BA boss warns of weekend chaos at Heathrow T5
Passengers using Heathrow's new Terminal 5 (T5) could face travel misery for a third day running after British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh said he expected there would be "some cancellations" on Saturday.
Speaking as troubles continued at T5 today, Mr Walsh said he had to accept responsibility for the disastrous opening day of the terminal yesterday.
He said lessons would be learnt, some but not all of the teething troubles had been anticipated, and that BA was determined to "make this great building work".
Mr Walsh said: "It's going to be a difficult day and we have got to put the problems we had yesterday behind us.
"We clearly learnt some lessons from yesterday. We have just got to be focused."
Mr Walsh said he was not going to put the blame on to airport operator BAA.
He went on: "Both BA and BAA made mistakes but I have got to accept the responsibility (for yesterday). We have got a long time in T5. We will make this great building work."
Mr Walsh said that "some of the teething problems we have had were anticipated" but others were not. "We clearly got things wrong," he added.
Mr Walsh went on: "We will have some cancellations tomorrow."
| We clearly learnt some lessons from yesterday. We have just got to be focused | | Willie Walsh |
|
Several flights to and from Scotland were again axed today.
British Airways has drafted in extra staff to try to ease the problems that hit the much-anticipated launch of the £4.3 billion terminal on Thursday.
The airline was forced to suspend all baggage check-in and cancel 34 flights.
A spokesman said today they hoped that 80% of flights would take off, but by 8am a total of 36 had been axed, including five to Scotland.
A Glasgow flight due to arrive at 8.25am was hit, along with two to Edinburgh scheduled to arrive at 10.15am and 6.35pm.
Two Aberdeen-bound flights due to reach the city at 10.10am and 7.10pm were also cancelled.
A further six Scottish flights bound for Heathrow were axed: the 9.05am from Glasgow, the 11.50am and 7.15pm from Edinburgh, and the 10.25am, 11.40am and the 8.10pm from Aberdeen.
A spokesman for airport operator BAA Scotland said: "Anyone travelling with BA to Heathrow Terminal 5 should contact the airline before setting off, particularly if they are making a connection from T5 to another destination across Europe or long-haul."
The Federation of Small Businesses Scotland (FSB) criticised Terminal 5 operators over the flight cancellations.
Policy spokesman Andy Willox said: "It is an open secret that flights to and from Scotland are the first to be scrapped in order to clear the backlog and handle more lucrative international flights.
"Today's cancellations will surprise few, but anger many of the business travellers whose tight schedules have been blown wide open.
"Scotland's business community needs a reliable transport link to London and the rest of the world, but at the moment Heathrow just isn't delivering, especially for businesspeople using an airport like Aberdeen and have no choice but to fly to Heathrow."
The FSB said there should and more incentives to attract international carriers to fly direct to and from Scottish airports.
Flight alternatives including a high-speed rail link from Scotland to London should also be considered, the organisation said.
BA competitor bmi stressed that all flights from its main hub at Heathrow's Terminal 1 to and from Scotland were running as scheduled.
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Posted by: pencildick on 4:43am Fri 28 Mar 08
Its Alex Salmonds fault
Posted by: Donald Anderson, glasgow on 6:18am Fri 28 Mar 08
A monument to greed and over centralisation
A monument to greed and over centralisation
Posted by: Beeree, Local on 6:59am Fri 28 Mar 08
The [quote]teething problems[/quote] were all over the floor along with blood and gore.
BA in its wisdom amalgamated the baggage handlers from terminals 1 & 4 without any aforethought. Result - rumoured big punch-up - rumoured police involvement - rumours 15 suspended - and thousands delayed
Rumours also that there are two messrooms and that these are operated on racial lines.
The
teething problems
were all over the floor along with blood and gore.
BA in its wisdom amalgamated the baggage handlers from terminals 1 & 4 without any aforethought. Result - rumoured big punch-up - rumoured police involvement - rumours 15 suspended - and thousands delayed
Rumours also that there are two messrooms and that these are operated on racial lines.
Posted by: Stephen Murray, Erskine on 7:06am Fri 28 Mar 08
I made 28 foreign business trips over the last year involving over 100 flights through countless airports all over the world. It was largely delay and hassle free thanks to 2 simple rules.
Rule 1. Never transit through Heathrow.
