Marooned in Milan

OK - So here I am stuck in Milan supposedly because of the weather.

Boarded the plane (heavily delayed - sat on it for half an hour and then informed by a very apologetic captain that:

- LHR Ops had informed them that no gates were available
- Already 25 planes on the ground on which people would be spending the night
- He was not prepared to subject us to this

So offloaded, an hour or more waiting for luggage - booked into hotel and rebooked to a flight tomorrow - which hopefully will go.

Anyway - here's my issue.
- Two Alitalia flights flew to LHR = while two BA flights were cancelled. My collegue was on one and reported slow going at LHR but he made it.
- My sister at BAA reports T4 working near normal
- BA flight arrivals board shows chaos at T5

So does this problem seem to be a BA problem only - there appears to be a lack of de-icing equipment from what the captain says but maybe I'll take that with a pinch of salt after the comment about people sleeping on planes.
The general consensus here was that we should have flown - they would have found a way to get us off the plane.

Anyway - hopefully tomorrow.

FM
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Edited to include this link- looks like most problems are BA / T5 related.

[honey lamb]

For some reason best known to myself I was tracking the Aer Lingus flights between Cork and LHR. The 4pm flight went out an hour late and the 8pm (the same aircraft) two hours late. Its return to Cork, although breaching the curfew is coming in two hours late. In other words T1 at LHR is operating, albeit with delays

Oh and the Alitalia flight from Linate due in at 20:50 landed in T4 at midnight

I believe BA tend to cancel more shorthaul fligths to sacrfice their long haul schedul when it comes to reduced takeoffs/landings at LHR.

BA have cancelled ALL Heathrow & Gatwick flights between 10am and 5pm today. This despite both airports being 'open and operating'

BA have cancelled ALL Heathrow & Gatwick flights between 10am and 5pm today. This despite both airports being 'open and operating'

Gatwick now shut till 3pm. Looks like BA were right.

Well for gatwick anyway, heathrow still operating ' as normal' unless you were gonna be on BA!

chap from BAA on BBC news says the AIRORT was operating normally and they werfe clearing runways etc.

Despite prodding from the presenter the chap from BAA refused to directly say 'BA were crap' but he said it by ommission !

I still think BA made the right decision. Better people don't even attempt to make it to the airport in this weather. We just can't cope with sudden snow like this. It was bad enough just trying to get home from Waitrose.

Of course, doesn't help you if you were flying I know.

Also, BA have published 0800 numbers, what do VS publish? An expensive 0844 revenue earning number.

As expected my rescheduled BA flight from Milan was cancelled early this morning.
Arrived at airport and took three hours to get to the ticket desk - 1 person dealing with four cancelled flights. Rebooked onto an AF flight via Paris. Went to check in and, would you believe the flight to Paris has been cancelled so back to stage 1. Currently reserved on an Alitalia flight at around 17:00 local - but not looking that good.

Spoke to my sister at LHR earlier and T4 was operating near normal this morning - its all very well BA cancelling short-haul flights but to be quite honest it doesn't matter whether you're in New York or Madrid - both are too far too walk.

FM

FM

Looking at BBC news I'll be surprised if anything gets in or out at LHR all afternoon/evening.

Everything out of Milan into LHR now cancelled. Now waiting for rebook tomorrow and a second night in a hotel.

Question: Does BA duty of care extend to second night or is this, as someone suggested, dependent on us getting airside. I figured that since the flight was cancelled we are still BAs resposibility.

FM