lhr terminal dump and british airways flight cancellations-july 3, 2007
Jul 3, 2007, 11:15 am
#1
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lhr terminal dump and british airways flight cancellations-july 3, 2007
from the ap and i heard this also on the cbs hourly news which also was reporting that "ba flights out of lhr are being cancelled".
===
"Heathrow Terror Alert Triggers Flights Chaos"
07/03/2007
--
There are currently no flights leaving Heathrow Airport's terminal 4 following a terror alert.
Hundreds of passengers were forced to evacuate the terminal after a suspicious bag was found.
Operator BAA said flights were arriving at the terminal but 108 departing flights, mainly from terminal 4, had been cancelled.
Long lines of passengers, who had to endure heavy showers and thunderstorms, built up outside the terminal.
The terminal has reopened.
The package discovery led to a decision to search all departing passengers again, with the departure lounge being partially evacuated.
A BAA spokesperson said: "A suspect bag was identified shortly before midday in Terminal 4.
"As an extra precaution, it was decided to perform secondary searches on all departing passengers at the aircraft gate.
"In order to facilitate the secondary search process, a decision was made by the police to partially evacuate the departure lounge and re-screen the passengers.
"This process will cause delays to some flights departing from Terminal 4.
"Contingency plans have now been activated to ensure that we are able to effectively manage the increase in resource that this secondary search requires."
British Airways said it had cancelled all its European departures from T4 from 3pm until the rest of the day, as well as cancelling all its T4 long-haul departures from 3pm to 9pm.
But it is not clear what action other airlines will take.
British Airways, Qantas, KLM, Kenyan Airways, Iberia and TAM fly from Terminal 4.
A BA spokeswoman added: "We have had to cancel 108 flights in total. Our flights to and from Terminal 1 at Heathrow are operating, but with some delays."
BA said those passengers affected could rebook, rebook with another airline or claim a refund.
All passengers due to travel from Heathrow have been urged to contact their airline.
===
and this from the british airways website
---
Following a security alert at London Heathrow Terminal 4 this afternoon, British Airways is unable to operate its full flying schedule.
The airline has cancelled all European flights departing Terminal 4 for the remainder of the day and longhaul flights up until 9pm (BST), except flight BA129 to Islamabad.
British Airways flights to and from London Heathrow Terminals 1 and 3 and other UK airports continue to operate normally.
Customers due to travel from Terminal 4 should not come to the airport unless their flight is operating to avoid further congestion at the airport.
===
"Heathrow Terror Alert Triggers Flights Chaos"
07/03/2007
--
There are currently no flights leaving Heathrow Airport's terminal 4 following a terror alert.
Hundreds of passengers were forced to evacuate the terminal after a suspicious bag was found.
Operator BAA said flights were arriving at the terminal but 108 departing flights, mainly from terminal 4, had been cancelled.
Long lines of passengers, who had to endure heavy showers and thunderstorms, built up outside the terminal.
The terminal has reopened.
The package discovery led to a decision to search all departing passengers again, with the departure lounge being partially evacuated.
A BAA spokesperson said: "A suspect bag was identified shortly before midday in Terminal 4.
"As an extra precaution, it was decided to perform secondary searches on all departing passengers at the aircraft gate.
"In order to facilitate the secondary search process, a decision was made by the police to partially evacuate the departure lounge and re-screen the passengers.
"This process will cause delays to some flights departing from Terminal 4.
"Contingency plans have now been activated to ensure that we are able to effectively manage the increase in resource that this secondary search requires."
British Airways said it had cancelled all its European departures from T4 from 3pm until the rest of the day, as well as cancelling all its T4 long-haul departures from 3pm to 9pm.
But it is not clear what action other airlines will take.
British Airways, Qantas, KLM, Kenyan Airways, Iberia and TAM fly from Terminal 4.
A BA spokeswoman added: "We have had to cancel 108 flights in total. Our flights to and from Terminal 1 at Heathrow are operating, but with some delays."
BA said those passengers affected could rebook, rebook with another airline or claim a refund.
All passengers due to travel from Heathrow have been urged to contact their airline.
===
and this from the british airways website
---
Following a security alert at London Heathrow Terminal 4 this afternoon, British Airways is unable to operate its full flying schedule.
The airline has cancelled all European flights departing Terminal 4 for the remainder of the day and longhaul flights up until 9pm (BST), except flight BA129 to Islamabad.
British Airways flights to and from London Heathrow Terminals 1 and 3 and other UK airports continue to operate normally.
Customers due to travel from Terminal 4 should not come to the airport unless their flight is operating to avoid further congestion at the airport.
Jul 3, 2007, 11:26 am
#2
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I feel kind of guilty now.
Last time I transited through CDG, I saw an unattended bag and didn't report it. And as a result, no flights got cancelled (nor did the airport blow up).
I have seen the French Army and Gendarmerie clear small sections of a terminal for a suspicious package, but they just directed everyone outside and around.
Last time I transited through CDG, I saw an unattended bag and didn't report it. And as a result, no flights got cancelled (nor did the airport blow up).
I have seen the French Army and Gendarmerie clear small sections of a terminal for a suspicious package, but they just directed everyone outside and around.
