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BTW former HAL boss JHK has moved into the nuclear power business.
I try and avoid watching TV news where possible, but the sight and sound of the smugness of the Heathrow CEO this morning was something else. I nearly choked on my coffee.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t surprise me, with the state of some of the things that politicians and “famous people” are coming out with at the moment, but he barely showed an ounce of contrition. Just banging on about how the airport was “only closed for hours, not days”. The state of it.
That airport and its infrastructure needs some serious, serious upgrades before it should be allowed to even consider a third runway.
@redlilly – if you think the airport needs upgrades, you need to persuade the airlines and regulator of that. It would greatly suit the airport financially for it to be much fancier but the airlines/regulators just want the minimum cost functionality. Obviously T3 will eventually be replaced etc. but that’s ten years away.
@redlilly – if you think the airport needs upgrades, you need to persuade the airlines and regulator of that. It would greatly suit the airport financially for it to be much fancier but the airlines/regulators just want the minimum cost functionality. Obviously T3 will eventually be replaced etc. but that’s ten years away.
I am not talking about fancy, I am talking about the basics… proper power (with Heathrows position in the UK they can lobby the power companies a lot easier than many other landowners/builders), upgrading the old/ancient lead water pipes (the sorts none of us want in our own homes) and diverting them so that they don’t run under the runways, moving the MEP plant so that its not located under the runways and prone to flooding and bad maintenance regimes, sustainable sewage systems, drainage that actually works, roads not falling apart etc. The systems at Heathrow are beyond archaic.
When Heathrow charges some of the highest costs in the world, to customers and airlines… I really don’t think it is up to those customers to foot any more of the cost. Heathrow needs to get more efficient in their spending.
Why should Heathrow be allowed to build a third runway when their existing infrastructure is not up to scratch.
Heathrow pretends it is Britains first class airport. It certainly isn’t. Not sure what the regulator has to do with any of this, apart from them insisting on airports having proper infrastructure in place.
@redlilly – I think you misunderstand the situation. The airport you have today is that agreed between the shareholders, airlines and regulator (so by extension the government as well). All the things you mention could be done but the regulatory model is what it is and the airport owners are effectively precluded from making a better airport. The resilience plan was agreed by all the parties and the government …
When you refer to the highest charges in the world, do you realise that is because it is public policy that Heathrow operates on an entirely user pays basis which makes the “highest charges” comparison rather absurd? Which other hub airports are you suggesting operate on that basis. Heathrow pays full business rates (c. £250m pa) the full cost of the Police presence, fire service etc. and enjoys no subsidies whatsoever. Again, where else are you suggesting that applies. I think you may also underestimate the costs of operating from the very constrained Heathrow site.
You talk about Heathrow getting more efficient in its spending but where are you suggesting that comes from when every penny spent is already so heavily scrutinised.
The comment “Not sure what the regulator has to do with any of this” really makes no sense when it controls everything!
@redlilly – I think you misunderstand the situation. The airport you have today is that agreed between the shareholders, airlines and regulator (so by extension the government as well). All the things you mention could be done but the regulatory model is what it is and the airport owners are effectively precluded from making a better airport. The resilience plan was agreed by all the parties and the government …
When you refer to the highest charges in the world, do you realise that is because it is public policy that Heathrow operates on an entirely user pays basis which makes the “highest charges” comparison rather absurd? Which other hub airports are you suggesting operate on that basis. Heathrow pays full business rates (c. £250m pa) the full cost of the Police presence, fire service etc. and enjoys no subsidies whatsoever. Again, where else are you suggesting that applies. I think you may also underestimate the costs of operating from the very constrained Heathrow site.
You talk about Heathrow getting more efficient in its spending but where are you suggesting that comes from when every penny spent is already so heavily scrutinised.
The comment “Not sure what the regulator has to do with any of this” really makes no sense when it controls everything!
