simons1

Bar Operator

highpeaklad

AlbaGuBrath

Was this the BA1486? I was on that flight as well. After we were kicked off the first plane a couple ahead of me asked the check-in staff about food/drinks vouchers. They were asked to check at the customer services desk rather than at the gate. I don't know what was offered as I also disappeared into the lounge.

orbitmic

I think you'll find a look at the main EC261 thread useful. It gives full details of what airlines must provide when.

mvoight

Many men got into the boats before some women on Titanic. I know this because I saw the movie.

simons1

You don't have to eat and drink, however you should be given the opportunity to. Not everyone is the same, maybe people have travelled distances to the airport, or have onward journeys, or be elderly, have young kids etc.

I can also manage without, but that doesn't mean the needs of others should be ignored. That sounds a bit selfish to me.

subject2load

beachmouse

There are also times when delays are of the undefined/rolling variety when it's most sensible to stick close to the gate area in case a fix and a departure slot suddenly become imminent.

Greenpen

Women and children first is there to prevent men using their strength to push others inherently weaker than themselves out of the way. As men need more calories than either women or children they should get the first allocation.

smokie36

Is it true cws has a squeaky mickey mouse voice he uses on such occasions to secure himself a stash of Percy Pig sweeties?

scottishpoet

On that particular flight the captain had decided if we were not good to go after 3 hours he would ask to return to stand, but did point out that stands at LHR were very busy so it may take some time before a stand was allocated to us. I was quite pleased we did not RTS because if we had i suspect the flight would have been cancelled.

As for the other comments about how the priorities were chosen, the poor guy had to do something, nobody on board complained about his decision at the time.

If some DYKWIA, possibly with some shiny plastic, started suggesting that it was discriminatory and that status should be used instead then I am sure the cabin crew would have looked after them in an appropriate manner, as I know cabin crew are very good at doing.

Geordie405

It's interesting how other airlines handle this. From my US travels I know that Allegiant will offer an $8 voucher after a four-hour delay and you'll be lucky if that gets you much given airport prices. I have seen AA wheel out a snack cart with drinks, crisps etc. When at SJC recently DL were ordering pizzas for those impacted by delays. We were in two minds whether to take the earlier flight or wait for our delayed flight and have pizza for tea

However, in terms of who should be fed first I would be tempted to suggest children, the elderly, mums to be, and then others. Years ago a friend and I were taking Amtrak's Coast Starlight from Seattle to Los Angeles but due to a landslide we ended up on a bus from Portland to Klamath Falls where we'd get back on the train. Knowing that there would be no chance of dinner on the train we ordered a stupidly oversized pizza which was delivered to the station. We ate probably 1/8th of the pizza before departure and then waddled to the Pacific Parlor Car to have a couple of nightcaps. The rest of the pizza was offered to the kids queuing with their parents waiting to get served - and where the alternatives were just crisps and sweets and nothing else of substance. It was a small gesture but you had very happy children, plus a lot of very happy parents who were saved from continually hearing "Mom, I'm hungry" from their offspring!

corporate-wage-slave

Yes, the main airlines at their hubs in the USA have got a lot better of late. They will have cart somewhere stored, with things like water, soda, salty snacks on it, and will wheel it to a gate when it is clear there is a problem - topped up with some fruit they buy at the last moment. I'm sure they have found it worth their weight in gold in terms of reducing hassle for the ground staff. At small stations you do hear of station managers just doing the right thing. A relative at Jackson Hole on a bad weather night discovered that someone in management had reached for their credit card, rung the local pizza place and within 20 minutes there was a delivery of hot food.

BA has been known to do something like this occasionally, during one of last winter's events I saw Pret deliver about a dozen large boxes of sandwiches and water, which were then distributed along the check-in concourse at T5. More usually the gate agents can get permission to print vouchers in the £4 to £8 region, directly from the FLY terminals, which are then given to non lounge passengers. This can be done airside or landside, and in almost all airports thanks to FLY. These vouchers are usually valid in pretty much everywhere in the airport. That's assuming we get to 2 hours at the gate: one common scenario is 90 minutes at the gate, 60 minutes on board, in which case nothing much happens. My own view is that once you see the clock go over 30 minutes or so, the writing is often on the wall, so just spend a few quid buying something even if it is just comfort rubbish. If you go over 2 hours you can claim it, and if not, it's not worth getting worked up about. The bigger issue are those smaller airports with few facilities, no wifi, no lounge, just you and the plastic seat.

Globaliser

Could this be part of the measures they have put in place to deal with their "long tarmac delay" obligations?