Jul 3, 2007, 2:05 pm
#3
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Pansies.
Unbelievable. An unattended bag and an entire terminal is shut down, evacuated and flights canceled. Looks like Kip the Idiot and Komrade Chertoff are now giving the Brits advice on how to act stupid.
Unbelievable. An unattended bag and an entire terminal is shut down, evacuated and flights canceled. Looks like Kip the Idiot and Komrade Chertoff are now giving the Brits advice on how to act stupid.
Jul 3, 2007, 3:10 pm
#5
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Stupid imbeciles. I hope every passenger who was inconvenienced remembers what these jackasses did yesterday and votes with their wallets accordingly in the future.
BAA and DfT should be publicly flogged.
BAA and DfT should be publicly flogged.
Jul 3, 2007, 3:52 pm
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I feel kind of guilty now.
Last time I transited through CDG, I saw an unattended bag and didn't report it. And as a result, no flights got cancelled (nor did the airport blow up).
I have seen the French Army and Gendarmerie clear small sections of a terminal for a suspicious package, but they just directed everyone outside and around.
Last time I transited through CDG, I saw an unattended bag and didn't report it. And as a result, no flights got cancelled (nor did the airport blow up).
I have seen the French Army and Gendarmerie clear small sections of a terminal for a suspicious package, but they just directed everyone outside and around.
Jul 3, 2007, 5:41 pm
#7
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It seems the UK govt have decided to blow things out of all proportion. The so called attacks over the weekend were mostly non-events - the attacks were very unprofessional. In fact when I first heard of the abandoned cars in London I suspected that this was made up by the government to help the sheep to accept extra security but after the attack on GLA then I believe there may have been a chance that there was an attempted bombing in London too, but these attempts just showed how badly things were planned.
The fact now they're overreacting over an unattended bag in LHR4 seems to show that the government want to use the slightest event to build up fear in the minds of the public.
I've got more chance of getting run over by a bus tomorrow than I have in being killed by a terrorist action, security that limits freedom is not worth having but what's even worse if having faux security that provides no benefit whatsoever but still significantly wastes your time.
According to the BA website, as well as a significant cancellation of flights today, the knock on effect is some flights tomorrow will be cancelled too
There's no way an airport can remain in business and react like this to every incident, so once the fuss calms down then this won't happen, this just shows how pointless this action is.
The fact now they're overreacting over an unattended bag in LHR4 seems to show that the government want to use the slightest event to build up fear in the minds of the public.
I've got more chance of getting run over by a bus tomorrow than I have in being killed by a terrorist action, security that limits freedom is not worth having but what's even worse if having faux security that provides no benefit whatsoever but still significantly wastes your time.
According to the BA website, as well as a significant cancellation of flights today, the knock on effect is some flights tomorrow will be cancelled too
There's no way an airport can remain in business and react like this to every incident, so once the fuss calms down then this won't happen, this just shows how pointless this action is.
Jul 3, 2007, 5:59 pm
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The question is whether it will take one, five, or ten such suspicious bag incidents to drive home the absurdity of all of this.
Jul 3, 2007, 6:14 pm
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You mean like the package of cologne left curbside this week at JFK that caused an entire AA terminal dump?
Jul 3, 2007, 6:49 pm
#10
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Jul 3, 2007, 7:29 pm
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6265500.stm
It looks like it's going to be even easier than usual for anyone wanting to cause disruption to do so.
Jul 3, 2007, 8:05 pm
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Continuing the absurdity, Hammersmith tube station was closed by police in morning rush hour due to some abandoned fire extinguishers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6265500.stm
It looks like it's going to be even easier than usual for anyone wanting to cause disruption to do so.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6265500.stm
It looks like it's going to be even easier than usual for anyone wanting to cause disruption to do so.
*terminal dumped*
Jul 4, 2007, 4:58 am
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Actually, the rumour is that some idiot wouldn't let his bag be searched after x-ray when security wanted a closer look at it, grabbed it and ran off into T4 with it - into the sterile area. If that is true (and I've heard it from a couple of BA people now), then a) the guy is a complete idiot who should be lynched by the people his selfish actions have inconvenienced and b) security had no choice but to rescreen everyone.
Jul 4, 2007, 4:12 pm
#14
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Actually, the rumour is that some idiot wouldn't let his bag be searched after x-ray when security wanted a closer look at it, grabbed it and ran off into T4 with it - into the sterile area. If that is true (and I've heard it from a couple of BA people now), then a) the guy is a complete idiot who should be lynched by the people his selfish actions have inconvenienced and b) security had no choice but to rescreen everyone.
Jul 4, 2007, 4:45 pm
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I serve on the AOC at a BAA operated airport and no matter how much I love to whine about their security people, they don't dump terminals for a single unattended bag.
As Jenbel says, there was more to the story than has been publicly released. The official statements (even those to airline operators) did not specificy details of these circumstances so any further comment would be speculation, but I for one would not question their decision to take the action they did in the light of recent events.
As Jenbel says, there was more to the story than has been publicly released. The official statements (even those to airline operators) did not specificy details of these circumstances so any further comment would be speculation, but I for one would not question their decision to take the action they did in the light of recent events.