Heathrow an utter shambles

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 9,152
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Listening to radio five and completely shocked in how Heathrow/BA/American airlines are treating their passengers.

Sounds like absolute chaos and the goverment needs to sort this out asap
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,500
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    Why dont people accept they're not going anywhere and go home?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 9,152
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    Why dont people accept they're not going anywhere and go home?

    That's what some people are trying to do
  • mildredhubblemildredhubble Posts: 6,447
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    Why dont people accept they're not going anywhere and go home?

    My friend was at Birmingham Airport, the problem there was people trying to reclaim luggage with a 4 hour delay
  • MARTYM8MARTYM8 Posts: 44,710
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    What do you expect - anyone who books with BA after their 'problems' over the last 3-5 years deserves their head examining.

    I would never fly with them - they are neither cheap nor good quality.

    I even prefer Ryanair frankly - at least their flights are on time and they don't lose your luggage (the last 2 times I flew BA 3 years ago they lost my luggage and on the first time it never turned up despite me having loads of labels inside and out). If you want quality - try Singapore airlines.
  • John DoughJohn Dough Posts: 146,269
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    Heathrow is a privately run business (BAA) what can the government really do about it? As the transport secretary said nobody can control the weather.:confused:
    If this weather is costing over a billion quid a day in lost productivity etc and it would cost half of that amount (as a long term strategic investment) to upgrade equipment and systems etc etc isn't that what's called a 'no brainer'?

    We really do seem to prefer to just sit and moan and blame 'the government'.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,073
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    Im not a BA fan at all. Sadly though they cant be blamed. BA dont lose or handle luggage, Its the Airport. The same people who do the Ryan air flights, baggage is a completely different thing,

    Im not standing up for BA though, got a lot to say about them. lol.

    My whole days been a nightmare because of the weather and flights, Believe me!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 9,152
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    Not just BA, American Airlines as well from what I hear
  • MARTYM8MARTYM8 Posts: 44,710
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    Not just BA, American Airlines as well from what I hear

    Well they are code share partners in the One World alliance - so if American mess up in London its basically BA's fault as they run their support operations at Heathrow.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32,379
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    It's not the airlines fault. BAA who run the airport can't get the planes off the apron because of heavy icing.

    I would rather the plane sat there than crashed on takeoff or landing.

    Non of the airlines can give any answers as they don't know themselves.

    Google the state of other airports in Europe.
  • John DoughJohn Dough Posts: 146,269
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    I fully understand the anger and frustration of those caught up in the delays but it's a 'no win' situation. If a plane crashed on take off or landing because of known risks linked to the weather we'd never hear the end of it and people in positions of authority would be complicit in willful negligence.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 9,152
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    It's not just that, that's the problem, it's the way the people who are stranded at the airport are being treated
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32,379
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    It's not just that, that's the problem, it's the way the people who are stranded at the airport are being treated

    Many are there even though they were told not to travel as the airport was shut.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 40,102
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    A friend updated her Facebook status with "2hours 45mins on hold to BA and still no answer :-("

    Mental!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 402
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    Given that Heathrow is like a conveyor belt on the verge of bursting point at the best of times, it's hardly surprising that the system has failed.
  • John DoughJohn Dough Posts: 146,269
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    A friend updated her Facebook status with "2hours 45mins on hold to BA and still no answer :-("

    Mental!

    That's persistance but I usually give it 10-15 minutes at most before ditching a call holding queue.:p:o
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 221
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    Excuse my ignorance but have they not cancelled flights for safety??!!???
  • Blackadder VBlackadder V Posts: 2,283
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    Who is it who are stuck there? Is it British passengers expecting to take a flight yesterday? because to be honest if my flight was due to take off yesterday I wouldn't have bothered going to the airport as it is pretty obvious that nothing was taking off. I would have been gutted about the trip but I would rather stay home than be amongst a chaotic airport. I wonder how many people wish they did just that.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 12,613
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    It is madness.
    In this age of communications technology it appears that there is no organisation and structure at Heathrow to inform and look after their stranded passengers.

    This crazy situation reminds me that there is also supposed to be global warming.
    And no doubt there will be a hose pipe ban this summer. :confused:
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 436
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    In all fairness it looks like the airlines could have communicated better with passengers. However because we only have this kind of weather for a short period each year, the airlines and BAA won't invest in the technology to deal with the snow and ice.

    It's one of those catch 22 situations. Because were still only in December, what does the start to the new year hold weather wise?

    Personally i'd rather flights be cancelled if it means saving lives. Rather than a plane crashing....
  • Richard1960Richard1960 Posts: 20,336
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    BlueJoe101 wrote: »
    In all fairness it looks like the airlines could have communicated better with passengers. However because we only have this kind of weather for a short period each year, the airlines and BAA won't invest in the technology to deal with the snow and ice.

    It's one of those catch 22 situations. Because were still only in December, what does the start to the new year hold weather wise?

    Personally i'd rather flights be cancelled if it means saving lives. Rather than a plane crashing....

    At heathrow on saturday the runways were open(lunchtime) but in the case of BA they did not have the staff to de-ice the planes at one time i was listening to the radio LBC and BA did not even put a spokesperson up,instead we had employees ringing up anonymously to give updates.

    And even david mellor yes him,! said we could not get willie walsh off the airwaves when he had a dispute with his own staff now we cannot get him on.:eek:
  • CharnhamCharnham Posts: 61,157
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    this is how to get the planes moving

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9M50DD5Mxg

    ;)
  • Richard1960Richard1960 Posts: 20,336
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    Charnham wrote: »
    this is how to get the planes moving

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9M50DD5Mxg

    ;)

    :D:D:D

    Could not see willie walsh there though.;)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,983
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    If they moved Christmas to a warmer part of the year this could be avoided ;)
  • Steve™Steve™ Posts: 7,286
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    Listening to radio five and completely shocked in how Heathrow/BA/American airlines are treating their passengers.

    Sounds like absolute chaos and the goverment needs to sort this out asap


    I hate airlines and hate governments even more, but weather cannot (to the best of my knowledge) be blamed on either one!
  • Richard1960Richard1960 Posts: 20,336
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    Steve™ wrote: »
    I hate airlines and hate governments even more, but weather cannot (to the best of my knowledge) be blamed on either one!

    That is obviously true but a lack of communication can be blamed on both,just why do people ie companies not communicate i wonder.

    What is so awful about letting customers ie the -people who pay your wages know what is going on.:confused:
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