BA Club World JFK-LHR Via Iceland. What BA do when it all goes wrong (pics)
Nov 16, 2011, 8:17 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, AMEX Plat and all that comes with it.
Posts: 346
BA Club World JFK-LHR Via Iceland. What BA do when it all goes wrong (pics)
My first TR and first post on flyertalk, although I've enjoyed reading other people's TR's on here. So I thought I'd write about an unusual trip of mine last year.
I was in New York last December for a wedding. I flew out CW with BA and spent a few days in the city exploring with friends. The night of the wedding went of course as all weddings do, with too much drink and after returning to my room in the early hours I caught the news saying there was heavy snow expected in London and to expect chaos.
This was December 18th so any choas can quickly lead to a Xmas spent in JFK, this not being an option for me I decided on a dash to the airport, half drunk and still in my wedding suit I changed my flight and headed to the airport.
Flight number BA0178
From John F Kennedy (New York) Terminal 7
To Heathrow (London)
Depart 18 Dec 2010 08:55
Arrive 18 Dec 2010 20:40
On arrival at check-in the delightful girl told me I'd made a very good move as this was the last flight to leave to LON for at least 24 hours and with the next few days of flights being fully booked up to Christmas a number of customers wouldn't make it back in time.
Feeling smug I headed for the lounge and eventually boarded the aircraft in CW.
The flight went as normal as always. That was until we reached Ireland, I noticed that we had been circling over Shannon for some time, very odd I thought. Soon enough the captain came on to say LHR was shut and we would have to land in Shannon. We circled some more and eventually started our approach but quickly after this we began going up not down. Shannon was full of diverted planes from London so next stop Manchester, also full.
By now that normal reclusive atmosphere on a plane had broken down and we were all discussing where we would end up. The plane went out to the North Sea to do some more circles. Once again the captain came on to apologise and inform us the only place we could land was....Iceland. Every other airport capable of landing a 747 was full. This announcement was met with laughter in our cabin as we all started feeling we were on a bit of an adventure.
The chap opposite me was IT consultant and we spent the 2 hours flying time to Iceland discussing how this would affect us.
When we landed it's fair to say there was a bit of confusion. Two other BA 747's were also at the airport. The crew bid us farewell and told us the groud crew would take it from here. Our bags came through and we were given little cards as proof we were on the BA flights. We were all coached to various hotels, luckily my IT friend and I were sent to a very posh hotel in the middle of Reykjavik . There was a huge queue (unsurprising given 3 747's had turned up unannounced!). I went to bed not know how things would unfold.
I woke up late at 10am but it was still dark, I was confused until I realised where we were, Iceland, where it never really gets light this time of year. My CW friend rang me saying there was no news and BA said we would have to wait. Not wanting to miss this opportunity we arranged a day out to some thermal spa's with some other randomers we had also met.
Now for some BA praise, there was nothing that they could do about the situation but they put us up (at what must have been extreme expense) and also paid for our food and drink.
After the spa, six of us sat in a pub doing the only thing six Brits can, having a drink. None of these people I knew before I stepped on that plane but we all became good friends. Given we were all in Club most were Gold card holders and alike, this is when I let slip that December 19th was in fact my birthday.
You can probably guess where it went from here! I had one of the greatest birthdays ever. Obviously the local's found us fun as the owner of the pub offered to keep it open late just for us ( they close early in winter to stop people getting too drunk and committing suicide). The night ended with us buying bottled beers to take back to the hotel and running down the high street away from some fat Icelandic ladies!
Over breakfast the next day we started chatting to the pilots on our flight. They told us that they had heard LHR may close and they had brimmed the fuel tanks of the 747. They had so much fuel that we could have made it back from LHR to JFK if the need arose. Amazing.
One of guys in the group was a hedge fund manager (loaded! But also a great guy before you all start!). He arranged a helicopter tour over a volcano for the next day. Also amazing.
A friend of mine works at the BBC and asked if I would go live on BBC5L and tell them my story. I did and all my friends tuned in to hear me from Iceland.
The next morning I was awoken by lots of people moving around. It was time to leave.
We ended up in LHR 48 hours late but with a great trip behind us and some good friends.
I got rang by the BBC again in T5 and asked if I could do R4 with Eddie Mair. So once again I was on the radio. I had my 15 minutes of fame!
So a long TR but thought I'd share it. BA was amazing throughout. Really shows how flying a decent airline can pay off when it all goes wrong.
I was in New York last December for a wedding. I flew out CW with BA and spent a few days in the city exploring with friends. The night of the wedding went of course as all weddings do, with too much drink and after returning to my room in the early hours I caught the news saying there was heavy snow expected in London and to expect chaos.
This was December 18th so any choas can quickly lead to a Xmas spent in JFK, this not being an option for me I decided on a dash to the airport, half drunk and still in my wedding suit I changed my flight and headed to the airport.
Flight number BA0178
From John F Kennedy (New York) Terminal 7
To Heathrow (London)
Depart 18 Dec 2010 08:55
Arrive 18 Dec 2010 20:40
On arrival at check-in the delightful girl told me I'd made a very good move as this was the last flight to leave to LON for at least 24 hours and with the next few days of flights being fully booked up to Christmas a number of customers wouldn't make it back in time.
Feeling smug I headed for the lounge and eventually boarded the aircraft in CW.
The flight went as normal as always. That was until we reached Ireland, I noticed that we had been circling over Shannon for some time, very odd I thought. Soon enough the captain came on to say LHR was shut and we would have to land in Shannon. We circled some more and eventually started our approach but quickly after this we began going up not down. Shannon was full of diverted planes from London so next stop Manchester, also full.
