Originally Posted by USA_flyer
I've managed to do the DTW to LHR route on BA in less than 6 hours with a scheduled flight time of 7hrs20mins. It also involved 100mph+ tailwinds and severe turbulence that was so bad the dinner service took twice the usual time after being put away and restarted twice. Unfortunately we ended up holding over LHR until the airport opened at 6am.
Is it possible BA pilots sit in the strongest tailwinds to get best possible fuel saving? I've never experienced it on any other airline.
Coming back from YYZ recently, everyone was ushered onto the BA744 in quick time, we pushed back, started to taxi when the captain came on and said we were going to a remote holding point where we would sit for 1 hour.
Got to the holding point and then the F/O came and said BA ops in London had asked us to do this for 2 reasons. 1) to vacate the gate so the BA 777 arriving into YYZ could use it as YYZ had no spare gates and 2) the winds across the pond were so strong that our crossing was only to be 5 1/2 hours and we would arrive before the 6am curfew.
We then sat at this holding point for an hour, engines off, no IFE, nowt. Just sitting there seemed like the longest hour of my life.