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Arrived today at LHR T5 for flight 636 in 6F due 16:20. Then delayed to 16:40- no problem. No check in luggage so straight to security-wouldn’t accept phone boarding pass. Queried with CSA who said my seat had been changed. Advised likely to leave from T5B so made my way there. Thought nothing more of it as I settled down but then noticed it had been changed to 2B-a middle seat. I spoke to lounge CSA who was baffled why and promptly changed it to 1F.
In the meantime the T5B screens dropped the flight altogether! CSA didn’t know why but suggested it may be due to a switch of gate and terminal-but would let us know. Went back 3 times-all different CSAs eventually to be told at 16:00 that it was now T5 gate A21-on yer bike via underpass.
A21 very busy, time changed with delay of 2 hrs, now 18:15; that became 18:45; then 19:15 followed by 19:45 and then 20:15 and 20:45 at which time clientele were becoming restless. One particular “entitled” barrister type was giving them the benefit of his knowledge to which they then announced we’ll be handing out food and drinks as there are no staff to load the plane!!
Having checked likely delay and promise of boarding announcement, I’m now back in South Galleries lounge with a G&T.
CSA earlier did say that BA had cancelled 50+ flights by 3pm with delays on over 100!
No one responsible for storms etc but you do wonder why there’s no staff-are they all repairing their roofs and fencing?
Hey ho, made a mess of my pick up in Athens-it’ll be God knows when we land!
Worse things happen though-the sun will still rise tomorrow despite what I might say or do.Sorry to hear your experience. Personally, I think communication is dreadful in such situations. They really should send out latest information to the app, but they don’t.
why oh why dont airlines and regulators realise that communication is the key ?
a 5 hours wait is one thing but to be told nothing then fed false info is inexcusable in the modern world
too many companies base their response on that of British Rail in the 80s when if you queried where your train was “I dunno mate was the usual response”From what I’ve been reading elsewhere the cancellation of SH flights by the bucket load was due to being horrifically understaffed. They are cancelling short haul ‘to protect long haul’.
News received 9hrs ago.
Below are tomorrow’s cancellations again to protect the LH operation as their staff levels are red. In short, BA are short staffed!
Also, the airline is offering BA engineers overtime (double pay) to work as baggage handlers.
Ouch!
21 FEB 2022
BA472 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA766 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA2584 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA346 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA1324 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA960 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA2770 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA568 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA518 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA464 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA926 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA742 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA730 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA722 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA548 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA906 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA490 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA1486 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA1440 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA2692 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA1312 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA430 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA484 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA1416 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA398 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA314 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA828 HAS BEEN CANCELLED
BA139F 119F 143F 227F – CANCELLEDA Greek Tragedy (Act II)
20:45 came and suddenly we were boarding! Turns out there was a few middle seats at the front occupied. Left the stand at 21:00,taxied to runway and stopped. We didn’t move for 15 mins then Biggles announced there was a medical issue on board and they were waiting for a response from the medical advisor- they were to carry on or return to stand and offer appropriate response. Guess what? The latter applied and we tootled back to base.
21:30 Passenger disembarked, hope he is well, and Biggles said they now had to wait for more fuel. 500 kilos later-I heard the exchange between ground crew and flight attendant, we taxied back to the runway at 21:50 and took off!!!
3hr+ flight later landed at Athens at 03:30 this morning, local time. Clearly my booked taxi not there so 50€ for replacement.
Lots of coincidences contrived to make a very long day but you couldn’t make it up!Ouch ! Not the first time I’ve heard such tales of hold ups due to a lack of ground staff at T5 – though not quite this bad
Obviously only a small sample but I’ve flown Ryanair / Jet2 / Easyjet back and forth from Spain the past few weeks, including Friday morning and everything has run like clockwork. So this isn’t an industry wide COVID problem they can blame. I’ve a new found appreciation for the ruthless effiency of Easyjet and particularly Ryanair – on a 2hr flight I really do not need much more than to get where I am going on time and safely!
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