T5 is open!
Mar 29, 2008, 11:48 am
#601
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 262
T5 is not airport terminal - is is a shopping mall
From local UK colleague:
It's a fiasco. Heathrow is run as a giant shopping mall with a couple of
runways as an add-on. The Terminal 5 map shows the exact
location of Harrods, Prada, etc. - every shop and every restaurant - but
does not show the location of the departure gates!
It's a fiasco. Heathrow is run as a giant shopping mall with a couple of
runways as an add-on. The Terminal 5 map shows the exact
location of Harrods, Prada, etc. - every shop and every restaurant - but
does not show the location of the departure gates!
Mar 29, 2008, 11:50 am
#602
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,677
Well as the excitement builds for my PHL-LHR-BSL on Sunday/Monday I wonder what the transfer experience between T4 & T5 is - anyone had the pleasure? Two hours is my scheduled gap, which clearly means no shower, shave etc. Perhaps the reported "smooth running" will help me in this regard.
Mar 29, 2008, 12:04 pm
#605
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: New York
Programs: BA, LH, VS, Hyatt, SPG
Posts: 3,813
If this isn't sorted over the next few days, then I think its highly likely. Or at the very least, they will stagger the move of T4 flights.
Mar 29, 2008, 12:25 pm
#606
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London WC2/W1
Programs: BAEC Silver; Muccis du Monde des Peluches
Posts: 6,627
getting worse not better?
The opening sentence of the BA news item on the wireless just now (Radio 4) was as follows.
The chaos and disruption at Heathrow Airport appears to be increasing.
Mar 29, 2008, 12:26 pm
#607
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 11,924
Note they are continuing to be inflexible about ticket changes.
The 662 was 4 hours late leaving this morning, and I do not wish to spend half the day at T5 tomorrow, with the risk of being imprisoned airside again if /when it gets cancelled.
I asked if I can upgrade my (pretty expensive) C class fare to full J and re-route via a destination served from T4 instead. The answer - no.
They won't touch a restricted ticket (mine allows upgrades but not vol reroutes). Not unless the flight is >2 hours late. So I have to throw away the ticket, or risk another "experience" at T5 tomorrow.
Not impressed.
The 662 was 4 hours late leaving this morning, and I do not wish to spend half the day at T5 tomorrow, with the risk of being imprisoned airside again if /when it gets cancelled.
I asked if I can upgrade my (pretty expensive) C class fare to full J and re-route via a destination served from T4 instead. The answer - no.
They won't touch a restricted ticket (mine allows upgrades but not vol reroutes). Not unless the flight is >2 hours late. So I have to throw away the ticket, or risk another "experience" at T5 tomorrow.
Not impressed.
Mar 29, 2008, 12:39 pm
#608
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: New England, USA
Posts: 686
Amen!
From local UK colleague:
It's a fiasco. Heathrow is run as a giant shopping mall with a couple of
runways as an add-on. The Terminal 5 map shows the exact
location of Harrods, Prada, etc. - every shop and every restaurant - but
does not show the location of the departure gates!
It's a fiasco. Heathrow is run as a giant shopping mall with a couple of
runways as an add-on. The Terminal 5 map shows the exact
location of Harrods, Prada, etc. - every shop and every restaurant - but
does not show the location of the departure gates!
Mar 29, 2008, 12:44 pm
#609
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Bronze :(
Posts: 134
I'm not sure what to make of the baggage situation being reported.
Is this just a tiny portion of the bags from the flights that are actually still getting out, or are a significant number not making it aboard?
Also, is it just the case that some flights aren't getting any bags on board, rather than just a random selection?
If so, is there any pattern to which flights aren't getting their bags?
Currently trying to work out how to cram two weeks worth of clothes into a single carry-on bag...
Is this just a tiny portion of the bags from the flights that are actually still getting out, or are a significant number not making it aboard?
Also, is it just the case that some flights aren't getting any bags on board, rather than just a random selection?
If so, is there any pattern to which flights aren't getting their bags?
Currently trying to work out how to cram two weeks worth of clothes into a single carry-on bag...
Mar 29, 2008, 12:48 pm
#611
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold;BA GGL; hhonors lifetime diamond; Marriott lt Gold; IH Plat Amb; Amex Centurion
Posts: 4,741
Mar 29, 2008, 12:52 pm
#612
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BA Gold....er now Silver...er now Bronze....er now Blue
Posts: 3,507
I'm not sure what to make of the baggage situation being reported.
Is this just a tiny portion of the bags from the flights that are actually still getting out, or are a significant number not making it aboard?
Also, is it just the case that some flights aren't getting any bags on board, rather than just a random selection?
If so, is there any pattern to which flights aren't getting their bags?
Currently trying to work out how to cram two weeks worth of clothes into a single carry-on bag...
Is this just a tiny portion of the bags from the flights that are actually still getting out, or are a significant number not making it aboard?
Also, is it just the case that some flights aren't getting any bags on board, rather than just a random selection?
If so, is there any pattern to which flights aren't getting their bags?
Currently trying to work out how to cram two weeks worth of clothes into a single carry-on bag...
Mar 29, 2008, 1:00 pm
#614
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BA Blue, BMI Blue+
Posts: 779
Note they are continuing to be inflexible about ticket changes.
The 662 was 4 hours late leaving this morning, and I do not wish to spend half the day at T5 tomorrow, with the risk of being imprisoned airside again if /when it gets cancelled.
I asked if I can upgrade my (pretty expensive) C class fare to full J and re-route via a destination served from T4 instead. The answer - no.
They won't touch a restricted ticket (mine allows upgrades but not vol reroutes). Not unless the flight is >2 hours late. So I have to throw away the ticket, or risk another "experience" at T5 tomorrow.
Not impressed.
The 662 was 4 hours late leaving this morning, and I do not wish to spend half the day at T5 tomorrow, with the risk of being imprisoned airside again if /when it gets cancelled.
I asked if I can upgrade my (pretty expensive) C class fare to full J and re-route via a destination served from T4 instead. The answer - no.
They won't touch a restricted ticket (mine allows upgrades but not vol reroutes). Not unless the flight is >2 hours late. So I have to throw away the ticket, or risk another "experience" at T5 tomorrow.
Not impressed.
He is offering to pay to upgrade and reroute a ticket, at obvious inconvenience to him and obvious convenience to BA, to another flight that has capacity for tomorrow leaving from another BA terminal.
BA would get an important passenger moved from what is likely to be a problematic BA 'experience', to one that is likely to be OK.
Yet they refuse to do this, even though it is obvious it is in their best interests, however you look at it.
Given this background, what chance for the ordinary passenger if this is what someone from GGL can expect....
Mar 29, 2008, 1:02 pm
#615
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,197
I find that reading the foreign press (La Stampa/Corriere della Serra/Le Figaro/Le Monde/Die Welt) does wonders for my command of language and its idiom - according to my friends. I do recommend it.