ipads replacing whiteboards at airports
Sep 27, 2013, 12:36 pm
#16
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: not far from MUC
Posts: 6,620
Thanks! Sounds like you've been chatting to mrs shorthauldad? 
Sounds nice ... except can pax actually change the rebooking using MMB?
Example: the LH strike earlier this year. Got an email from them fessing up to having cancelled more or less their entire schedule ... and a link to the equivalent of MMB, where I could choose whether to a) cancel completely (and get full refund), b) attempt to rebook for alternative flight/route on same day [was never going to happen in that particular scenario], or c) rebook for different day that week. NB: the rebooking that was being offered was effectively the entire itinerary (including connections), none of this nonsense about rebooking the single delayed/cancelled flight but ignoring the connections resulting in an "unflyable" itinearary. At no point did I have to pick up the telephone. ^ BA take note...
Sounds like LHR is finally starting to catch up with everyone else! Good to hear.
30 flights? Well, a good small-scale trial. A very miserable person might suggest that's "small beer" compared with LHR's past winters. Will be nice to see how it copes when the **** really hits the fan!
Question: will the roaming iPad agents actually be able to do rebookings? or do they just point pax to somewhere/someone that can?
PS I guess we all know that if 6" of snow falls quickly at LHR that even if they have 10,000 snowploughs we are going to end up with chaos? Something to do with having to shut runways, taxiways and stands while you plough them...
There is a new IT tool now in operation in case of cancellation or mass disruption which rebooks passengers automatically.
Example: the LH strike earlier this year. Got an email from them fessing up to having cancelled more or less their entire schedule ... and a link to the equivalent of MMB, where I could choose whether to a) cancel completely (and get full refund), b) attempt to rebook for alternative flight/route on same day [was never going to happen in that particular scenario], or c) rebook for different day that week. NB: the rebooking that was being offered was effectively the entire itinerary (including connections), none of this nonsense about rebooking the single delayed/cancelled flight but ignoring the connections resulting in an "unflyable" itinearary. At no point did I have to pick up the telephone. ^ BA take note...
(snip stuff that other airports have had for ages)
Few days ago LHR suffered from heavy fog resulting in 30 cancellations and thousands of MICs. System worked brilliantly.
Question: will the roaming iPad agents actually be able to do rebookings? or do they just point pax to somewhere/someone that can?
PS I guess we all know that if 6" of snow falls quickly at LHR that even if they have 10,000 snowploughs we are going to end up with chaos? Something to do with having to shut runways, taxiways and stands while you plough them...
Sep 27, 2013, 12:52 pm
#17
Join Date: Mar 2005
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This was an inbound T3 connection to a T1 domestic connection, if that is any different.
Sep 27, 2013, 3:14 pm
#18
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Bronze
Posts: 1,090
You must be a very miserable person based on your posts.
There is a new IT tool now in operation in case of cancellation or mass disruption which rebooks passengers automatically. A new permanent Disruption Team Manager has been set up for winter to deal with any potential cancellations and coordinate disruption handling. More winter deicing machines have been bought. Every department within British Airways has been trained or will be trained over coming weeks to handle new procedures set up in times of disruption. Staff at LHR equipped now with iPad Minis can retrieve booking and advise passengers where to go get a hotel, get rebooked, etc. IT system has been updated to send passengers email and text the moment flight is cancelled, it has not been the case in the past or was inconsistent.
Few days ago LHR suffered from heavy fog resulting in 30 cancellations and thousands of MICs. System worked brilliantly.
There is a new IT tool now in operation in case of cancellation or mass disruption which rebooks passengers automatically. A new permanent Disruption Team Manager has been set up for winter to deal with any potential cancellations and coordinate disruption handling. More winter deicing machines have been bought. Every department within British Airways has been trained or will be trained over coming weeks to handle new procedures set up in times of disruption. Staff at LHR equipped now with iPad Minis can retrieve booking and advise passengers where to go get a hotel, get rebooked, etc. IT system has been updated to send passengers email and text the moment flight is cancelled, it has not been the case in the past or was inconsistent.
