Is this true?

markpb

A friend of mine was due to fly to Las Vegas via Heathrow with BA yesterday. He's been posting on Facebook that his flight from Heathrow was delayed for lots of reasons and wouldn't make it to LAS before it closed for the night. Today's flight was delayed for lots of reasons again and then finally cancelled because it's flight number overlapped with today's scheduled flight. He's in a hotel waiting for tomorrow's flight.

None of this sounds plausible to me. Who's blowing smoke here, BA or my friend?

L1011

Flight numbers can be changed, easily, so that is misinformation at the least.

A quick google doesn't find a curfew for LAS but its not unlikely that one exists - one of the actual pilots here will have access to better info than I do.

Irish Steve

More likely to be a shortage of airframes or crew to operate it, or the return leg, or even non availability of accommodation in LAS for additional crew. Any or all of these could be the reason for cancelling.

Another possible issue is ramp parking, they may not have been able to get a slot allocated for an additional flight.

Not a blanket restriction, but there are some jet restrictions.

TBJT DEPS NOT PMTD ON RY 01R/19L OR RY 01L/19R 2000-0800. EXCEPTIONS FOR WX OR OPNL NECESSITY.


Flight number can be changed in seconds, happens all the time, so while an easy excuse to use, it doesn't hold water.

Foggy43

BA's service LHRLAS operated normally yesterday as BA275 and now is returning as BA274 on schedule. Only one service on a Monday. There are two on Sundays BA271 and BA275.
BA275 did not operate on Sunday 6th. Technical issues and the aircraft remains grounded. It would appear that some passengers from Sundays BA275 were accomadated on Mondays BA275 and obviously not all could. BA should have accomadated all passengers delayed on Sunday but LAS is an extremely popular destination this time of year.
Today there are 2 services. The BA271 and BA275.
If a service is delayed to the following day just change the flight number to BA275Y. This didn't happen. The flight was cancelled.

I've just noticed the B747-400 that did the BA271 on Sunday was the wrong config for this service. This aircraft is one of the 18 B747-400's that has about half the economy seats that would be normally configured for this route. Looks like a nightmare day for a lot of people trying to get to LAS on Sunday and yesterday.

IngazZagni

I know that airlines would rather have one flight severely delayed than to have 2 or 3 partially delayed. This is in part due to EU261 compensation claims. These claims could cost the company up to €200,000 for a single flight on the 747.

Pat Dunne

markpb wrote: »

None of this sounds plausible to me. Who's blowing smoke here, BA or my friend?

When situations arise similar to what your friend has described, especially during peak season. Bear in mind that almost all, if not every airline will be stretched to the absolute max with almost none if any wriggle room to overcome situations like this. Delays do happen and they are well beyond the control of the passenger and even the airline.

For instance Aer Lingus are having a bit "mare" in recent weeks with a number of their A330 fleet going tech. Whereas last year they sailed through the peak season without any A330 giving an ounce of trouble.

Why would you think your friend is "blowing smoke"?

rubberdungeon

markpb wrote: »

A friend of mine was due to fly to Las Vegas via Heathrow with BA yesterday. He's been posting on Facebook that his flight from Heathrodelayed for lots of reasons and wouldn't make it to LAS before it closed for the night. Today's flight was delayed for lots of reasons again and then finally cancelled because it's flight number overlapped with today's scheduled flight. He's in a hotel waiting for tomorrow's flight.

None of this sounds plausible to me. Who's blowing smoke here, BA or my friend?

Could this be his flight:

Armed police were called in after British Airways passengers 'went crazy' when their flight to Las Vegas was delayed for two days.

Furious holidaymakers had already been put up in hotels after their original flight from London Heathrow Airport was cancelled on Sunday afternoon due to a technical fault.

On Monday, the passengers boarded the flight and were seconds from take off when the service was axed again - because of a baggage mix-up - sparking angry scenes on board.


People vented their fury at staff and cabin crew alerted the cockpit, who called for armed police, according to The Sun.

After four hours on the plane, everyone was hauled off and had to go back into the terminal.

The mix-up meant the passengers had to stay in a Heathrow hotel for a second night, before their flight finally took off for the American party city yesterday afternoon.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4773828/British-Airways-flight-Las-Vegas-delayed-TWO-DAYS.html

roundymac

Ah, the good old Daily F/Mail.

markpb

Pat Dunne wrote: »

Why would you think your friend is "blowing smoke"?

The reasons described by him on Facebook (airport closing, conflicting flight numbers) didn't sound plausible to me. People mishear or misunderstand announcements all the time, that seemed more likely to me than BA making up excuses.

rubberdungeon wrote: »

Could this be his flighthttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4773828/British-Airways-flight-Las-Vegas-delayed-TWO-DAYS.html

He arrived 9 hours ago and hasn't mentioned any armed police yet so maybe he missed that

Pat Dunne

markpb wrote: »

The reasons described by him on Facebook (airport closing, conflicting flight numbers) didn't sound plausible to me. People mishear or misunderstand announcements all the time, that seemed more likely to me than BA making up excuses.

I think you owe your mate a beer after all the sh1te he been through over the last few days and best he doesn't read this topic. 😎