Why Are BA Flightdeck Crew So Reluctant to Provide Updates On Delays?
Oct 3, 22, 6:40 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,575
Why Are BA Flightdeck Crew So Reluctant to Provide Updates On Delays?
Maybe this is just my experiences recently but I don't seem to experience this on U2, FR or IB, all of which I have flown recently as well as BA.
5 out of 6 recent BA flights have been delayed, all after all pax have actually boarded. Here is a summary of 3:
1. An "airfield restriction" at LGW resulting in a delayed departure - we were told we would push back shortly but would then be taxiing to a remote stand and wait for 20 minutes before taxiing to the runway. 20 minutes went by and we actually sat on that remote stand for nearly 50 minutes - no further updates were given during that extra 30 minutes.
2. An announced delay after all boarded due to an electrical fault that one of the pilots announced would be a full power off of the aircraft and 2 minute wait before powering back up. He also said some checks have to then be repeated but this would be a maximum of 10 minutes and we would be off. The power off occurred and we pushed back after a further 35 minutes, not the 10.....no further update was provided to pax as to why the extra delay and approximately how much longer we would be.
3. The usual welcome from the flight-deck after all had boarded 10 minutes early, followed by "thank you for boarding promptly, good news, we will be departing at our scheduled time" etc but then we just sat at the gate and pushed back some 25 minutes after the scheduled time. No further update was provided as to why "on-time" had turned into a 25 minute delay.
It would just be courteous to give a 10 second update when a further delay is known, if only so pax can alert people at the destination, ie waiting drivers and relatives, some of whom may be clocking up expensive minutes in short-term car parks. In one of these I mentioned, I was due to meet 2 colleagues at MAD, one was flying from Germany, the other from France and then we were heading on to a client together. At least some knowledge of why we were still sat at a remote stand 30 minutes longer (and no knowledge of how much longer) would have helped in the decision as to whether they should make their way to the client and I would join them later....or to wait for me if the delay would not be too much longer.
My experience is BA are particularly bad at this, U2 always seem to give an update as do FR and IB
5 out of 6 recent BA flights have been delayed, all after all pax have actually boarded. Here is a summary of 3:
1. An "airfield restriction" at LGW resulting in a delayed departure - we were told we would push back shortly but would then be taxiing to a remote stand and wait for 20 minutes before taxiing to the runway. 20 minutes went by and we actually sat on that remote stand for nearly 50 minutes - no further updates were given during that extra 30 minutes.
2. An announced delay after all boarded due to an electrical fault that one of the pilots announced would be a full power off of the aircraft and 2 minute wait before powering back up. He also said some checks have to then be repeated but this would be a maximum of 10 minutes and we would be off. The power off occurred and we pushed back after a further 35 minutes, not the 10.....no further update was provided to pax as to why the extra delay and approximately how much longer we would be.
3. The usual welcome from the flight-deck after all had boarded 10 minutes early, followed by "thank you for boarding promptly, good news, we will be departing at our scheduled time" etc but then we just sat at the gate and pushed back some 25 minutes after the scheduled time. No further update was provided as to why "on-time" had turned into a 25 minute delay.
It would just be courteous to give a 10 second update when a further delay is known, if only so pax can alert people at the destination, ie waiting drivers and relatives, some of whom may be clocking up expensive minutes in short-term car parks. In one of these I mentioned, I was due to meet 2 colleagues at MAD, one was flying from Germany, the other from France and then we were heading on to a client together. At least some knowledge of why we were still sat at a remote stand 30 minutes longer (and no knowledge of how much longer) would have helped in the decision as to whether they should make their way to the client and I would join them later....or to wait for me if the delay would not be too much longer.