Rule 2. Never ever fly British Airways.
I made 28 foreign business trips over the last year involving over 100 flights through countless airports all over the world. It was largely delay and hassle free thanks to 2 simple rules.
Rule 1. Never transit through Heathrow.
Rule 2. Never ever fly British Airways.
Posted by: Sam, somewhereelse on 8:45am Fri 28 Mar 08
Apparently it is being blamed on the baggage!!
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Terry Wogan is hilarious this morning talking about it!
Apparently it is being blamed on the baggage!!
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Terry Wogan is hilarious this morning talking about it!
Posted by: GML, right here on 9:12am Fri 28 Mar 08
I suspect there may be some truth in what Beeree says. I heard there was no ground crew available to unload some of the planes, nor to help disabled passengers. There have long been rumours of various goings on by baggage handling personnel at Thiefrow....and I guess that whatever way they had things arranged has now come unstuck. What are the odds of a strike, do you think?
I suspect there may be some truth in what Beeree says. I heard there was no ground crew available to unload some of the planes, nor to help disabled passengers. There have long been rumours of various goings on by baggage handling personnel at Thiefrow....and I guess that whatever way they had things arranged has now come unstuck. What are the odds of a strike, do you think?
Posted by: Lobeydosser, Woodlands Road on 11:24am Fri 28 Mar 08
Does that mean we might not get our finger prints taken at teminal 5?
Here's hoping!
Does that mean we might not get our finger prints taken at teminal 5?
Here's hoping!
Posted by: sam, greenock on 12:36pm Fri 28 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Stephen Murray[/bold] wrote:
I made 28 foreign business trips over the last year involving over 100 flights through countless airports all over the world. It was largely delay and hassle free thanks to 2 simple rules. Rule 1. Never transit through Heathrow. Rule 2. Never ever fly British Airways.[/quote] Hear Hear
"The worlds favourite airline"
My Erse
Stephen Murray wrote:
I made 28 foreign business trips over the last year involving over 100 flights through countless airports all over the world. It was largely delay and hassle free thanks to 2 simple rules. Rule 1. Never transit through Heathrow. Rule 2. Never ever fly British Airways.
Hear Hear
"The worlds favourite airline"
My Erse
Posted by: Ian, Glasgow on 12:58pm Fri 28 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Stephen Murray[/bold] wrote:
I made 28 foreign business trips over the last year involving over 100 flights through countless airports all over the world. It was largely delay and hassle free thanks to 2 simple rules. Rule 1. Never transit through Heathrow. Rule 2. Never ever fly British Airways.[/quote] Well said Stephen
When I'm flying from Glasgow to London I use easyJet for Gatwick and always BMI for Heathrow - much more reliable and generally slightly cheaper! If I'm going further afield and cannot fly direct from Glasgow - use Schiphol!
Stephen Murray wrote:
I made 28 foreign business trips over the last year involving over 100 flights through countless airports all over the world. It was largely delay and hassle free thanks to 2 simple rules. Rule 1. Never transit through Heathrow. Rule 2. Never ever fly British Airways.
Well said Stephen
When I'm flying from Glasgow to London I use easyJet for Gatwick and always BMI for Heathrow - much more reliable and generally slightly cheaper! If I'm going further afield and cannot fly direct from Glasgow - use Schiphol!
Posted by: tris, scotland on 1:09pm Fri 28 Mar 08
B A. = B*oody Awful. The worst flights I've ever been on; the least polite staff, the worst food. They seem to be all about profit. Maybe it's better in Business and First Class, but in the cattle waggon it was not fun.
I've only used Heathrow a couple of times and on both occasions it was a nightmare.
More flights from Edinburgh and Glasgow please.
B A. = B*oody Awful. The worst flights I've ever been on; the least polite staff, the worst food. They seem to be all about profit. Maybe it's better in Business and First Class, but in the cattle waggon it was not fun.
I've only used Heathrow a couple of times and on both occasions it was a nightmare.
More flights from Edinburgh and Glasgow please.
Posted by: Van Helsing - Nat Slayer, Lanarkshire on 1:10pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Those Nats who take great pleasure in this are petty and narrow-minded @ssholes. Only because it's London. How pathetic. Would'nt happen with Loganair would it?
