gregpodpl

I'm flying BA851 (WAW -> LHR) today
scheduled departure: 18:15
now BA app (and google and fr24) is showing it delayed, departing 21:00
incoming flight (BA850) is only 15 minutes late - so that is not the base for this delay

I'm flying with my carry on only - and now I don't know when should I go to the airport. Any suggestions?

corporate-wage-slave

That one is a bit odd, I can't see any obvious reason at this point. If there is a multi-hour delay BA do sometimes send out emails advising you to turn up late too. If I knew for certain that there was a delay due to the late arriving aircraft then I would risk turning up late, given I'm always HBO, but this is more problematic since they appear to have the option to depart sooner than advertised. So at ths point I would stick to arriving at the normal time, or perhaps slightly later.

One random possibility is that if this a crew change / night stopover and the new crew didn't get enough hours sleep, that can lead to odd departure delays. One I recall was when the crew were in a central town hotel and a music festival was right in front of their hotel going on until the early hours.

Airprox

Delayed for new cabin crew who are coming on the 878 arriving at 2030 local, so that's the flight you need to keep your eye on.

corporate-wage-slave

Right, so thanks to the cancellations yesterday, they have crew out of position for the night stops. The afternoon departure crew today are nightstopping for tomorrow's flight, and BA didn't think / couldn't find /didn't want an extra crew to fly on that afternoon flight. Ergo crew flies in tonight, both crews swap aircraft, one aircraft stays in WAW and the other comes back heavily delayed. This is airline convenience, EC261 if it goes over 3 hours.

Airprox

Or could just be sickness.

orbitmic

Personally, I’d go on time if a bit less early than I usually do. Just takes a last minute crew swap because another incoming flight is precisely delayed, or more reserve crew showing up and your flight departure could be brought forward, however unlikely…

gregpodpl

I've trusted your advice (thanks!), arrived 20:00 at the airport, now waiting in the lounge. Plane is parked at the gate, but there is no gate stuff at all. Screens showing 21:00 departure, hope it will not get cancelled...

Airprox

Why would it be cancelled?

Clearly 2100 isn't going to happen though as the 878 is still at least 15 mins away.

gregpodpl

I've counted timezone wrong, and thought for a moment it would be getting close to Heathrow cutoff time.

scottishpoet

providing the crew are deadheading out as expected it will not be cancelled. If they were not on the aircraft i would expect it to be cancelled already.

I am wondering if the current inbound aircraft will fly back tonight and the one currently on the ground will nightstop. I guess not if you already know the gate

ajbrowc

Captain stated the delay was due to a health issue with a crew member. I guess no UK261 in this case?

nufnuf77

health issue of crew is not exempting them from paying UK261 - Pls check the main thread to see instances and precedents relating to this.