My experience is BA are particularly bad at this, U2 always seem to give an update as do FR and IB
Oct 3, 22, 7:03 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Petroleum
Posts: 266
Just one data point but after the doors closed at VCE on Friday, the captain of the 599 actually came out to face the passengers and announced "as usual when the captain appears at the front it's not good news"... I was expecting this to be as bad as a technical cancellation but "fortunately" it was news of a 2 hour ground stop due to fog at LHR, although he did say it was ridiculous and he'd keep talking to ATC and the company and that it usually comes in. It didn't come in but he addressed the cabin a couple of times during the ground stop and then appeared again as the chocks were being removed. He also spoke again to apologise as we were held unusually long time short of the runway due to slowness of ground control at VCE.
Could not have handled it better.
Could not have handled it better.
Oct 3, 22, 7:17 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,575
Just one data point but after the doors closed at VCE on Friday, the captain of the 599 actually came out to face the passengers and announced "as usual when the captain appears at the front it's not good news"... I was expecting this to be as bad as a technical cancellation but "fortunately" it was news of a 2 hour ground stop due to fog at LHR, although he did say it was ridiculous and he'd keep talking to ATC and the company and that it usually comes in. It didn't come in but he addressed the cabin a couple of times during the ground stop and then appeared again as the chocks were being removed. He also spoke again to apologise as we were held unusually long time short of the runway due to slowness of ground control at VCE.
Could not have handled it better.
Could not have handled it better.
Oct 3, 22, 7:19 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: London (ne Melbourne)
Programs: Qantas Platinum (Oneworld Emerald)
Posts: 808
I was surprised recently on a delayed flight out of LHR T5 where the captain explained in great detail that planes don't have a reverse gear, that the pushback driver failed to arrive and that he'd called a manager to sort it out and send someone over so that we could depart. He then explained about takeoff slots, and that we'd lost ours, and having to re-file plans with air traffic control, etc.
Oct 3, 22, 7:23 am
#6
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As I mentioned though, U2, FR and IB all seemed to have managed to provide an update during the further delay, whether it be an ATC restriction / due to the delay, 2 nearby aircraft now have priority to pushback ahead of us / we are still waiting for the tug driver etc etc and also always gave an approximate further delay time. Just silence from BA though...
Oct 3, 22, 7:29 am
#7
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Oct 3, 22, 7:32 am
#8
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Oct 3, 22, 7:33 am
#9
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Oct 3, 22, 7:35 am
#10
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I never found our pilots slow to give updates, what used to bother me was that they always gave the earliest estimated times which were rarely met, I requested that they added time and then came back with good news when the delay improved rather than the other way around.
Oct 3, 22, 7:51 am
#12
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I never found our pilots slow to give updates, what used to bother me was that they always gave the earliest estimated times which were rarely met, I requested that they added time and then came back with good news when the delay improved rather than the other way around.
Oct 3, 22, 7:58 am
#14
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I never found our pilots slow to give updates, what used to bother me was that they always gave the earliest estimated times which were rarely met, I requested that they added time and then came back with good news when the delay improved rather than the other way around.
Oct 3, 22, 8:02 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2013
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Speaking personally I have had both good experiences and also not so good - and I mean not just with BA but most carriers (although on balance Id say that the LCCs do tend to be somewhat better in this regard . possibly because of a greater focus on timekeeping and quick turnarounds .?)
I suppose there is an instinctive expectation that because all pilots are highly-skilled professionals, it follows that they will be diligent & thorough where communication to passengers is concerned ; and yet the simple reality is that some just happen to be notably more conscientious than others at conveying any updates. The end user / customer can be forgotten amidst the technicalities & logistics. Perhaps not dissimilar to a scenario where medics and clinicians occasionally end up talking almost exclusively amongst themselves, whilst having to be reminded that there is a patient involved.
I suppose there is an instinctive expectation that because all pilots are highly-skilled professionals, it follows that they will be diligent & thorough where communication to passengers is concerned ; and yet the simple reality is that some just happen to be notably more conscientious than others at conveying any updates. The end user / customer can be forgotten amidst the technicalities & logistics. Perhaps not dissimilar to a scenario where medics and clinicians occasionally end up talking almost exclusively amongst themselves, whilst having to be reminded that there is a patient involved.
