on Tuesday. Our hapless A320 crew set out on our 140nm marathon journey carrying fuel to allow 40 mins holding. As soon as we had spent the 40 mins at Bovingdon, off we dived into Luton, to start the comedy of errors. (Apparently, our 40 minute hold had been extended to 1 hour). Suffice to say, handling problems, slot times, and stand availability at LHR all added to the delay.
Given the circumstances prevailing on the day, this was a very poor performance by the team of 2, compounded by the fact that not a single word of apology was given from the left seat, just a series of inappropriate and factually incorrect announcements.
Wish I was paid as well as these folks (and the pension/job security) to exercise such an appalling level of professional skills. On second thoughts, maybe I should be grateful to work for a company who don't apply unreasonable pressure regarding fuel policy. One way or another, this was a poor show, although safety did not seem to be compromised.
Never again BA.
Given the circumstances prevailing on the day, this was a very poor performance by the team of 2, compounded by the fact that not a single word of apology was given from the left seat, just a series of inappropriate and factually incorrect announcements.
Wish I was paid as well as these folks (and the pension/job security) to exercise such an appalling level of professional skills. On second thoughts, maybe I should be grateful to work for a company who don't apply unreasonable pressure regarding fuel policy. One way or another, this was a poor show, although safety did not seem to be compromised.
Never again BA.
Stop whingeing!!! Ever heard of 'circumstances beyond ones control'. Was probably the case that the hapless drivers had no more idea of the probable delay in the hold than you and the other pax did. Perhaps you would have preferred to have heard a few fairy stories while going round in circles and then have the opportunity to whinge even more when the delay was even longer! At times like this ferrying freight almost sounds appealing!!!!!!!!!!!!!( Don't worry GSS, I haven't applied!).
All your comments are no doubt true,but has anyone publicly
declared what a pack of non accountable useless tu***
HAL are.Did you know that BA does not have a service agreement with them,ie if they choose not to deice the ramp etc
because it eats into their profits then you as an operator can take
a running jump.The shambles the other night proves this.
The following morning,Ba flights were waiting for in excess of 3 hours for a stand,on icy apron areas and taxiways that looked as though they had never been deiced.Workers were banned from the apron for dangerous conditions and on the previous evening when we had all of half an hour of snow,the aircraft deicing rigs were nowhere to be seen.
With that in mind,HAL have not taken anything onboard since
the last shambles last winter and my earnest advice to professional aviators operating to that dosshouse of an airport
is not to bother leaving your overseas departure point until
at least 2 days after the cessation of the snow.
What was also interesting was the reaction of BA managers to all this...just a shrug of the shoulders and what can l do!
PS this is of course written referring to LHR
declared what a pack of non accountable useless tu***
HAL are.Did you know that BA does not have a service agreement with them,ie if they choose not to deice the ramp etc
because it eats into their profits then you as an operator can take
a running jump.The shambles the other night proves this.
The following morning,Ba flights were waiting for in excess of 3 hours for a stand,on icy apron areas and taxiways that looked as though they had never been deiced.Workers were banned from the apron for dangerous conditions and on the previous evening when we had all of half an hour of snow,the aircraft deicing rigs were nowhere to be seen.
With that in mind,HAL have not taken anything onboard since
the last shambles last winter and my earnest advice to professional aviators operating to that dosshouse of an airport
is not to bother leaving your overseas departure point until
at least 2 days after the cessation of the snow.
What was also interesting was the reaction of BA managers to all this...just a shrug of the shoulders and what can l do!
PS this is of course written referring to LHR
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Preferably on terra firma.
Posts: 742
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sitting on the fence
Just thought that you might be interested to know that we diverted into LHR on Wednesday night because LGW was closed and managed to get out again in 45 mins!
Yes, I too was very surprised. LHR was down to single runway operations but we still didn't have to hold. There was no stand available initially but that soon changed and '55' were very quick to provide us with fuel and a dispatcher. Even a push-back crew turned up!
