No BA pax service during lockdown
 

There is a rumour on the BAEC FT forum that BA will cease flying pax during lockdown and carry cargo only (apart from repatriation flights)

Anyone have knowledge which confirms or denies?

It's 8 am.

Instead of the usual 20 or so BA departures from LHR by this time there have been about half a dozen so far today, though all but one have scheduled flight numbers.

Could this be the reason? "If you live in England, you cannot travel overseas or within the UK, unless for work, education or other legally permitted reasons, and you should look to reduce the number of journeys you make."

The rumour is doing the rounds of a shutdown from 8th. Couple of things that may scupper this..
1. This sort of thing needs to be announced to the stock market before facebook
2. How on earth would all the stranded pax get home? It’d cost BA a lot in combo and empty one way repat flights.
3. There are actually a few business routes that are still viable. Any shutdown would be handing cash to competitors.

I think there’s something in it though but maybe a significant reduction and or leverage with government to actually get their finger out and help aviation rather than choking the life out of it.

Rumour control from this end.
No longhaul except cargo ops.
About a dozen short haul flights per day to continue.
No domestic flights.

Almost all staff to be furloughed.

Just rumour?

Well it is a rumour forum so nothing wrong with that. Can't see much happening of a positive note until the Spring 2021, looks like BA are about to go into sleep mode for a while and I don't blame them. Best to take the government support and protect the business as clearly hardly anyone is flying due to the pandemic.

Departures so far today to Newcastle, Aberdeen, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and Belfast would suggest that domestics haven't yet stopped.

Are the trains running, or are you really locked down domestically ?

One acceptable reason for leaving your home is to go to work if you are unable to work at home. Given the reduction in passenger numbers I don't know how much of a service continues, but the government has effectively nationalised the train operating companies because their business model and franchise has effectively had the rug pulled out from under it.

If they don't nationalize BA and run the trains themselves, won't that put BA out of Domestic business forever?

Good question, if I knew the answer to that sort of thing I might have a share portfolio to support me in my old age.

We have had two BAW flights from Heathrow today, with two more scheduled. Then again, we are not in lockdown.

Flew on BA Monday, flight was delayed as the crew were waiting their CV19 test results. What to do, everything is stacked against passenger airlines at the moment, I wonder how the crews manage with this extra stress.

TURIN

Certainly it was a rumour (which included the furlough aspect) circulating late last night on one Social Media conduit and the source was..other Social Media...however today I've heard/read other stories that might mean there is some credibility to all this..

Takes effect on Monday. Just been confirmed. Good luck everyone.

why would it? despite the fact there's 10% of people using the trains, the prices are still the ridiculous prices they were before. Cheaper to fly to Scotland than to train it almost every time.

Confirmed by Who?

It 100% hasn’t been confirmed. At the moment the network plan is for a larger operation than April and May lockdown, but massively scaled back on the original Nov schedule.

lomapaseo

Yes trains are still running, -both long distance and local - to a reduced schedule.

We are currently running about a 90% timetable going up to a 100% timetable from the start of December.
Side note; the trains are pretty much empty.

90% and 100% of what?

I was scheduled DFW-LHR-BCN today Nov 5th on AA and then BA for the second leg. By chance I checked my reservation last night on the AA website only to find out that my BCN leg was no longer there. No notification whatsoever from BA. Called AA and I was rerouted via MAD instead. Really frustrating as if I hadn’t checked my reservation I would have gotten an unpleasant surprise when checking in at the airport and possibly not being able to be rerouted that same day.

This r/t trip BCN-DFW-BCN has resulted in a total of four flight cancellations with the following rebooking. The previous three I was promptly notified by AA about the changes. Traveling internationally today, especially with a connection, is definitely not for the faint hearted. No wonder private flying is on the up and up for those who can afford it.

We have a family friend who is BA CC. He has just flown to SIN with 46 passengers in Y, 14 in C -and none in F under his 'new' contract. This was his first flight in five months. He returns tomorrow to furlough until (up to) March.

Got email from BA this afternoon saying our flight ANU-LGW on 15th now cancelled. Not sure how we are going to get home. Worse places to get stuck I suppose.
oh dear, what a pity never mind, as the pub landlord would say.

Dare I ask if BA have offered/suggested any options for getting back (e.g. via the States)?

Yes I have seen the plan
L/H almost all services stopped from 7/11- 2/12 the list is extensive and the start and end dates Slightly vary
S/H Lots of routes the same
S/H most domestic running but drastic frequency reductions from the 15th
A few S/H Euro flights but very reduced frequency
So it’s close to shutdown aligned with U.K. lockdown

wiggy

It seems I may be able to see options once the flight has been removed from the system. Heard via somebody else we may have some news in morning.
Looks as if there may be some repatriation flights, which will mean cutting short our holiday. Not ideal, but can’t really blame BA either. Lots of their staff much worse off than us.

Oh dear, all a bit pants whichever way you look at it..hope you get home OK, Good Luck..

Due to travel LHR-GLA on 10/11. This morning the app says it’s cancelled, BA.com flight status page says it cancelled (only one rotation operating that day), but you can still book it on BA.com and the call centre claim it’s going ahead... I’ve already booked a replacement train ticket and look forward to the refund battle, but it really is a bit of a sh*tshow.

And the BA booking was to replace an already cancelled EZY booking into the bargain.

(Before anyone tells me how badly airlines are suffering I know first hand, I’m going to LGW for an LPC)

Even during the lockdown BAW operated a skeleton service for key workers and repatriation. I’d guess that will still happen on a lot of their core routes.

Was given repatriation flight tomorrow, managed to put this back to Monday. No WT+ available but at least we only lose 6 days holiday rather than 8.

BA customer service is working better this time. Email on 2 Nov to say, as expected, that our ANU trip booked for 22 Nov was off, options outlined, SMS to follow. Txt duly arrived later in the day, simple reply of 1 digit (the option) and full refund credited the next day. I have no complaints.