Those Nats who take great pleasure in this are petty and narrow-minded @ssholes. Only because it's London. How pathetic. Would'nt happen with Loganair would it?
Posted by: Jim, Glasgow on 1:28pm Fri 28 Mar 08
It seems that once again the first BA flights to be cancelled are the ones to Scotland or am I just paranoid.
I used to travel a great deal on business and would always try to use Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, Paris or Brussels in preference to London Heathrow. It has been a complete shambles for 25 years, lost luggage the dreaded flight connection centre hopeless signage and poor customer service. The current problems will be no surprise regular Heathrow users.
It seems that once again the first BA flights to be cancelled are the ones to Scotland or am I just paranoid.
I used to travel a great deal on business and would always try to use Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, Paris or Brussels in preference to London Heathrow. It has been a complete shambles for 25 years, lost luggage the dreaded flight connection centre hopeless signage and poor customer service. The current problems will be no surprise regular Heathrow users.
Posted by: MJD, Glasgow on 1:44pm Fri 28 Mar 08
There is no denying that there were serious operational performances yesterday at T5 and they need to get them sorted out pretty urgently!
However, as a regular customer of British Airways, I reckon some of the above posters should try travelling with an airline based in the US before they start slagging off BA... and have you ever tried to deal with Ryanair customer services?
I have never had any problems with BA, apart from the odd minor delay or two, and I find their staff to be the most helpful in the industry, their online reservations, booking management and check-in to be fantastic. Also, their on board service is world class and the lounges at the airports have always been fantastic - I'm sure the ones at T5 will be awesome.
BA are consistently rated as a 4-star airline by Skytrax, having won airline of the year, I think in 2006. Passenger comments on their website for the most part reflect this rating, which is equal to that of Air France and Lufthansa.
KLM, BMI, American, United, Continental, Delta, Aer Lingus, SAS are all rated as 3-star!
There is no denying that there were serious operational performances yesterday at T5 and they need to get them sorted out pretty urgently!
However, as a regular customer of British Airways, I reckon some of the above posters should try travelling with an airline based in the US before they start slagging off BA... and have you ever tried to deal with Ryanair customer services?
I have never had any problems with BA, apart from the odd minor delay or two, and I find their staff to be the most helpful in the industry, their online reservations, booking management and check-in to be fantastic. Also, their on board service is world class and the lounges at the airports have always been fantastic - I'm sure the ones at T5 will be awesome.
BA are consistently rated as a 4-star airline by Skytrax, having won airline of the year, I think in 2006. Passenger comments on their website for the most part reflect this rating, which is equal to that of Air France and Lufthansa.
KLM, BMI, American, United, Continental, Delta, Aer Lingus, SAS are all rated as 3-star!
Posted by: tris, scotland on 2:00pm Fri 28 Mar 08
MJD... are you just very lucky, or are you travelling Business or First?
I've had dreadful service from rude staff, and awful food in the 3rd class section.
MJD... are you just very lucky, or are you travelling Business or First?
I've had dreadful service from rude staff, and awful food in the 3rd class section.
Posted by: Tired of excuses, Galashiels on 2:03pm Fri 28 Mar 08
I think what has the nats in gales of laughter is that these incompetent sods at Heathrow claim to represent Britain.
Much like the ones at Westminster.
I think what has the nats in gales of laughter is that these incompetent sods at Heathrow claim to represent Britain.
Much like the ones at Westminster.
Posted by: MJD, Glasgow on 2:20pm Fri 28 Mar 08
# tris,
Lucky maybe, but don't take my work for it, look at the comments on the Skytrax website, 96% of passengers recommend BA, 96% of passengers think BA is good value for money!
And I have travelled in all classes but First... and I think they are all highly competitive products, certainly better than other European and US carriers I have travelled with.
# tris,
Lucky maybe, but don't take my work for it, look at the comments on the Skytrax website, 96% of passengers recommend BA, 96% of passengers think BA is good value for money!
And I have travelled in all classes but First... and I think they are all highly competitive products, certainly better than other European and US carriers I have travelled with.
Posted by: JBlackley, Florida on 2:21pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Nineteen years in the planning. What planning?
The baggage handlers can't log on to the system.
The baggage system's going too fast for the bag chuckers.
The elevators and escalators don't work.
The parking directions are wrong.
There are not enough check-in desks open to handle the crowd. (They weren't expecting all these people?)
