SaturdayKid

Travelled from EDI to LCY last Monday (6th Feb), originally boarded the 8707 16:45 which went technical at the last moment, so was moved impressively quickly to the 8709 18:00. On the London approach the Captain warned that there was fog over LCY so we may be diverted. After maybe 15 minutes in the stack we were told there was good news and we were going to land at LCY.
Following a single approach it was clear this was not going to happen and we were diverted to Gatwick. All very understandable in the circumstances.

Having landed however the Captain informed passengers that BA would not be assisting with travel to London or back to LCY and that passengers would need to make their own arrangements, then reclaim any expenses from BA.

Personally not a problem I just got the Gatwick Express and a taxi but it occurs to me that anyone travelling who was living on a tight budget might find it difficult being deposited in a frozen West Sussex and told to find their own way when they had expected to be landing at an airport some fifty miles away.

To be fair the Captain said he thought the information he had been given was wrong but this hardly seems like flying to serve? Is this acceptable practice?

DVT

Did you happen to speak to any staff about it? I imagine that if there were PAX with no way to achieve this (unaccompanied minors, or no credit card / UK currency, for example), arrangements could have been by BA for them, such as a taxi on account.

PanGalactic

I'd have asked if I could hire a helicopter to get to LCY personally.

It's not like people fly this route for fun much is it?

I can imagine there must have been some folks on that flight who missed their meetings therefore making the whole journey pointless.

No this is not acceptable. They should have helped out a bit more.

SaturdayKid

That did not really seem appropriate as it presented no problem to me personally however I still feel it sends a somewhat negative message from a customer care perspective. Some people unaccustomed to flying, especially if only having modest resources might lack the confidence to challenge what they had been told by an aircraft Captain.

It was quite clear that the Captain was not happy with the message he was being given to communicate but could only pass on what he was being told. He did say he was going to look into it but by that point everyone would have been off the plane.

Essentially I am flagging on this Forum as it might be a good way to draw BA attention to the fact that they appear to have a procedural shortfall

Prospero

Not really such a bad call under the circumstances. The 8709 is a heavily business oriented service and had I been onboard I would prefer to get to my final destination under my own steam rather than wait and faff around for an extra hour for a slower coach to LCY.

BA has a strong presence at LGW so assistance will have been available to those that needed it. This might have been better communicated from the flight deck.

chistery

Really? Why not say BA suggests you make your own way and claim back the expenses but if you need assistance then ask.

Prospero

I'm not disagreeing with you. The message from the flight deck could have been better communicated emphasising options.

HIDDY

Indeed. ^

I'm pretty sure they would have to accommodate such people under the t&c's of the ticket.

SaturdayKid

It was very clear that the Captain was communicating what he had been told by the ground staff (he explicitly stated this) and was very obvious that he disagreed with the message he was being told to pass on.

highpeaklad

That is probably the best way to do it for most people. By the time you've waited for BA to arrange a coach, or queue'd to find out what other arrangements most people who go straight to the train would be home already.
I agree about those on a tight budget, but by letting most people make their own way home it frees up staff to deal with passengers with more complicated situations.
It sounds as though it could have been better communicated though.

BingBongBoy

Happened to me on the Heathrow Express... Last train into London, for whatever reason the train was stopped at Hanwell, just after midnight, we were all chucked off and told to make our own way onwards into London...

Two and a half hours later I got home... Just terrible.

COOLIO

I had similar, same route only we turned back due to landing gear failure. Told there was another plane and to get to it we had to go via the gate. As soon as we got to the gate told no plane existed. Told we could stay at a hotel and fly the following day but the hotel was 15 minutes drive away and it was already 11pm.

HIDDY

Awful customer service.

I hope you claimed your out of pocket expenses back from them?

Roger

I'd say BA made the right call. Aren't London airports common rated anyway? They got the pax to 'London', albeit Sussex.

There was the time, though, when the former KL got me a car from LHR to STN after a bit of persuasion, but that was after a KL mess-up rather than weather.

Many passengers stuck in planes on the diversion tarmac waiting for fog or whatever to clear at their destination airport would welcome the chance to get out and return under their own steam. My party of 10 on VS JNB-LHR was unhappy a few years ago when LHR was closed because of strong winds from the north, meaning diversion to LGW. They had to sit it out, no matter that some lived close to LGW, arriving many hours late at LHR. (Me? I was still in SA listening to their problems on the phone. )

David-A

No, they are obliged to provide you with transportation to your original airport, or somewhere of your chosing nearby, if you arrivie into a different one due to divert or airline initiated passenger rerouting.