Seppy

I think I can throw a bit more light on the reason for the cancellation as my parents are BA87 that was due to depart yesterday.

They boarded the flight as expected and began the take-off roll but that was stopped mid-way down the runway and they were bussed back to T5B due to an indicator light for one of the engines.

At about 5pm (4 hours late) they boarded again but were missing one passenger and then the crew had to get the passengers baggage removed. Once this was done the crew were out of hours and while BA looked to get another crew (even I think by cancelling another flight) it did not work.

All hotels in the Heathrow area were booked last night and BA said that all passengers were to make their own arrangements or they could stay on the floor of the Sofitel Ballroom.

The passengers were told to report back at 8am today for the delayed BA87 for an 11am departure. However once on board the plane (same as boarded the previous night) had a problem with one of the engines and so everyone went back to T5B again (this time via the tunnel from C).

Another plane has now been found and is due to depart any moment now (just 27 hours late).

corporate-wage-slave

Not just Heathrow either. I was dreading the concept of a cancellation yesterday: thanks to Wimbledon and something called FESPA (a big print exhibition in Excel) there are actually more hotel visitors staying in London yesterday than during the Olympics. Must have been quite horrible for all concerned. That hotel booking service in T5 Arrivals had a queue out the back. I hope your parents are the resilient type, and are now on their way to Canada.

Seppy

I had begun to notice that all of London was very busy as they asked me to see if I could find them a room and Heathrow was full and only one room around Paddington. Luckily I live in South West London so they could stay with me.

They are fairly resilient but I think this is testing patience as far as possible. Luckily they are in CW but there are only so many sandwiches you can eat....

Plane has pushed back according to the website and can see an unusually numbered B744 taxiing to take off so fingers crossed!

SpurMan

Safely home, via a nice 2 hour drive round the M25... but that was a journey not to be repeated.

On the way back from Munich, the crew heard about our little excursion, and were horrified. They couldn't have been nicer. They were astounded we were not offered AC or VS.

Interesting to hear about the 87. Instead, we were on an LH A330 which had a tailstrike and still flew from ORD to MUC a few months back!!

Yahillwe

From reading here and some other threads, it seems that BA is having major engine problems.

BOSavi8tr

I've never flown BA, nor the time I did fly to France did I experience any kind of delay or IRROPS. However, I find this shocking and completely unbelievable that BA, due to a mechanical error, would tell passengers that they wouldn't be given hotel accommodations, and that it was up the passengers to make their own hotel arrangements OR sleep on a hotel ballroom floor???? Are you kidding me?? I understand that the OP stated that BA told the passengers that all hotel rooms in the Heathrow area were booked, but GIVE ME BREAK - IT'S LONDON. There has to be hotels within a 20-30 mile radius with openings to give these people a room and a bed. Get them a cab voucher, along with a room.

I guess my questions are:

1). How can BA get away with this - a mechanical and shortage of crew?

and

2). What kind of monetary compensation can a J passenger expect outside of the standard avios points?

HIDDY

Oh dear.....that doesn't sound too good.

No wonder they aren't expected to return to profit until 2015.

SpurMan

Well, looking back from a days sleep. It's interesting to note that the miles I would have got have posted, as have the TPs, so no need for me to claim them, which is a small start. Be looking to see if the TPs and avios for the MUC - LHR flight will also post.

Regardless, I am still rather upset that we were handed this rather tortuous route home, when it was clear, unbeknownst to us at the time, that other options such as AC and VS were available to BA to get us home direct. LH is awful, and I am so glad I didn't have to pay for that flight. (Might as well claim the miles though!)

What also occurs is how we would have coped if we had not had the option of food in the lounge in MUC, as small as the selection was, and bearing in mind I am gluten intolerant so I had to risk the wrath of the chicken Schnitzel, and then the afternoon tea on the MUC LHR flight (which contrary to most comments on here, wasn't all that bad IMHO. We had no Euros with us (why would we, we were in Canada?), so would have been able to buy nothing, save with a credit card.

It took 36 hours to get home (from leaving the hotel) instead of 25, and God knows what would have happened with my folks if I had not been there to navigate through MUC. MUC is a sod of an airport to navigate, and the LH crew knew only it would go from T1 and was a long way.

Must do better on my next trip (which is already booked). That's already been screwed up with two IRROPS (though down to AA, as there are internal flights involved). You will be hearing from me shortly BA.

I think I'll have to do a TR for this little saga. Look out for it soon.

SpurMan

The screen grab was on the iPad, just for a time stamp to prove the date for any BA questions. Done just before I got on the MUC flight

EDIT: I wish BA had installed CW on that Lufty plane. Seat was bloody awful. No privacy, not lie flat and very uncomfortable!

testycal

During takeoff pilot aborts as engine issue discovered. Return to boarding gate where we are told we need to change planes after remaining on plane for ?1 hour. Disembark, to T5 terminal and second plane readied. Given voucher for food and drink and return to boarding lounge plane #2. Board plane and waiting for passengers to arrive. Not all do. One in particular has left or did not return and bags have to be removed. We were watiing 1.5 hours By that time, crew is now over time during which they can work. BA cannot find replacement crew and we are staying the night. Information flow is poor and there are few hotel rooms because of Wimbledon and end of school travel. We are told we are on our own to book. We decided to take of BA's offer to sleep at the hotel connected to Terminal 5 Sofitel(5 minute covered walk) and 11 am departure next day. The hotel had no rooms but made the ballroom available - we camped in sleeping bags with 150 other people. Fed but no showers. Others found rooms away from Heathrow but they also had to deal with returning. We wanted to reduce as much stress as possible. Camping without marshmallows.



Next morning more vouchers for breakfast and 1100 am departure. On plane an as we are ready to depart we are told one engine has burst a fuel seal after being on plane for 90 minutes waiting for everyone to show up. Disembark and told plane #3 departs at 3 pm. More vouchers. Board again and by 4 we are ready to leave. Plane has no issues and everyone required to be there is (some people made other arrangements) and we depart. BA apologized a lot - mechanical issues and flight crew were fine but ground people dropped the ball by not providing information and directing traffic properly. That is the story.

The same flight crew was with all throughout so perhaps felt our pain.

testycal

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...l#post21006506

this is why you missed your flight

dunk

I think we're already discussing this here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...lack-crew.html

If so, I'll ask a mod to merge the threads.

You might find the general "delays, cancellations and compensation" thread a useful read: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...61-2004-a.html

hth

FlyerTalker7654

Sleeping on the floor on the ballroom????

Whilst all the hotels may have been full, did/does BA not ring the tons of B&B's around Heathrow??

Passmethesickbag

You've mentioned the C word in the wrong forum, sunshine. Subsequent posters will tell you you owe BA money for extending the BA flight experience. BA is a registered charity, don't you know - how dare you try to extract money from them?

Dave Noble

I think that you are due the standard EUR600 for the delay