The flight status boards give the wrong information.
Ground control and air traffic control can't handle the flights. (They weren't expecting all these planes?)
And on and on and on.
A triumph of British management expertise. Stick to playing with funny money in the financial markets, guys. You're still managing to fool some of the people some of the time there.
Nineteen years in the planning. What planning?
The baggage handlers can't log on to the system.
The baggage system's going too fast for the bag chuckers.
The elevators and escalators don't work.
The parking directions are wrong.
There are not enough check-in desks open to handle the crowd. (They weren't expecting all these people?)
The flight status boards give the wrong information.
Ground control and air traffic control can't handle the flights. (They weren't expecting all these planes?)
And on and on and on.
A triumph of British management expertise. Stick to playing with funny money in the financial markets, guys. You're still managing to fool some of the people some of the time there.
Posted by: Carnwarth, Carnwarth on 2:40pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Remember this the next time someone is trying to privatise a service and claims what is needed is private enterprise efficiency.
Remember this the next time someone is trying to privatise a service and claims what is needed is private enterprise efficiency.
Posted by: Graham, Larbert on 2:41pm Fri 28 Mar 08
How long a delay will there be for.... Willie Walsh's "Gong" ?
Just [italic]teething[/italic] Willie.
How long a delay will there be for.... Willie Walsh's "Gong" ?
Just
teething Willie.
Posted by: Ewan, Glasgow on 3:15pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Ryanair anyone....????? Their attitude is that their passengers shouldn't be travelling with bags in the first place so we wouldn't need baggage handlers....????
Ryanair anyone....????? Their attitude is that their passengers shouldn't be travelling with bags in the first place so we wouldn't need baggage handlers....????
Posted by: arg1272, Glasgow on 4:22pm Fri 28 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Jim[/bold] wrote:
It seems that once again the first BA flights to be cancelled are the ones to Scotland or am I just paranoid. I used to travel a great deal on business and would always try to use Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, Paris or Brussels in preference to London Heathrow. It has been a complete shambles for 25 years, lost luggage the dreaded flight connection centre hopeless signage and poor customer service. The current problems will be no surprise regular Heathrow users.[/quote] I think you are paranoid, or at least not thinking out of the box, I think this is a Scottish paper reporting Scottish cancelations for the information of its readers, there are probably loads of others.
Jim wrote:
It seems that once again the first BA flights to be cancelled are the ones to Scotland or am I just paranoid. I used to travel a great deal on business and would always try to use Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, Paris or Brussels in preference to London Heathrow. It has been a complete shambles for 25 years, lost luggage the dreaded flight connection centre hopeless signage and poor customer service. The current problems will be no surprise regular Heathrow users.
I think you are paranoid, or at least not thinking out of the box, I think this is a Scottish paper reporting Scottish cancelations for the information of its readers, there are probably loads of others.
Posted by: sam, greenock on 5:41pm Fri 28 Mar 08
[quote][bold]MJD[/bold] wrote:
# tris, Lucky maybe, but don't take my work for it, look at the comments on the Skytrax website, 96% of passengers recommend BA, 96% of passengers think BA is good value for money! And I have travelled in all classes but First... and I think they are all highly competitive products, certainly better than other European and US carriers I have travelled with.[/quote] MJD,
We(my company colleagues and me) used to travel up and down to Heathrow 3 or 4 times a month minimum, everyone changed to BMI because not only was it better the staff were a lot more pleasant.
The staff on BA flights had a level of arrogance second to none
I 've also flown regularly with Continental and apart from one delay have nothing but praise for them, similar with Air Canada.
The only comparison you can make with RyanAir is that they both treat the customer like sh!te.
MJD wrote:
# tris, Lucky maybe, but don't take my work for it, look at the comments on the Skytrax website, 96% of passengers recommend BA, 96% of passengers think BA is good value for money! And I have travelled in all classes but First... and I think they are all highly competitive products, certainly better than other European and US carriers I have travelled with.
MJD,
We(my company colleagues and me) used to travel up and down to Heathrow 3 or 4 times a month minimum, everyone changed to BMI because not only was it better the staff were a lot more pleasant.
The staff on BA flights had a level of arrogance second to none
I 've also flown regularly with Continental and apart from one delay have nothing but praise for them, similar with Air Canada.
