How rubbish are BAA & Eurostar ?

[willingdon_seagull]

would those be the people told not to go to the station as trains arent running? or were these a special group told they would definatly be on a train, ahead of all those already waiting in the station?

obviously Heathrow is still shut for a giggles, there nothing wrong with the runway, the aircraft or crews. BAA is just having a big chuckle at everyones misery.

This

 

[Gazwag]

Where has the so called "Dunkirk spirit" gone. I read a report yesterday about a family of five stuck at the airport because their flight to Hong Kong for their £16k holiday was cancelled, she said her children where traumatised and the father had to walk through the snow to the M4 to flag down a taxi to get them home. Oh pleeeaase

 

[The Spanish]

Where has the so called "Dunkirk spirit" gone. I read a report yesterday about a family of five stuck at the airport because their flight to Hong Kong for their £16k holiday was cancelled, she said her children where traumatised and the father had to walk through the snow to the M4 to flag down a taxi to get them home. Oh pleeeaase

this country frightens me. so many worthless spoilt crybabies its untrue.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

heathrow express was running for free though. not a bad effort.

it snows sometimes and planes cant fly. a few spastic crybabies who cannot be magically transported anywhere they want to go at any time they choose, is not the end of the world.

I'll pop a white feather in the post to you as well.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

how is that BAA's fault?QUOTE]

Why was the BAA boss apologising for their shoddy and tardy response this morning then?

 

[ATFC Seagull]

I think its the same argument as when the Albion call off a game.

I got up yesterday for my Heathrow flight, and at 9am, not only was it shown as on time, but I noticed flights with the same airline to similar parts of the world were taking off, so I set off. I then got a text through at midday (flight at 3pm) explaining that the flight could go, but BAA had asked the airline to cut down their flights, so it was cancelled. It also added "do not travel to the airport". Which really put a smile on my face as my tube pulled into Heathrow.

I'm not even annoyed about the lack of ability to deal with the snow, but could they honestly not work out which flights are/aren't allowed to go earlier than that? I lost nearly 40 quid (train ticket, coffee, lunch) on a lovely day out for no reason! Also, they were nice enough to let me rebook for free on the next available flight, which by the time I got near a computer was on the 27th!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

this country frightens me. so many worthless spoilt crybabies its untrue.

We need to keep the pressure up. And maybe once again we will have country which we can be proud of and which accepts and rises to challenges.

 

[The Spanish]

I think its the same argument as when the Albion call off a game.

I got up yesterday for my Heathrow flight, and at 9am, not only was it shown as on time, but I noticed flights with the same airline to similar parts of the world were taking off, so I set off. I then got a text through at midday (flight at 3pm) explaining that the flight could go, but BAA had asked the airline to cut down their flights, so it was cancelled. It also added "do not travel to the airport". Which really put a smile on my face as my tube pulled into Heathrow.

I'm not even annoyed about the lack of ability to deal with the snow, but could they honestly not work out which flights are/aren't allowed to go earlier than that? I lost nearly 40 quid (train ticket, coffee, lunch) on a lovely day out for no reason! Also, they were nice enough to let me rebook for free on the next available flight, which by the time I got near a computer was on the 27th!

so the flight didnt go and their advice not to travel to the airport proved to be correct? but you took a chance. x that by thousands and you have a massively overloaded system and the chances of it breaking down increases massively. like now.

 

[User removed 4]

We need to keep the pressure up. And maybe once again we will have country which we can be proud of and which accepts and rises to challenges.

I cannot believe a labour party member has had the front to post this.

 

[Timbo]

Saw the channel 4 news last night and the twat that was reading it was demanding to know from some poor sod at Heathrow exactly who was going to get sacked for what was happening! What did he expect? A list of names and addresses of people he was just popping off to give the bad news too?

Apparently, every plane stuck on the ground has 30 tonnes of ice on it. Maybe the ignorant twat form C4 could pop along and brush it off and make sure it was safe to fly halfway round the world. Couple of kettles should do it.

We could go off and spend billions in gearing up the country to run smoothly in times like this but would it really be justified for what could conceivably just be a couple of days every 3 years?

 

[ATFC Seagull]

so the flight didnt go and their advice not to travel to the airport proved to be correct?