Apparently though there was a four hour waiting period for de-icing which we did not require.
Yes, I too was very surprised. LHR was down to single runway operations but we still didn't have to hold. There was no stand available initially but that soon changed and '55' were very quick to provide us with fuel and a dispatcher. Even a push-back crew turned up!
Apparently though there was a four hour waiting period for de-icing which we did not require.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Ascot,Berks,Great Britain
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Misschief,
Your accusation that this was a very "poor performance " by the flight crew involved is based on what exactly? Please explain how they could have anticipated the cock up on the ground at LHR that night. I was flying at lhr and would be most interested to know.
Please do not let your personal frustration affect your judgement. The fact is these guys were able to hold for 40mins and then divert. If you think BA's fuel policy is in error feel free to write and make that point.
Regards
Diesel
Your accusation that this was a very "poor performance " by the flight crew involved is based on what exactly? Please explain how they could have anticipated the cock up on the ground at LHR that night. I was flying at lhr and would be most interested to know.
Please do not let your personal frustration affect your judgement. The fact is these guys were able to hold for 40mins and then divert. If you think BA's fuel policy is in error feel free to write and make that point.
Regards
Diesel
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: on the edge
Posts: 186
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't think the problem was with BA or any airline yesterday. It was B.A.A/H.A.L!
Taxiways and Stands were not gritted properly, the airport was like an ice-rink......A/c could not be towed on/off stand or to/from base and LHR became gridlocked by around 11.00. Shameful!
A/c were arriving on 27R and taxying to the end of the runway to 'park' for stands on the outer taxiways, it was appalling to see BA / VS / AA / EK all holding on these blocks for over 40 - 50 mins because no stands were available.
Flights were diverted because of reduced flow rates and as many flights as possible held at outstations.
It's time HAL are hit in the only place it hurts - in the pocket!
Taxiways and Stands were not gritted properly, the airport was like an ice-rink......A/c could not be towed on/off stand or to/from base and LHR became gridlocked by around 11.00. Shameful!
A/c were arriving on 27R and taxying to the end of the runway to 'park' for stands on the outer taxiways, it was appalling to see BA / VS / AA / EK all holding on these blocks for over 40 - 50 mins because no stands were available.
Flights were diverted because of reduced flow rates and as many flights as possible held at outstations.
It's time HAL are hit in the only place it hurts - in the pocket!
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: LHR
Posts: 170
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And, of course, it's not as if the bad weather was unforecasted and unforeseen.
The snow arrived at LHR bang on schedule, at about 17:15 on Wednesday evening, just as the forecasters predicted.
It also froze hard. I walked out of CCO to my bike at 18:45 expecting just to sweep off a light dusting of feathery fluffy snow. The damn stuff was frozen pretty solid!
Mark.
The snow arrived at LHR bang on schedule, at about 17:15 on Wednesday evening, just as the forecasters predicted.
It also froze hard. I walked out of CCO to my bike at 18:45 expecting just to sweep off a light dusting of feathery fluffy snow. The damn stuff was frozen pretty solid!
Mark.
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Dubai - sand land.
Age: 55
Posts: 2,832
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
just need to clarify something, the snow was on wednesday. However the topic starter is talking about TUESDAY !! Was there a snow problem that day ?
Yes, EK diverted from LGW weds. evening and held on a taxiway for just under THREE hours before getting a stand !! Heathrow is a joke
Yes, EK diverted from LGW weds. evening and held on a taxiway for just under THREE hours before getting a stand !! Heathrow is a joke
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Man
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
At MAN given the severe wx conditions the airport authority were deicing runways, taxiways and ramps in that order hence iced up ramps were not touched till after midnight, and causing handling problems all night, although on wed night they seemed to be sorting the ramps out and had a lot more deicers out, I guess it was the same story at London airports. I dont think uk airports consider it to be cost effective to have millions of pounds of deicing equipment to be sat around for 364 days of the year, also the fluid used on the surfaces freezes after a short time making it even worse...
