Dec 20, 2018, 5:24 am
Last edit by: Canarsie
Travelling to of from London Gatwick 21 December 2018
All LGW services operated on Friday with 2 exceptions (BA2758/0 to AMS and back; BA2938/9 EDI and back). Many flights were heavily delayed.
List of inbound BA diversions from latest closure is in post 463
Incomplete list of inbound cancellations for Friday 21 December is here in post 298.
Current customer guidelines in this post 344 (you can rebook free of charge to 5 January and reroute via LHR/LCY). Try rebooking via the App if you can, otherwise you need to telephone BA.
Background
Gatwick Airport was closed at 21:03 on Wednesday 19 December following reports of drones flying over the airfield. Sightings have continued throughout Thursday 20 December requiring the airport to remain closed. Gatwick Airport advising all passengers to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport. Gatwick airport was further closed on Friday 21 December from 17:00 until 18:25 at which time normal operations resumed after suspected drone sightings.
Previous updates
Current list of cancelled and diverted services
Post 96 and Post 132 and Post 184
All LGW services operated on Friday with 2 exceptions (BA2758/0 to AMS and back; BA2938/9 EDI and back). Many flights were heavily delayed.
List of inbound BA diversions from latest closure is in post 463
Incomplete list of inbound cancellations for Friday 21 December is here in post 298.
Current customer guidelines in this post 344 (you can rebook free of charge to 5 January and reroute via LHR/LCY). Try rebooking via the App if you can, otherwise you need to telephone BA.
Background
Gatwick Airport was closed at 21:03 on Wednesday 19 December following reports of drones flying over the airfield. Sightings have continued throughout Thursday 20 December requiring the airport to remain closed. Gatwick Airport advising all passengers to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport. Gatwick airport was further closed on Friday 21 December from 17:00 until 18:25 at which time normal operations resumed after suspected drone sightings.
Previous updates
Current list of cancelled and diverted services
Post 96 and Post 132 and Post 184
LGW closed due to drone activity
Dec 20, 2018, 10:31 am
#301
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: London
Programs: BA bronze, Hertz pres circle, Marriott Platinum, hilton diamond
Posts: 2,537
Ba hardly covering themselves in glory here either, asking us to check our bookings online to see available options, only to be met with the message
Error
- We're sorry, but ba.com is very busy at the moment, and couldn't deal with your request. Please do try again - if it still doesn't work, it may be better to try again at another time.
Dec 20, 2018, 10:32 am
#302
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,405
Which doesn't really help if pilots have timed out, if the destination airport enforces its night curfew, or if the aircraft couldn't get to LGW. I hope that the situation is resolved ASAP.
Dec 20, 2018, 10:34 am
#304
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,599
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...12-2018-a.html
Dec 20, 2018, 10:35 am
#305
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Munich, Algarve, Sussex or S.F Bay Area
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, A3*Gold, AA Plat, HH Gold, IHG Plat Amb, Marriott Plat
Posts: 4,163
Dec 20, 2018, 10:40 am
#307
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,804
This has the hallmarks of an Amadeus / Altéa failure since other airlines are impacted. When this happened last time it was out for under an hour, though it took longer to sort out the various operational impacts.
Dec 20, 2018, 10:46 am
#308
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: BA Gold, A3 Gold
Posts: 163
It sure seems to be an Altea issue. Various reports of problems with other airlines that use Altea. OLCI for my LX flight tommorrow doesn't work anymore for example. Sure doesn't help the situation at LGW. Hopefully this gets sorted soon.
Dec 20, 2018, 10:50 am
#309
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,804
Thanks for that confirmation, LX are also on Altéa so it seems likely (and perhaps helpful in that this will need fixing very very urgently). Strange thing was that the last time this happened, by coincidence it was the same day as a small fire in the control tower at LHR also caused disruption, leading to a double dollop of trouble.
Dec 20, 2018, 10:56 am
#310
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: Mucci de l'Arbitrage
Posts: 927
Thanks for that confirmation, LX are also on Altéa so it seems likely (and perhaps helpful in that this will need fixing very very urgently). Strange thing was that the last time this happened, by coincidence it was the same day as a small fire in the control tower at LHR also caused disruption, leading to a double dollop of trouble.
Dec 20, 2018, 11:03 am
#311
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: The North
Posts: 1,845
IT failure plus the drone issue - hopefully nothing more will happen, I think we've got enough disruption already
Dec 20, 2018, 11:04 am
#312
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,804
New update from BA - I somehow knew they hadn't got rid of the old CW bedding:
Drone sightings at London Gatwick have resulted in the closure of the airport.
Please advise customers to check the on ba.com before departing for the airport
Update on today’s operation at London Gatwick @ 17:30 20Dec18
All shorthaul flights are now cancelled
All longhaul flights are now cancelled
Inbound flights from Male (MLE) and Mauritius (MRU) will arrive into LHR and customers dispersed from there 3 Santa charters have night stopped and will depart tomorrow
Crew have stayed with all the aircraft so will return with the aircraft, subject to airport opening.
Email regarding sale was pulled however ba.com does have sale message live.
We have raised an order for 5000 old CW quilts and 5000 old CW cushions for delivery to Gatwick tonight
We are aware of system issues with Pegasus & Amadeus – this has been reported as a high priority issue
Please advise customers to check the on ba.com before departing for the airport
Update on today’s operation at London Gatwick @ 17:30 20Dec18
All shorthaul flights are now cancelled
All longhaul flights are now cancelled
Inbound flights from Male (MLE) and Mauritius (MRU) will arrive into LHR and customers dispersed from there 3 Santa charters have night stopped and will depart tomorrow
Crew have stayed with all the aircraft so will return with the aircraft, subject to airport opening.
Email regarding sale was pulled however ba.com does have sale message live.
We have raised an order for 5000 old CW quilts and 5000 old CW cushions for delivery to Gatwick tonight
We are aware of system issues with Pegasus & Amadeus – this has been reported as a high priority issue
Dec 20, 2018, 11:12 am
#314
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Windsor
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 909
That's the BA schedule wiped for the day then, thanks for the update CWS. I assume at some point this will be reflected on the BA.com status page where a number of flights are still shown as expected to be operating?