Yes, but it didn't not go because it couldn't, but because Heathrow were cancelling flights to ease congestion. So did that decision have to be made 3 hrs before take off, when it was shown that morning as ok?

I'm sure you're just trying to wind me up, but advice not to travel to the airport less than 3 hrs before take off, whilst correct, is not really of any use is it? (Unless you happen to live within a few minutes of it).

 

[Barrel of Fun]

BBC News - How Helsinki airport deals with snow and ice

 

[The Spanish]

We need to keep the pressure up. And maybe once again we will have country which we can be proud of and which accepts and rises to challenges.

like amazing frankfurt and its army beds from the nearest SS garrison and erm hundreds of stranded passengers

 

[AK74]

Gatwick was a great example....BAA cleared the runway, the planes were being made ready and they ran out of de-icer for the planes....which were stuck on tankers in the snow somewhere outside Birmingham.....so how is that BAA's fault?

Unless I'm mistaken, BAA (and its Spanish parent, Ferrovial) no longer owns/operates Gatwick: GIP are responsible now. I think they (BAA) were forced to dispose of it by the Competition Commission, and consequently you've got London's two main airports running under two totally separate structures/processes. Looks like BAA could learn some lessons from GIP.

 

[Badger]

My cousin lives in Germany and she just said:
"I'm quite disappointed that Germany isn't any better at dealing with snow than the UK"

I'm pretty sure we're not alone.

 

[The Spanish]

Yes, but it didn't not go because it couldn't, but because Heathrow were cancelling flights to ease congestion. So did that decision have to be made 3 hrs before take off, when it was shown that morning as ok?

I'm sure you're just trying to wind me up, but advice not to travel to the airport less than 3 hrs before take off, whilst correct, is not really of any use is it? (Unless you happen to live within a few minutes of it).

i am not trying to wind you up this has caused me a lot of headaches myself. but BA said dont go to the airport days ago and no one took a blind bit of notice preferring to sit at heathrow wound up rather than change their travel dates and sit at home with a cup of tea and just accept it. yes information has been conflicting but the original advice not to go to the airport has been ignored by tens of thousands of people putting massive strain on the people trying to get information out.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

so the flight didnt go and their advice not to travel to the airport proved to be correct? but you took a chance. x that by thousands and you have a massively overloaded system and the chances of it breaking down increases massively. like now.

I think you need to re-read my post. I didn't take a chance. I kept an eye on my flight for several days, and up until less than 3 hrs before it went, it was shown as on time, therefore, I went to the airport (which is at least a 3hr journey for me when you take into account walking to Brighton station). I think it would have been a much bigger chance to just think "ah it'll probably get cancelled, I won't f***ing bother and sit here and watch TV instead"...

 

[Timbo]

BBC News - How Helsinki airport deals with snow and ice

250 vehicles to combat the problem. If BAA went out and bought them and then didn't need them for 3 years, no doubt the Daily Mail would deliver a massive scoop about BAA wasting millions on vehicles that have never been used and are now out of date. Helsinki can be gauranteed to use them for 6 months of the year, we may never need them.

 

[Dave the OAP]

how is that BAA's fault?QUOTE]

Why was the BAA boss apologising for their shoddy and tardy response this morning then?

he was apologising for stuff he had control over maybe?

 

[The Spanish]

I think you need to re-read my post. I didn't take a chance. I kept an eye on my flight for several days, and up until less than 3 hrs before it went, it was shown as on time, therefore, I went to the airport (which is at least a 3hr journey for me when you take into account walking to Brighton station). I think it would have been a much bigger chance to just think "ah it'll probably get cancelled, I won't f***ing bother and sit here and watch TV instead"...

We have finalised our flight schedule for Tuesday 21 December.
We aim to confirm our plans for the following days on a daily basis.

Customers booked to fly into and out of London Heathrow up to 24 December have the option to claim a refund or rebook for a later date.

Please do not go to the airport unless you have a confirmed booking on a flight that is operating.

Due to high call volumes and website visits you may experience delays contacting us or changing your booking.

We apologise for the inconvenience caused.

now admittedly they do say if you have a cfmed booking on a flight thats operating you can go to the airport, but it doesnt say that flight will operate , but if its short haul thats likely to be sacrificed for a long haul one. they dont tell you that but thats been in the public domain since the weekend that thats likely.

reading that i would cuff it if i didnt have to go.