That 10 million Heathrow spent on snow stuff other year is working well isnt it?

[Herr Tubthumper]

I'm flying from there on January 28th...starting to get a little nervy.

Why? You scared of flying? The way things are going I dont think you need worry.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

The girlie had to come home from Heathrow last Jan/Feb, can't remember exactly when, due to snow after waiting about 12 hours to get her flight cancelled. It ain't good but then every country seems to adapt to their climate, problem in the UK is we seem to have everyone's climate at any one time!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

problem in the UK is we seem to have everyone's climate at any one time!

I must have missed the southern Europe climate.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

I must have missed the southern Europe climate.

Happens for about an hour a year.

 

[beorhthelm]

the problem is partially down to capacity. there isnt time between flights at peak times to clear the runway. refering to the likes of Stockholm or others is irrelevent as they firstly have an army of snow clearance vehicles to simply operate in the first place for months of the year and secondly have a fraction of the traffic. then theres the fact that other airports are affected, which the cause of some of the cancellations in the first place.

 

[Frutos]

Why? You scared of flying? The way things are going I dont think you need worry.

I hope you're right HT. My first trip off the continent in 6 and a half years so I'd rather it didn't get buggered by a snowball.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Is it me or has Gatwick got better at dealing with snow since it was sold by BAA - seems to be barely any problems there.

I got my first job working at Gatwick when it was still run by British Airports Authority. It was a great place to work – the old BAA was very well run by competent managers and one of the few nationalised industries that always made a profit. 2 years later it became BAA plc and the rot set in. It’s good to see that it seems to be on the up under its new owners and is running rings around Heathrow.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I got my first job working at Gatwick when it was still run by British Airports Authority. It was a great place to work – the old BAA was very well run by competent managers and one of the few nationalised industries that always made a profit. 2 years later it became BAA plc and the rot set in. It’s good to see that it seems to be on the up under its new owners and is running rings around Heathrow.

I think BAA lost the plot when they started paying too much attention to the retail side of their operations.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

There total investment in snow prevention/removal gear is 36 million, which makes it even more laughable.

These problems with just 5cm's dont occur in stockholm, vanvouver and the like who get much more snow.

Its a joke

It's snow joke?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

LGW playing a blinder tho

 

[Stinky Pete]

All the time LHR has just two runways running at near full capacity they will continue to have cancellations when we have snow, no matter how much they spend on snow equipment.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

All the time LHR has just two runways running at near full capacity they will continue to have cancellations when we have snow, no matter how much they spend on snow equipment.

This does not excuse things like having inadequate levels of de-icer which they admitted to last time. Capacity has nothing to do with this.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Nothing ever changes, does it. BA talks a good game, same as Southern trains do. Merest hint of snow and it all turns to shit. Same as it ever was.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Nothing ever changes, does it. BA talks a good game, same as Southern trains do. Merest hint of snow and it all turns to shit. Same as it ever was.

Very much this.

 

[BLOCK F]

All the time LHR has just two runways running at near full capacity they will continue to have cancellations when we have snow, no matter how much they spend on snow equipment.

Agreed.

 

[Ernest]

Always a problem when profit comes before anything

 

[KZNSeagull]

This does not excuse things like having inadequate levels of de-icer which they admitted to last time. Capacity has nothing to do with this.

Yup. the day I emigrated there was 1/2 an inch of snow - it started falling as I was on my way to airport. Our flight was cancelled 5 hours after it should have left and we were told that there were only 2 de-icing machines at Heathrow, both owned by BA. Pathetic.

On the way to the airport when it started to snow, the bus driver from Gatwick stopped and asked us all if we wanted to get out as it could get very dangerous! 1/2 a bloody inch - that was all. Pathetic.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Agreed.

Nonsense. You only have to go to Gatwick to see how an airport can be run properly. The contrast between now and when Gatwick was run by BAA is stark. Heathrow can be run much better as many business leaders and the government agree.

 

[Ernest]

Southern running their amended timetable tomorrow as are SWT

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Nothing ever changes, does it. BA talks a good game, same as Southern trains do. Merest hint of snow and it all turns to shit. Same as it ever was.

BA can't be blamed for airport logistics. When I worked as an aircraft engineer and then a manager there was basically always the same problems, the staff couldnt be bothered to attempt to come in (there's a thread about this) , airport design (lgw has major problems around the satellite terminal, the apron slopes towards the terminal and movement of aircraft on and off stand. Other countries allow thrust reversers to be used on the aircraft engines. This means the aircraft can move off stand under its own power. For a tug to pushback a jumbo takes a huge amount of torque and grip