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: UK
Posts: 1,691
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't remember any weather problems at LHR on Tuesday. Perhaps MissChief would like to explain what his/her psychic powers foresaw as the cause of the unexpected disruption? Either that or just stop drivel.
Last edited by Carnage Matey!; 30th Jan 2004 at 23:57.
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: solent-on-sea
Posts: 443
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No one having a pop at Brum? Go on, share the wealth.
Lovely little Brum closed at about 8ish on Wednesday to reopen at 12 noon Thursday after "the sun has deiced the airfield cos we've no de-icer left!"
God save us if any real weather ever turns up.
Lovely little Brum closed at about 8ish on Wednesday to reopen at 12 noon Thursday after "the sun has deiced the airfield cos we've no de-icer left!"
God save us if any real weather ever turns up.
Ah - so that's why the flights to/from Birrmigoom were delayed. Inbound LH BHX-DUS was cx'd, outbound therefore had to use an ac which had positioned empty from Cologne. I was at DUS (what a nice airport) and the efficiency of all aspects of RW clearing, de-icing and cold weather ops in general was excellent.
Waiting for the sun to de-ice the aerodrome indeed.....!!
Waiting for the sun to de-ice the aerodrome indeed.....!!
Ohcirrej
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: This is the internet FFS.........
Posts: 2,921
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
MissChief, are you effin serious.
BA's fault!?!?! I think you had better re-read your post and consider deleting it.
BTW, as a matter of interest for me, what time did all this occur? Certainly wasn't after 1400 was it!
BA's fault!?!?! I think you had better re-read your post and consider deleting it.
BTW, as a matter of interest for me, what time did all this occur? Certainly wasn't after 1400 was it!
Nexialist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Milton Keynes
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well the incident above may or may not have been BA's fault, but I can tell you what is.
Their diabolical arrivals/departures information on their website. This will gladly tell you "this information was updated 1 minute ago" whilst the estimated departure time listed has come and gone.
Yesterday I dropped someone off for the 1340 Milan flight (BA566). Now earlier flight had been cancelled, so I thought a delay likely, but until 1400 BA.com were still estimating a 1340 departure, then it lurched to 1505 where it stayed until it left gate at 1701. Now they don't actually give you a takeoff time either, but from BAA's site it hadn't taken off by 1735.
What is the point in providing inaccurate information? If you don't know when the flight is going to depart, just say "Sorry due to severe weather we are unable to estimate a departure time"
Their diabolical arrivals/departures information on their website. This will gladly tell you "this information was updated 1 minute ago" whilst the estimated departure time listed has come and gone.
Yesterday I dropped someone off for the 1340 Milan flight (BA566). Now earlier flight had been cancelled, so I thought a delay likely, but until 1400 BA.com were still estimating a 1340 departure, then it lurched to 1505 where it stayed until it left gate at 1701. Now they don't actually give you a takeoff time either, but from BAA's site it hadn't taken off by 1735.
What is the point in providing inaccurate information? If you don't know when the flight is going to depart, just say "Sorry due to severe weather we are unable to estimate a departure time"
Join Date: May 2002
Location: england
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
wot every one forgets is we get hardly any snow a year . ok we were warned but it came down so quick theres nothing u can do in the snow countries it snows all the time so they no how to cope probably all the airport operators got in snow guys from ohter countries to see how they cope but when u get wierd snow loke this i doubt they would no wot to do. as for the everyday person wot did they do . they all shot off home as quick as they could clogging the roads up hence blocking the gritters and snow ploughs doing their jobs.
Ohcirrej
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: This is the internet FFS.........
Posts: 2,921
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you don't know when the flight is going to depart, just say "Sorry due to severe weather we are unable to estimate a departure time"