‘Buzzword bingo’ played by BA pilots
Jun 29, 2018, 9:50 am
#61
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,106
Indeed, and not only in the air.
Last edited by flatlander; Jun 29, 2018 at 9:54 am Reason: combine replies
Jun 29, 2018, 9:52 am
#62
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Brussels
Programs: BA Executive Club, Flying Blue, Miles & More, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Posts: 121
Dunno but it's Friday...
A good few years ago on arrival at LGW I had a pilot go on wistfully at length about how ground services would be promptly hooking the aircraft up to a "nice jetbridge, really nice jetbridge actually, really lovely..." etc etc which I would imagine was not in any script.. I mentally filed it under Eccentricities of BA Pilots with Reassuringly Authoritative Double-Barreled Surnames, of which there are many.
A good few years ago on arrival at LGW I had a pilot go on wistfully at length about how ground services would be promptly hooking the aircraft up to a "nice jetbridge, really nice jetbridge actually, really lovely..." etc etc which I would imagine was not in any script.. I mentally filed it under Eccentricities of BA Pilots with Reassuringly Authoritative Double-Barreled Surnames, of which there are many.
Jun 29, 2018, 10:08 am
#63
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: London
Programs: Mucci Grandee (Upgraded), BA Silver, AZ MilleMiglia
Posts: 3,107
Best i ever had was a Czech Airlines pilot out of Prague going back to Frankfurt. Front gear just about off the ground when suddenly the engines try to rip themselves off the wing mounts going into full reverse thrust, we all get flung forward in our seats and the plane literally bounces I think three times it was( it was many years ago). Whole plane even the CC with white faces and pilot comes over the PA as calm as anything.
"Every so sorry about that ladies and gentlemen just as we were about to take to the air we had an alarm tell us one of the over wing doors wasn't locked correctly so we decided it probably wasn't to take to the skies. We'll be taxing back to the terminal to get engineers to check it"
As it later turned out I was sat in the seat next to said faulty door so I was fine with that. How they weren't committed to the take off I have no idea and we did end up needing a tug as he had no runway left to manoeuvre on. Im guessing they decided they could just about brake in time without going off the end and in their judgement it was the safer option. I dont think i'll forget that takeoff for as long as I live. VS flight deck announcements can be quite amusing on LHR-JFK.
"Every so sorry about that ladies and gentlemen just as we were about to take to the air we had an alarm tell us one of the over wing doors wasn't locked correctly so we decided it probably wasn't to take to the skies. We'll be taxing back to the terminal to get engineers to check it"
As it later turned out I was sat in the seat next to said faulty door so I was fine with that. How they weren't committed to the take off I have no idea and we did end up needing a tug as he had no runway left to manoeuvre on. Im guessing they decided they could just about brake in time without going off the end and in their judgement it was the safer option. I dont think i'll forget that takeoff for as long as I live. VS flight deck announcements can be quite amusing on LHR-JFK.
Jun 29, 2018, 10:56 am
#64
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: All the usual suspects
Posts: 342
Another Danair one from years back. Accustomed to flying BA or IB on the Mad route I was used the the very smooth formal intros over the PA. However the pilot came on and said breezily "Hi, I'm Reg" . He continued to be informal and chatty all through the flight.
Once landed before I got off I saw a jaunty looking man standing outside wearing one of those WW2 fleece lined flying jackets - alhough it wouldn't have been, I like to think that was Reg.
Once landed before I got off I saw a jaunty looking man standing outside wearing one of those WW2 fleece lined flying jackets - alhough it wouldn't have been, I like to think that was Reg.
Jun 29, 2018, 12:19 pm
#65
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,749
About a year ago we arrived at T5 and were left sitting for about 10 mins or so. Capt finally came on and drily said “we are just waiting for the air bridge to be manned. It appears we surprised the staff here at the airport by turning up in an aeroplane “
Jun 29, 2018, 1:11 pm
#66
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: All the usual suspects
Posts: 342
I may have been on that flight, or maybe it's one of the pre-scripted lines on the ipad......
Jun 29, 2018, 2:00 pm
#67
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
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I like the scripted bit arriving in JER, where they "... and those of you with onward connections." Yeah, right, we get lots of those, especially on the last BA inbound of the day.
It generates the same level of irritation [is that too strong a word] as BA's random, un-targeted, emails.
It generates the same level of irritation [is that too strong a word] as BA's random, un-targeted, emails.
Jun 29, 2018, 2:24 pm
#68
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: London
Programs: BAEC, AA, Emirates, Hilton, Hyatt, Taj Hotels
Posts: 2,339
Not necessarily on script, but one I am glad I didn't hear myself, and says a lot about why some of us still largely stick with BA despite all the efforts of Willie and Alex.
As BA 9 was rapidly heading for the ocean after losing all 4 engines after flying through a volcano cloud off Indonesia in 1982, Captain Moody on the PA
' Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them going again. I trust that you are not in too much distress.'
Rather nice bit of British understatement there. Fortunately a happy ending after the heroic crew got them down safely.
I don't know whether this one still applies, but apparently if you ever hear(d) 'would the Cabin Services Director please come to the flight deck' that was usually meant bad news.
The one I dislike is the cabin lead's 'thank you to the cabin crew for their hard work today'. I think that one ought to stay in the crew room.
Had a 'welcome to Munich' when landing in FRA in the other day.
As BA 9 was rapidly heading for the ocean after losing all 4 engines after flying through a volcano cloud off Indonesia in 1982, Captain Moody on the PA
' Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them going again. I trust that you are not in too much distress.'
Rather nice bit of British understatement there. Fortunately a happy ending after the heroic crew got them down safely.
I don't know whether this one still applies, but apparently if you ever hear(d) 'would the Cabin Services Director please come to the flight deck' that was usually meant bad news.
The one I dislike is the cabin lead's 'thank you to the cabin crew for their hard work today'. I think that one ought to stay in the crew room.
Had a 'welcome to Munich' when landing in FRA in the other day.
Jun 29, 2018, 3:05 pm
#70
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
Sorry a bit non BA, but in light of others going off subject. My first ever flight was Dan-Air to Santorini in 1984 on a 737 (I think) and the pilot whose name was Captain Cherry (never forgot that) jauntily announced that it was the first time he had flown there, that he'd heard the cliffs were spectacular and he was going to fly around the island prior to landing so we could get a look - And he did.
Jun 29, 2018, 4:01 pm
#71
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 7,262
I suspect that too many passengers knew 'turbulence' sounds rather scary and 'rough air' did better in a focus group. Either that, or they were getting lots of passengers with limited English as a second or third language and when 'rough air' was tested out, the result was fewer people wandering around the plane as it passed through bad winds.
Jun 29, 2018, 4:06 pm
#72
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: All the usual suspects
Posts: 342
That was him, I'm assuming you know him or of him? Quite the jolliest pilot I've had in the intervening 34 and 1000,000's of miles flying. The airport was quite something, as well as what you describe, the departure lounge was a a fenced off compound.
Jun 29, 2018, 11:27 pm
#73
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
I flew with him a number of times. Always a good day out.
Jun 30, 2018, 1:34 am
#74
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