GGL Flyer

Just checking the flight paths on uk.flightaware.com for LHR-DXB and there is a massive difference between BA and EK. BA are taking a very protracted route through Italy, across the Med to Egypt and then in via Saudi taking 8+ hours whereas EK are more direct in sub-7 hours.

Other than security concerns, why else would BA take such a protracted and more expensive route?

Oxon Flyer

Courtesy of FR24, a couple of routings from the past week.
FWIW Personal experience has shown that flight durations on flightaware can sometimes be off by an hour, so I would tend to side with FR24's 7+ hours.

LonTen

Similar from FR24 shows EK2 still an hour or so quicker.

GSTBD

Simple answer: security reasons. EK and BA will have different views to the risks of flying over Iran and over Iraq.

choosethedrew

Isn't this to do with Iranian airspace?

Ryanardo_daVinci

Also add to this that the UAE entry requirements and subsequent high proportion of denied boarding + wait for bag removal, the timings/delays are significantly above both of these at the moment.

GF2B

Flew BA107 last week - boarding started on-time but we ended up leaving LHR with a 3 hour delay due to the sheer number of DBs and baggage removals. Captain tried to do his best to make up time in the air, but with a 7.30h flying time we still landed ~2.5 hours late.

Really poor showing of drink and refreshments on the ground, not that the meal in the air was that filling either (or any different from what we had received on my connecting flight).

Interestingly, even before boarding, the BA app showed a 1.5h arrival delay but an on-time departure. Seems BA knew there were going to be quite a few DBs at the gate.

Paren

Yes, I too think this is due to avoiding Iraq, Iran and Syria due to security and political reasons.

Are BA AUH flights taking a similar route out of interest? I remember flying back from AUH a couple of years ago and flying directly through Mosul so would be interested to see if/why BA take a different approach to Abu Dhabi.

13901

I absolutely adore Iran, but even I have to agree with BA's routing. A few months ago an UIA plane was shot down by an Iranian air defence unit that calling trigger-happy is a bit of an understatement. I imagine BA will be keen to avoid a repeat. And, also, with the current climate (Covid, sanctions) an emergency landing in Iran might require a veeeery long stay for the aircraft over there. If I remember correctly a Norwegian 737 blew an engine over Iran, diverted to Bandar e Abbas and basically stayed there for almost half a year due to issues in bringing spares over there.

Duck1981

So if DB is the issue did the check in agents don’t do their job properly eg checking negative PCR tests?

Or most of pax checked themselves in via the self service machines?

I guess the process will be smoother if flying EK as their staff should have a better eye on the required documentation earlier in the process.

EDDLEGLL

I’ve been wondering about the process at T5 actually. My recent flight to Athens had a few DBs and the luggage removal resulted in a delay. At check-in I had to show my QR code and my boarding pass had a line printed stating “QR application seen”. The gate agents however wanted to still see it again which slowed down the whole process.

Why would BA not disable the option to self-issue a boarding pass for destinations such as DXB and ATH and check everyone before they head through security/check in a bag?

Am I missing something?

GF2B

Not entirely sure, but I suspect that a lot of check-in agents at outstations may not be 100% familiar with the requirements. Having connected from JFK, the check-in agent at T7 just swerved her screen in my direction for me to see the requirements on the pop-up she got, and took my word when I told her I had everything DXB needs. The turnaround manager/dispatcher/boarding agents at the LHR gate, however, were doing a very detailed and careful check. Hence the late DBs.

SpeedbirdLHR

Indeed much of it is down to connecting passengers. DXB has also had issues with their advanced passenger information system, which has impacted many airlines in having to offload several passengers in recently weeks. Unfortunately we can't board customers if the information isn't processed or a do not board response is given and there have been lots of manual calls to DXB to try to get passengers on.

Ryanardo_daVinci

Boarding pass on the app is disabled for DXB.

At the gate you need to show:

- Boarding pass
- Passport
- Hard copy of the UAE passenger locator form
- Hard copy of a negative Covid test less than 96 hours old

Boarding was slllooowww but gate agents were sticking to the rules. 11 out of ~150 were DB on my flight. Most due to having no Covid test at all, one couple for their test being 6 days old.

One thing I thought was good was the Covid test had to be hard copy, digital was not accepted, but one agent got all those passengers to e-mail them to his personal e-mail address then left and went to print them all off.

zeitgeist

Route of BA109 on 12 Mar which I was onboard. Possibly the start of the "new" route as it seemed very last minute.