By now that normal reclusive atmosphere on a plane had broken down and we were all discussing where we would end up. The plane went out to the North Sea to do some more circles. Once again the captain came on to apologise and inform us the only place we could land was....Iceland. Every other airport capable of landing a 747 was full. This announcement was met with laughter in our cabin as we all started feeling we were on a bit of an adventure.
The chap opposite me was IT consultant and we spent the 2 hours flying time to Iceland discussing how this would affect us.
When we landed it's fair to say there was a bit of confusion. Two other BA 747's were also at the airport. The crew bid us farewell and told us the groud crew would take it from here. Our bags came through and we were given little cards as proof we were on the BA flights. We were all coached to various hotels, luckily my IT friend and I were sent to a very posh hotel in the middle of Reykjavik . There was a huge queue (unsurprising given 3 747's had turned up unannounced!). I went to bed not know how things would unfold.
I woke up late at 10am but it was still dark, I was confused until I realised where we were, Iceland, where it never really gets light this time of year. My CW friend rang me saying there was no news and BA said we would have to wait. Not wanting to miss this opportunity we arranged a day out to some thermal spa's with some other randomers we had also met.
Now for some BA praise, there was nothing that they could do about the situation but they put us up (at what must have been extreme expense) and also paid for our food and drink.
After the spa, six of us sat in a pub doing the only thing six Brits can, having a drink. None of these people I knew before I stepped on that plane but we all became good friends. Given we were all in Club most were Gold card holders and alike, this is when I let slip that December 19th was in fact my birthday.
You can probably guess where it went from here! I had one of the greatest birthdays ever. Obviously the local's found us fun as the owner of the pub offered to keep it open late just for us ( they close early in winter to stop people getting too drunk and committing suicide). The night ended with us buying bottled beers to take back to the hotel and running down the high street away from some fat Icelandic ladies!
Over breakfast the next day we started chatting to the pilots on our flight. They told us that they had heard LHR may close and they had brimmed the fuel tanks of the 747. They had so much fuel that we could have made it back from LHR to JFK if the need arose. Amazing.
One of guys in the group was a hedge fund manager (loaded! But also a great guy before you all start!). He arranged a helicopter tour over a volcano for the next day. Also amazing.
A friend of mine works at the BBC and asked if I would go live on BBC5L and tell them my story. I did and all my friends tuned in to hear me from Iceland.
The next morning I was awoken by lots of people moving around. It was time to leave.
We ended up in LHR 48 hours late but with a great trip behind us and some good friends.
I got rang by the BBC again in T5 and asked if I could do R4 with Eddie Mair. So once again I was on the radio. I had my 15 minutes of fame!
So a long TR but thought I'd share it. BA was amazing throughout. Really shows how flying a decent airline can pay off when it all goes wrong.
Nov 17, 2011, 1:08 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: LON, ACK, BOS..... (Not necessarily in that order)
Programs: **Mucci Diamond Hairbrush** - compared to that nothing else matters (+BA Bronze)
Posts: 15,127
Nice TR, thanks for sharing! Can you remember which hotel it was in Iceland?
Nov 17, 2011, 2:21 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: BRS
Posts: 336
).
Nov 17, 2011, 3:09 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: in a cabin
Posts: 6,521
You know what, that is one of the best reports I've seen here. Sounds like a great adventure. ^
Are you still in touch with any of the new friends made on the trip?
Not to rain on your parade, incidentally I was also in NYC on the 18th of December last year and got stuck in the snow chaos. Not so lucky as you unfortunately. 3 extra days in NYC due to various misfortunes. BA also went beyond the call of duty to get me home before Christmas. I posted a report about it here.
And welcome to FT!^
Are you still in touch with any of the new friends made on the trip?Not to rain on your parade, incidentally I was also in NYC on the 18th of December last year and got stuck in the snow chaos. Not so lucky as you unfortunately. 3 extra days in NYC due to various misfortunes. BA also went beyond the call of duty to get me home before Christmas. I posted a report about it here.
And welcome to FT!^
Nov 17, 2011, 6:27 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Colnbrook, Berkshire, UK
Programs: BA Exec, Flying Blue
Posts: 28
I got stuck in last December's snow chaos too (I wrote a report about it somewhere on here) - four days stuck in the Netherlands from December 17th. Although I would much rather have been stuck in Iceland than where I was (no offence to the Dutch intended, Iceland just happens to be one of my favourite countries in the world!). Oh and guess what...my birthday is December the 18th, although it sounds like your birthday was a lot more fun than mine...I spent mine alone in a hotel in Leiden!!
Thanks for the report, it was a fun read!
Thanks for the report, it was a fun read!
Nov 17, 2011, 9:29 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, AMEX Plat and all that comes with it.
Posts: 346
Sorry for the slow reply, been on a YVR-LHR sector.
Thank you for all the kind words I've been meaning to write it up all year!
Hotel Plaza. They really didn't know what hit them when we all turned up but I guess they did well out of it.
We all got mixed up once the baggage was collected. It depended more on which bus you were on rather than what class. Speaking to the CC on the way from Iceland to LHR it sounded like they were put in a hotel near the airport with rooms the size of a shoebox! So not everyone was so lucky sadly. The girl a few seats over (a model no less!) got put there to.
Yes a few of them, including one of the pilots who I catch up with in T5 every now and then. Really was a fantastic group of people to be stuck with, we all wanted to stay longer, not bad for networking either 
Interesting to hear about other people caught up in the snow chaos. Most of my friends didn't get back until the 24th. We all had our own stories to tell.
Thank you for all the kind words
I've been meaning to write it up all year!
Do you know where the Y pax ended up?
Are you still in touch with any of the new friends made on the trip?
Interesting to hear about other people caught up in the snow chaos. Most of my friends didn't get back until the 24th. We all had our own stories to tell.