The only comparison you can make with RyanAir is that they both treat the customer like sh!te.
Posted by: sandra, edmonton canada on 7:33pm Fri 28 Mar 08
BA staff at Glasgow would not allow my Down Syndrome brother, who also has joint problems, to use one of the 3 wheelchairs they had because I was not flying with them when returning to Canada a couple of years ago. He had already seated himself in one of them and the supervisor behind the said ' Get him out of that, now'. Even when we explained there were no other chairs available and we only needed it for 1/2 hour they would not let us use theirs.
BA staff at Glasgow would not allow my Down Syndrome brother, who also has joint problems, to use one of the 3 wheelchairs they had because I was not flying with them when returning to Canada a couple of years ago. He had already seated himself in one of them and the supervisor behind the said ' Get him out of that, now'. Even when we explained there were no other chairs available and we only needed it for 1/2 hour they would not let us use theirs.
Posted by: Jwil, Lanarkshire on 8:02pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Call me sceptical, but it would be interesting to compare cancellations of Scottish Flights to those for Birmingham and Manchester. BA claimed they had cancelled many flights, even some to Europe, but no figures for Manchester flights. The excuse for cancelling the Scottish flights is that the destinations are closer and people can find alternative ways to get to them. So, by that argument the Manchester and Birmingham flights should be just as badly hit as the Scottish ones, or even more so, but are they?
Call me sceptical, but it would be interesting to compare cancellations of Scottish Flights to those for Birmingham and Manchester. BA claimed they had cancelled many flights, even some to Europe, but no figures for Manchester flights. The excuse for cancelling the Scottish flights is that the destinations are closer and people can find alternative ways to get to them. So, by that argument the Manchester and Birmingham flights should be just as badly hit as the Scottish ones, or even more so, but are they?
Posted by: BM, Glasgow on 10:01pm Fri 28 Mar 08
[quote]Speaking as troubles continued at T5 today, Mr Walsh said he had to accept responsibility for the disastrous opening day of the terminal yesterday.[/quote]
Does that mean he's going to resign?
Speaking as troubles continued at T5 today, Mr Walsh said he had to accept responsibility for the disastrous opening day of the terminal yesterday.
Does that mean he's going to resign?
Posted by: tris, scotland on 10:35pm Fri 28 Mar 08
[quote][bold]BM[/bold] wrote:
[quote]Speaking as troubles continued at T5 today, Mr Walsh said he had to accept responsibility for the disastrous opening day of the terminal yesterday.[/quote] Does that mean he's going to resign?[/quote]
Oh please... my sides are spitting... someone in top management resign.... is he Japanese or something?
Now I'll never sleep tonight..... for laughing.....
.... resign.... you're funny.....
BM wrote:
Speaking as troubles continued at T5 today, Mr Walsh said he had to accept responsibility for the disastrous opening day of the terminal yesterday.
Does that mean he's going to resign?
Oh please... my sides are spitting... someone in top management resign.... is he Japanese or something?
Now I'll never sleep tonight..... for laughing.....
.... resign.... you're funny.....
Posted by: Carnwarth, Carnwarth on 8:46am Sat 29 Mar 08
[quote][bold]sandra[/bold] wrote:
BA staff at Glasgow would not allow my Down Syndrome brother, who also has joint problems, to use one of the 3 wheelchairs they had because I was not flying with them when returning to Canada a couple of years ago. He had already seated himself in one of them and the supervisor behind the said ' Get him out of that, now'. Even when we explained there were no other chairs available and we only needed it for 1/2 hour they would not let us use theirs.[/quote] They didn't let your brother use their facilities because you were not their customer - why shoudl BA customers pay to provide services for you and your brother? And why use his disability to try to pull on heart strings - he deserves better.
sandra wrote:
BA staff at Glasgow would not allow my Down Syndrome brother, who also has joint problems, to use one of the 3 wheelchairs they had because I was not flying with them when returning to Canada a couple of years ago. He had already seated himself in one of them and the supervisor behind the said ' Get him out of that, now'. Even when we explained there were no other chairs available and we only needed it for 1/2 hour they would not let us use theirs.
They didn't let your brother use their facilities because you were not their customer - why shoudl BA customers pay to provide services for you and your brother? And why use his disability to try to pull on heart strings - he deserves better.
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