Whilst I respect your opinion, you’re quite patronising in your response and I would take a second look before posting next time – ala “I think you misunderstand the situation”. You have no idea what position I have in this. I absolutely appreciate how Heathrow is run, more so than many others. The company has the power, ability and lobbying power to upgrade its infrastructure – despite what you’re stating.
@redlilly – all I can say is that it is constantly trying to upgrade its infrastructure; there’s a £15bn programme upgrade/improvement underway. It would like to do more. Some of the things you have suggested are much easier said than done and come at a terrifying cost.
It really doesn’t have the power / lobbying power you suggest and hasn’t since privatisation. The government is currently making overtures to HAL because an entirely privately funded project the size of the third runway is extraordinarily attractive to a government all out of money.
Glad we have got past the “Heathrow are precluded from making a better airport” argument, and at least acknowledged that they can make it better with the investment plan…
Don’t agree that as one of London’s largest employers and the UK’s largest by single site, that they do not have the lobbying power, you’re clearly living on another planet.
I fully appreciate that investing in infrastructure comes at a very high cost. I never ever ever suggested it was easy. Every decision is difficult. Especially those that are needed – like proper infrastructure, away from ribbon cutting ceremonies over long bits of tarmac, which yes are politically popular in the short term. But a lot of normal people in this country are not interested in the short term political gains and sticking plasters – we need long term sustainable growth and solutions.
Have a good evening.
Thanks, I have kept all the receipts. BA are going to love me. Stayed in same room, Hilton executive king @ £445/night 😂
Was supposed to be flying from Haneda today to Edinburgh, BA moved us to Qatar via Doha a day later but from Narita. Probably added about 6-7 hours total travel time 🙁 However, we do get an extra day in Tokyo and a flight in qsuites…..
Remember BA will reimburse you the cost of the extra nights hotel and meals and possibly the extra travel costs of getting to Narita over those to Haneda
Morning all,
Apologies if this is in the wrong place. I booked my daughter a reward flight to BLL for 22nd which was cancelled due to events. She took the option of rebooking for today but then got stuck on the tube between stations for almost two hours and missed the flight. BA have offered to rebook within the next 14 days. However it looks like her schedule means she can’t travel in that window. Do you think they will stretch beyond the 14 days? I also wondered if I rebook her for a date within the 14 days I might then be able to cancel and at least get the Avios back?
You can always ask, but BA is being uncharacteristically generous offering to re-schedule under these circumstances! Probably due to ongoing chaos after Friday.
Once it is re-scheduled, you should be able to cancel and get a refund of avios and any cash you paid above £35, as long as it’s more than 24 hours before departure. You may have to call to cancel though, as sometimes it’s not possible to do it online when a change has been made to a booking.
*Being stuck on a tube for 2 hours must have been unnerving, in the extreme!
You can always ask, but BA is being uncharacteristically generous offering to re-schedule under these circumstances! Probably due to ongoing chaos after Friday.
!There are provisions for this sort of thing in the conditions of carriage but there are limits.
I don’t think they’d allow a cancellation now even if it meant them getting the £ 35 cancellation fee when they could just have easily said “not our problem”
Surely if they re-schedule it to 2 weeks hence, the original Ts and Cs will apply to the booking?
The Independent is reporting that (predictably) LHR hotel rooms are going for £650 per night over the weekend!
Not necessarily especally when they are basically doing you a favour with the rebooking when, as I’ve said, they could easily say ‘tough’
As to hotels I’m glad I booked the CP T4 for 21k points in the recent sale!
They said we can’t cancel but can rebook for next 14 days. I just hoped if we rebook then the usual cancellation rules might apply and we could get the Avios back. I understand they are doing us a ‘favour’ but then again the original flight was cancelled.
Apparently the tube was a nightmare – there were tears, the alarm being pulled, throwing up, and even a passenger having to relieve themselves into a bottle!
It sounds like a disaster movie 😬
You can always ask for the re-schedule then see if you can cancel online. My personal feeling is that BA can’t rescind the terms of the ticket once they rebook it.
