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, 1:18 pm
#348
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 108
Thanks for the advice on this thread. I've rebooked my LGW-EDI tomorrow to LCY-EDI.
One question that I'll ask here rather than add to the already over-subscribed phone lines. I had a single hold bag booked on my LGW flight which doesn't appear to have transferred over to the LCY one. What's the recommendation - wait til I get to LCY tomorrow and ask them to sort it or call BA in the morning?
One question that I'll ask here rather than add to the already over-subscribed phone lines. I had a single hold bag booked on my LGW flight which doesn't appear to have transferred over to the LCY one. What's the recommendation - wait til I get to LCY tomorrow and ask them to sort it or call BA in the morning?
Dec 20, 2018, 1:19 pm
#349
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: BA Bronze, Hilton Gold, IHG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 454
Interested to hear if BA's investment in IT / Fly / reaccom modules etc is helping here?
i.e Are people being proactively rebooked on services via LHR / LCY where possible, and then able to logon and choose alternative dates / times or request a refund, without having to call up?
My guess is everything still relies on the call centre or reaching the front of the queue at the airport!
i.e Are people being proactively rebooked on services via LHR / LCY where possible, and then able to logon and choose alternative dates / times or request a refund, without having to call up?
My guess is everything still relies on the call centre or reaching the front of the queue at the airport!
Dec 20, 2018, 1:24 pm
#350
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: 63,854
One question that I'll ask here rather than add to the already over-subscribed phone lines. I had a single hold bag booked on my LGW flight which doesn't appear to have transferred over to the LCY one. What's the recommendation - wait til I get to LCY tomorrow and ask them to sort it or call BA in the morning?
Dec 20, 2018, 1:25 pm
#351
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
Dec 20, 2018, 1:25 pm
#352
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 15
I know this isn't a BA related post, but it's very much a Gatwick clusterf*ck related post... I'm booked on EZY8503 LGW-KEF landing at 1130. I then have a separately booked flight WW121 KEF-DTW that takes off at 1520.
Now, clearly the easyjet flight is totally fubared. I have no idea what my options are at this point though. There isn't another flight that goes from London to KEF in time, and booking a last min flight from London to Detroit is going to cost £1200 which I don't really have to spare. Does anyone have any ideas or advice?! I have some travel insurance through bank accounts, credit cards etc but most of them aren't very helpful about this situation...
Now, clearly the easyjet flight is totally fubared. I have no idea what my options are at this point though. There isn't another flight that goes from London to KEF in time, and booking a last min flight from London to Detroit is going to cost £1200 which I don't really have to spare. Does anyone have any ideas or advice?! I have some travel insurance through bank accounts, credit cards etc but most of them aren't very helpful about this situation...
Dec 20, 2018, 1:27 pm
#353
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,382
Not sure if a new thread needs to be started re the cause of the situation to keep this thread clutter free for irrops but Sky News reporting that Gatwick Airport will be closed for the foreseeable future and people shouldn’t come to the airport until further notice. This understandably is raising lots of eyebrows on Twitter that the drone is not the underlying problem.
My my only criticism of BA here and it’s a fluid situation though I’m not affected it’s like the SSH cancellations 3 years ago. Policy states travel only today and tomorrow can be rebooked. Given it’s Christmas why can’t they extend that for a few days to take the pressure off and ensure that people travelling on Saturday, Sunday and Monday have some chance of alternative arrangbeforw it’s too late.
My my only criticism of BA here and it’s a fluid situation though I’m not affected it’s like the SSH cancellations 3 years ago. Policy states travel only today and tomorrow can be rebooked. Given it’s Christmas why can’t they extend that for a few days to take the pressure off and ensure that people travelling on Saturday, Sunday and Monday have some chance of alternative arrangbeforw it’s too late.
Dec 20, 2018, 1:28 pm
#354
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: SFO
Posts: 273
I know this isn't a BA related post, but it's very much a Gatwick clusterf*ck related post... I'm booked on EZY8503 LGW-KEF landing at 1130. I then have a separately booked flight WW121 KEF-DTW that takes off at 1520.
Now, clearly the easyjet flight is totally fubared. I have no idea what my options are at this point though. There isn't another flight that goes from London to KEF in time, and booking a last min flight from London to Detroit is going to cost £1200 which I don't really have to spare. Does anyone have any ideas or advice?! I have some travel insurance through bank accounts, credit cards etc but most of them aren't very helpful about this situation...
Now, clearly the easyjet flight is totally fubared. I have no idea what my options are at this point though. There isn't another flight that goes from London to KEF in time, and booking a last min flight from London to Detroit is going to cost £1200 which I don't really have to spare. Does anyone have any ideas or advice?! I have some travel insurance through bank accounts, credit cards etc but most of them aren't very helpful about this situation...
Dec 20, 2018, 1:36 pm
#356
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: 63,854
BA updates for Friday
I've done various queries in BA.com and as far as I can see they are currently working on the basis of running a full service tomorrow - that's of course predicated on Gatwick Airport allowing movements. There are a few exceptions in the plans
- The three charter services for Lapland are the only 3 services from Thursday to be carried over. All other services are deemed cancelled. So these are the two flights to Rovaneimi and one to Kittila.
- The first flight out tomorrow is the Alicante service at 06:15 and the last one is the Glasgow service at 19:35 (rather an early last service I would have thought)
- At the moment only 1 service has a significant delay, the JFK service scheduled for 16:55 and now timed for 19:09. There was a delay showing on Orlando too but that seems now to be on time.
- As noted upthread, there are some inbound cancellations from longhaul services, these being flights returning from the Americas but which didn't operate on Thursday.
I've done various queries in BA.com and as far as I can see they are currently working on the basis of running a full service tomorrow - that's of course predicated on Gatwick Airport allowing movements. There are a few exceptions in the plans
- The three charter services for Lapland are the only 3 services from Thursday to be carried over. All other services are deemed cancelled. So these are the two flights to Rovaneimi and one to Kittila.
- The first flight out tomorrow is the Alicante service at 06:15 and the last one is the Glasgow service at 19:35 (rather an early last service I would have thought)
- At the moment only 1 service has a significant delay, the JFK service scheduled for 16:55 and now timed for 19:09. There was a delay showing on Orlando too but that seems now to be on time.
- As noted upthread, there are some inbound cancellations from longhaul services, these being flights returning from the Americas but which didn't operate on Thursday.
Dec 20, 2018, 1:44 pm
#358
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: 63,854
Can you somehow get to DUB for 10:45 tomorrow? There is a Wow flight going to KEF for £100, leaving 10:45, ETA 13:35