TWCLAM

G-GATR operating LGW-HER ( BA2205) caused a 40 minute runway closure again last night at LGW for a hydraulics issue mid-flight( turned back near FRA) the exact same thing that caused another RWC at LGW about a week ago. 12 cancellations( across multiple airlines) 10 diversions in total and all for something that was fixed a week ago. Whilst obviously the prime concern for everybody has to be passenger and crew safety I wonder if the powers that be at LGW will even allow her to carry on using the place if she keeps up this trend baring in mind the costs involved across the board.

Obviously no aspersions cast on maintenance who I can't imagine would sign off unless she was airworthy after her last inspection but causing such chaos, especially at this time of year, for the same problem in under two weeks is never going to go down well and if it could be found enough wasn't done to stop a recurrence then you've got to know GAL will be sending a very sizeable bill to BA for it. After 12 years of service has she maybe reached the end of her cost effective life?

DYKWIA

I guess finding the root cause of an issue is as difficult on a plane as it can be on a car or computer system. You can fix the issue, and make an informed judgment on what the root cause was and hope for the best. In this case, they probably didn't get right down to the root.

gms

Very unlikely!

TWCLAM

Kind of what i'm thinking tbh. They may be thought they'd found it and didn't look further down the line to see if there was something wrong ( again no aspersions cast) as it was safe to fly but when this has happened twice in such a short period of time and the millions involved each time you can't see GAL letting things go so easily this time around. I know i'll be paying extra attention to the reg for my Rome flight in just over a week & will start filling out the EC261 during the flight if I have G-GATR ( arguable case, imho, for a payout if it goes tech for the same issue a 3rd time in under a month).

TWCLAM

Whilst I would normally agree without hesitation I based the question on how much GAL bill BA for if it's deemed it could've been avoided. Otherwise as she's under 30 years old of course it would be HELL NO! all day long

Worcester

I very much doubt cost-cutting would be behind this but from a PR POV, I can't help but think comments like is not really the right sort of message in an industry reliant on public confidence.

Steve_ZA

Under EU261 technical failures are not considered extraordinary so your potential payout would be approved even in the first instance of a cancellation or delay that exceeds the time limits.

As for GAL and the runway closures, these things are part of operating an airport just as diversions and cancellations are a part of being in the air on a regular basis.

TWCLAM

I have so far been very lucky regarding canx/ delays despite all the flights I take so I've never looked into it in depth myself ( I'm going to regret typing those words!) Appreciate the 'part of the game' factor but imho GAL have a right to push the issue when it's the same bird for the same reason in the space of a week. Of course I highly doubt it's the 1st time it's happened but from talking to people there after the prime concern of safety is put aside there was rage about it. It's more the other airlines pax who got caught up in it I feel for. EZY being a good one. One of their flights that got canx doesn't go again till Thursday and last night there were 6 seats on that flight so none now and most of the canx flight pax with a longer wait / the inability to pay for £3-400 for a flight they paid £60 for when they booked 6 months ago. Again admitting my lack of knowledge on the subject of EC261 don't the other airlines get to claim extraordinary circumstances as outside of their control?

Steve_ZA

EasyJet would have a duty of care to their passengers which would cover refreshments initially then food and overnight accommodation when as those became necessary. Beyond that travel insurance would be the next stop for the passengers affected that were flying on other airlines as they cannot claim from BA under EU261.

Globaliser

How do you know it was for the same reason? Do you have inside information about this?

TWCLAM

Whilst cross checking before even making this post ( was aware soon after call made last night) yes to a degree I do but waited until today to make the thread so that it was common knowledge ( published on thebasource etc etc) so as not to cross any lines, breach any trust agreements or get people in trouble( bad practice to drop friends or those you have a business relationship with in the .... eh but gossip spreads fast as I'm sure you know better than I Globaliser ) . The reason given by the flight deck was hydraulic failure. While it could of course been a different type ( something I haven't been told and haven't asked about & i'm no engineer ) from my external ( not BA or directly GAL employed) POV matches up with the all too recent time the same plane caused an identical issue.

Hope you appreciate my need for a reasonable amount of discretion here.

gms

For someone to prove it could have been avoided they must surely have to know what the root cause of the problem is. In which case it can be fixed properly, to avoid it recurring.

No airline would scrap an aircraft simply because it has had two mechanical problems. I am sure there will be a thorough investigation to understand why the problem was not addressed by the engineering team (assuming it is the same problem). It will then be fixed and procedures improved if necessary. So it will be out of service for a while, I don't see any scenario where it would need to be scrapped.

KARFA

Scandinavian traveler

My sister in law was booked on that flight yesterday. She called us immediately and we managed to book her on the BA LCY -> ZRH flight today for GBP 123. She had originally paid GBP 79 for the EasyJet flight, so not much of a difference. I think she will try to ask for reimbursement of the difference, as EZ writes on their website that you can go by alternative carrier if you cannot be rebooked within 48 hours on EZ. She was offered flights on Thursday as well.

Don't know whether she could claim EC261 as well, being that it was not EasyJets fault. On the other hand they did divert to Bournemouth and I guess they should be able to fly BOH -> LGW and continue their flights at some point later in the day rather than cancelling both the LGW - GVA flights that evening (same plane operating both). I would also have though that they would have enough fuel to hold for enough time to let the aircraft vacate the runway.

TWCLAM

reading the last few posts and respecting them let me reiterate that I would never imagine to once again cast doubt on BA Maint' - NOBODY is infallible. the facts speak for themselves but i'm not and would never try to imply shortcuts were taken despite those facts as I dont work for them so would have no idea
. Just feel it's important to make the 200% clear here.

I dont, as I said in response to @Globaliser above, know if it's the exact hydraulic issue that was suffered last week. I imagine if asked I could find out but i'll not ask those questions through discretion but whilst not doing so it can't be a good thing on many a level that it's repeating with such regularity. It screwed LGW & they have slightly lower capacity issues than LHR so god know the knock on effect had she been LHR based.