BA Flights

manic111 · 19 Dec 2010 at 08:24

WingZero30 said:
My brother is stuck in frankfurt for 2 days now as he was due to fly with BA. However they transferred him to lufthansa and that got cancelled aswell.

I don't understand that US and Canada also have more heavy snow in certain parts and yet the airports there seem to be operating normally. Oslo airports seem to be fine even though it snows heavily in norway.Why is it that everytime there is heavy snow or rain in this country, it brings the transport system to a standstill in this country?

Because, this being England, nothing is ever anybody's fault and therefore nobody takes responsibility

The fact that this is still a relatively unusual event, in spite of it having happened for the last three years now, also plays a part

Scuzi · 19 Dec 2010 at 10:16

WingZero30 said:
My brother is stuck in frankfurt for 2 days now as he was due to fly with BA. However they transferred him to lufthansa and that got cancelled aswell.

I don't understand that US and Canada also have more heavy snow in certain parts and yet the airports there seem to be operating normally. Oslo airports seem to be fine even though it snows heavily in norway.Why is it that everytime there is heavy snow or rain in this country, it brings the transport system to a standstill in this country?

Because Canada and Norway get heavy snow on a regular basis therefore it is in the interests of the airport authority to spend millions on lots of awesome snow clearing equipment.

In the UK we get it for a week a year, making the investment in such expensive equipment not worthwhile.

AdamSee · 19 Dec 2010 at 15:40

Anyone got through their phone queue?

I've been waited for 55min so far. Flights back to the UK cancelled two days in a row.

Azza · 19 Dec 2010 at 15:47

Friends Dad was meant to fly into Heathrow on Friday from HK but he's still there. They got no idea when he'll be home.

[TW]Fox · 19 Dec 2010 at 15:52

WingZero30 said:
I don't understand that US and Canada also have more heavy snow in certain parts and yet the airports there seem to be operating normally.

Really?

http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/11/23/the-great-november-seattle-snowstorm-a-city-shuts-down/

Why do people think it's just the UK thats useless? As that article clearly demonstrates, everywhere else in the world which rarely sees snowfall is the same.

Amp34 · 19 Dec 2010 at 15:57

WingZero30 said:
My brother is stuck in frankfurt for 2 days now as he was due to fly with BA. However they transferred him to lufthansa and that got cancelled aswell.

I don't understand that US and Canada also have more heavy snow in certain parts and yet the airports there seem to be operating normally. Oslo airports seem to be fine even though it snows heavily in norway.Why is it that everytime there is heavy snow or rain in this country, it brings the transport system to a standstill in this country?

Why didn't he just get a train or something back? Would have saved a load of hotel costs and he would have been back yesterday at the latest... :confused:

[TW]Fox · 19 Dec 2010 at 16:24

Amp34 said:
Why didn't he just get a train or something back? Would have saved a load of hotel costs and he would have been back yesterday at the latest...

There are no Hotel costs as BA are obligated to pay for that.

AdamSee · 19 Dec 2010 at 16:24

It took around 1hr 32 minutes to get through via phone, and then about 2 minutes to change the flight (internet site won't allow re-bookings for some reason)

Scuzi · 19 Dec 2010 at 16:33

AdamSee said:
It took around 1hr 32 minutes to get through via phone, and then about 2 minutes to change the flight (internet site won't allow re-bookings for some reason)

Is that with BA?
I love how the US airlines issue "travel waivers" which allow you to go online and proactively change your booking accordingly. It's so much easier.

Amp34 · 19 Dec 2010 at 18:08

[TW]Fox;18035292 said:
There are no Hotel costs as BA are obligated to pay for that.

Good point, however I also assume that insurance would pay for alternative transport if a flight was cancelled?

regulus · 19 Dec 2010 at 18:12

Homerjkev said:
I'm flying out of Heathrow on Wednesday morning to Hkong. The weather forcasts keep changing, anyone know if likelt to be ok? Thanks

You asking us to predict weather 4 days into the future whilst not even the Met Office gets it right half the time? If it's assurance you're looking for when it comes to weather, there's none to be had. Ring your airline, but I can tell you now it will be a short conversation.

I got a flight out of Heathrow on Thursday, I've already made peace with the fact that it might not leave at all.

manic111 · 19 Dec 2010 at 18:17

Amp34 said:
Good point, however I also assume that insurance would pay for alternative transport if a flight was cancelled?

I believe that BA are obliged to get you home within a reasonable period of time. If a flight gets cancelled, they must find you another flight. If they can't they must find you another means of transport. I can't remember what this period of time is, though, and I also assume it doesn't cover acts of god, including the weather (and the ash cloud earlier this year). Then again, your insurance probably doesn't cover this either...

Ovr · 19 Dec 2010 at 19:29

I'm getting really, really nervous about my flight from Birmingham on the evening of the 23rd - going out to Cape Town to spend Xmas with my Fiancé there.....she is not going to be happy if my flight gets delayed, especially in the light of emirates messing up my first booking when I should have been going today....but then again I wouldn't have been flying today either by the looks of it!

C'mon snow, be a good lad and go away!

Raymond Lin · 19 Dec 2010 at 19:31

Ovr said:
I'm getting really, really nervous about my flight from Birmingham on the evening of the 23rd - going out to Cape Town to spend Xmas with my Fiancé there.....she is not going to be happy if my flight gets delayed, especially in the light of emirates messing up my first booking when I should have been going today....but then again I wouldn't have been flying today either by the looks of it!

C'mon snow, be a good lad and go away!

I'd say you have a better chance getting there if you get the ferry to France and fly from Paris or something !

Scuzi · 19 Dec 2010 at 19:36

Raymond Lin said:
I'd say you have a better chance getting there if you get the ferry to France and fly from Paris or something !

Providing there isn't another big change in the wx, it's actually looking pretty good for him.

Totality · 19 Dec 2010 at 19:47

Reading this thread about the troubles people have had with BA and after all the striking fiasco earlier in the year I'm surprised anyone still trusts them. I for one never book through BA and would pay more just to avoid them!

Scuzi · 19 Dec 2010 at 19:57

Totality said:
Reading this thread about the troubles people have had with BA and after all the striking fiasco earlier in the year I'm surprised anyone still trusts them. I for one never book through BA and would pay more just to avoid them!

Quite often it would suit me better to fly with BA but I choose not to because their service is so god damn volatile. I know quite a few people who feel the same too!

[TW]Fox · 19 Dec 2010 at 19:58

Scuzi said:
Quite often it would suit me better to fly with BA but I choose not to because their service is so god damn volatile. I know quite a few people who feel the same too!

Absolutely. I have no idea how much BA were charging for my last flight as I filtered them out of my search results on Skyscanner.

Cosimo · 19 Dec 2010 at 20:06

On tonight’s news a reason given for Heathrow being at a standstill today is that aircraft have been snowed into their stands. So you can clear the runways buy you can’t get the aircraft moving. I wonder how Gatwick managed.

manic111 · 19 Dec 2010 at 20:06

I'm not sure I'll be using them again in future. It was them or Air India at a reasonable price this time though...