Few days ago LHR suffered from heavy fog resulting in 30 cancellations and thousands of MICs. System worked brilliantly.
One of the ultimate goals is to send all passengers information regarding cancellations but there are a few obstacles which are being addressed. Key to this is the issue of 'trade' bookings where BA does not have the passenger's contact info or where it has been entered into the wrong field in the booking, which means it isn't picked up by the system.
Many of the planning is still weeks away from implementation, but the fog disruption did allow for some limited testing of some aspects. There will not be an overnight change to how things are managed, but the aim is to have a much better proposition in place during the coming winter and to continue to look at improvements.
Sep 28, 2013, 2:19 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Whiteboards are only ever used by BA at Heathrow during irrops. I have never seen them being used in normal operations.
Sep 28, 2013, 6:39 pm
#20
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: London
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You must be a very miserable person based on your posts.
There is a new IT tool now in operation in case of cancellation or mass disruption which rebooks passengers automatically. A new permanent Disruption Team Manager has been set up for winter to deal with any potential cancellations and coordinate disruption handling. More winter deicing machines have been bought. Every department within British Airways has been trained or will be trained over coming weeks to handle new procedures set up in times of disruption. Staff at LHR equipped now with iPad Minis can retrieve booking and advise passengers where to go get a hotel, get rebooked, etc. IT system has been updated to send passengers email and text the moment flight is cancelled, it has not been the case in the past or was inconsistent.
Few days ago LHR suffered from heavy fog resulting in 30 cancellations and thousands of MICs. System worked brilliantly.
There is a new IT tool now in operation in case of cancellation or mass disruption which rebooks passengers automatically. A new permanent Disruption Team Manager has been set up for winter to deal with any potential cancellations and coordinate disruption handling. More winter deicing machines have been bought. Every department within British Airways has been trained or will be trained over coming weeks to handle new procedures set up in times of disruption. Staff at LHR equipped now with iPad Minis can retrieve booking and advise passengers where to go get a hotel, get rebooked, etc. IT system has been updated to send passengers email and text the moment flight is cancelled, it has not been the case in the past or was inconsistent.
Few days ago LHR suffered from heavy fog resulting in 30 cancellations and thousands of MICs. System worked brilliantly.
Sep 28, 2013, 6:49 pm
#21
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Quite close to NQY
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Posts: 9,488
Your too quick
I was about to bring up the same issue from Wednesday.
It's a big shame that HAL doesn't seem to be investing as much in technology !
Mind you, BA allowed my mums flight to take off knowing that her bags had not been loaded, makes you wonder why nobody with access to this information via an iPad made her aware
Things were just as bad at LAX by all accounts where all the staff washed their hands of it and hid !
cs
Sep 29, 2013, 2:31 am
#22
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: not far from MUC
Posts: 6,620
Sep 29, 2013, 2:44 am
#23
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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BA would probably not tell a passenger this if there were lots of baggage discrepancies, it often causes more trouble that it is worth (e.g. distressed passenger trying to get off aircraft) particularly if they don't fly so often. If your mum had status they may pass on that information, or may not. They seem to be more pro-active these days, even if it is after departure, thanks to the technology. However if you suspect - for whatever reason - that something has gone awry at T5 then there is a self help bit: just ask the person on the airbridge two thirds of the way down with a computer. They can see the status of bags for that flight if you have your baggage coupons handy.
Sep 29, 2013, 3:51 am
#24
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland
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BA would probably not tell a passenger this if there were lots of baggage discrepancies, it often causes more trouble that it is worth (e.g. distressed passenger trying to get off aircraft) particularly if they don't fly so often... <snip>
...However if you suspect - for whatever reason - that something has gone awry at T5 then there is a self help bit: just ask the person on the airbridge two thirds of the way down with a computer. They can see the status of bags for that flight if you have your baggage coupons handy.
...However if you suspect - for whatever reason - that something has gone awry at T5 then there is a self help bit: just ask the person on the airbridge two thirds of the way down with a computer. They can see the status of bags for that flight if you have your baggage coupons handy.
Sep 29, 2013, 4:45 am
#25
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Yeah it all goes a bit fuzzy north of Morpeth.