They said we can’t cancel but can rebook for next 14 days. I just hoped if we rebook then the usual cancellation rules might apply and we could get the Avios back. I understand they are doing us a ‘favour’ but then again the original flight was cancelled.
Apparently the tube was a nightmare – there were tears, the alarm being pulled, throwing up, and even a passenger having to relieve themselves into a bottle!
Yes the original flight was canclled but a rebooking for today was accepted.
The favour they are doing is allowing her a further rebooking because she missed the flight due to circumstances beyond her control when they aren’t compelled to.
Your travel insurance should cover the cost of flights/replacements otherwise.
Hi,
My flight on March 21st to Oslo was cancelled, i wasn’t given an option but to request a refund. It was a reward flight wiht 2 4 1 voucher (i know not the best use but needed to use it and was my 65th birthday on the 21st). I did try to ring but as you can imagine the phones msut have been manic. I waited over an hour, tried again later – same. So the next day i just took a refund.
My question is, and i am only asking advice from those that may have experienced similar, the 2 4 1 voucher is due to expire in May 2025 so i need to get the voucher refunded before i can book anything as far as I am aware. Is that correct? Leading on from that…… approx how long does it take to get the voucher reinstated? Reward flights are hard to come by as it is so the longer it takes to get the voucher reinstated the more likely i won’t be able to get a reward business flight.
ANy help and/or advice would be greatly appreacited.Thanks
MicheleThe voucher and avios should come back immediately – have you had a confirmation email that it’s been cancelled?
You may well have to call BA to get this sorted if it doesn’t turn up in the next couple of days. I have managed to do this via chat, but that was a few of years ago and it very much depends on the agent you get.
The voucher and avios should come back immediately – have you had a confirmation email that it’s been cancelled?
You may well have to call BA to get this sorted if it doesn’t turn up in the next couple of days. I have managed to do this via chat, but that was a few of years ago and it very much depends on the agent you get.
Hi Northern Lass
Yes, the email stated ………. “Your BA770 flight to Oslo on 21 Mar 2025 has been cancelled” and offered a refund as the only option. I have been checking everyday since to see if the Avios/2 4 1 and money has been refunded but not.
I will try to contact BA again.
Many thanks
MicheleNo, I meant an email after you accepted the refund.
Also, when you clicked through to accept it, did you get a screen confirming you would get all avios/cash/voucher back, and/or one confirming the cancellation at the end of the process?
Hi,
My flight on March 21st to Oslo was cancelled, i wasn’t given an option but to request a refund. It was a reward flight wiht 2 4 1 voucher (i know not the best use but needed to use it and was my 65th birthday on the 21st). I did try to ring but as you can imagine the phones msut have been manic. I waited over an hour, tried again later – same. So the next day i just took a refund.
My question is, and i am only asking advice from those that may have experienced similar, the 2 4 1 voucher is due to expire in May 2025 so i need to get the voucher refunded before i can book anything as far as I am aware. Is that correct? Leading on from that…… approx how long does it take to get the voucher reinstated? Reward flights are hard to come by as it is so the longer it takes to get the voucher reinstated the more likely i won’t be able to get a reward business flight.
ANy help and/or advice would be greatly appreacited.Thanks
MicheleMay be too late but , you could of insisted on a rerouting, or later flight
It’s too late for straightforward re-routing if OP has indeed accepted the refund, but it’s not 100% clear if they’ve gone through to the end of the process.
They might still be able to claim the difference for a replacement flight, however. We don’t have all the info as yet.
No, I meant an email after you accepted the refund.
Also, when you clicked through to accept it, did you get a screen confirming you would get all avios/cash/voucher back, and/or one confirming the cancellation at the end of the process?
Hi, yes i did get an email – i have since been in concact with BA via Chat. What a palaver but they have sent through an email to get the refund, voucher and Avios processed. Thanks for your help
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