BA chaos + now threat of summer strikes

[peoniesarejustperfect]

Anyone fancy joining me for a bit of a moan?

Due to fly with BA twice this summer - once next week long haul and then in August for our family holiday which is booked separately to the holiday bit.

I can't get over what is happening at airports at the moment. I understand all the reasons, just so surprised that they don't know in advance what problems they are going to have in forth coming week. Lots of cancellations, lost luggage, texting people at the gate. Whist def a first world problem, it sounds miserable. And now BA announce that they are balloting for strike action. For some reason it takes them 22 days to do this.

We've been talking about what to do with our August family holiday - that would be the one that would really disappoint us. Whether we should cancel our BA flights and book with another airline, just cross our fingers & hope or cancel it all and book something a bit more reliable. Like so many people we are desperate to get away.

What's everyone else thinking??

[berksandbeyond]

Credit where it's due had a good experience from Gatwick with BA this week. Did twilight check in and then stayed in hotel on site. From hotel room to lounge, via premium security, in 10 minutes.

Suitcase even made it back with us and came through quickly - although there was a mound of luggage left lying to one side from a previous flight!

[BunsyGirl]

@TizerorFizz happy to go from Gatwick but there doesn’t seem to be a direct flight back from Tenerife on the day we return.

[TizerorFizz]

They might not cancel. They might redirect you to Gatwick. Better than non direct.

[BunsyGirl]

@TizerorFizz I can if I pay to book them! There’s no way I am going to accept an indirect flight via Madrid. Frustrating as I booked last November and the hotel looks amazing. We will go somewhere else if BA cancel on us.

[TizerorFizz]

There are flights from Heathrow in August but they go via Madrid. I would prefer direct from Gatwick. Can you book seats yet?

[TizerorFizz]

@BunsyGirl
That could be an amalgamated flight. Worrying though.

[BunsyGirl]

Although I travelled to to two destinations in April with BA without any issues, I am now more than a little worried about our August trip to Tenerife. At the moment, BA are not flying to Tenerife from Heathrow on the day and time that we have booked…so either they are going to start that route in the next few weeks or are going to cancel our flights. It’s a BA holiday so I am presuming they will cancel the whole thing! There is a flight from Gatwick on the day we are due to travel but there are no flights at all on the day day we are due to come back! Arghh!!!

[TizerorFizz]

@Caps0218
When we were there it was not even 5% of flights. All were short haul and half were internal uk flights. Of course BA has now cancelled and amalgamated flights in advance so let’s hope the remaining flights go smoothly. So many people really do need their planned holiday.,

[Caps0218]

I don’t think it’s as bad as people make out….I think 90% of passengers are ok.
We had our inbound cancelled, but just moved it another flight on the same day.
We flew out on Monday with a 40 minute delay.
We did the Verifly app, checked in online and printed our boarding passes.
we paid £36 for AirPortr to pick up our bags the day before and check them in for us, I was worried about long check in queues.
Security in T5 was about an hour.
we arrived at our destination with both our bags.
we are a family of 3, child is 4.

[TizerorFizz]

@LaSevillana
Our Sept trip is a companion voucher. We were pleased to be able to use it. Just avoid school holidays!

[TizerorFizz]

@DrBlackbird
We didn’t wait that long for luggage. No queue for passport control was also a blessing. I’m hoping we will be ok in September now. All the best.,

[LaSevillana]

I'm not going to fly this summer. I simply don't think it's worth the stress, hassle and potential expense if it all goes tits up, and I can't stand busy airports and crowds. I'm trying to make the most of the decent weather here by going on day trips to the coast and going to parks and beer gardens and whatever.

I've got a high value BA voucher to use, so really hoping things improve in autumn/winter.

[DrBlackbird]

Yes @TizerorFizz it went as well as can be expected thanks. Two hour flight delay in Vancouver but relatively tolerable queueing. Then two hour wait to pick up luggage at Heathrow but aircon was on in the building thank goodness. Was brilliant to be back in Vancouver and am missing it already.

[TizerorFizz]

@DrBlackbird
Are you landed safely?

[DrBlackbird]

Many thanks 🙏

[TizerorFizz]

We couldn’t print boarding passes either but the queues were not that bad. Get there early!! Our booking and seats were on our BA app. We were a bit late leaving but no big issue. The BA flight is quite late and the airport didn’t feel too busy. The gate was miles away though!

The plane on the allocated stand at Heathrow had an issue and didn’t leave, and as BA use an A380, we had to wait a long time for a stand. It’s a big plane. Heathrow is air conditioned I think??? It’s going to feel ultra hot outside though ! It’s horrible but ok Wednesday. Good luck.

[DrBlackbird]

@TizerorFizz we’re flying out of vancouver tonight. Really not looking forward to it! We can’t print boarding passes, so will have to queue for those. Sounds like YVR is another chaotic airport. Plus, it’s looking like it’ll be a delayed flight and then we land tomorrow at Heathrow in the 2nd day of the heat wave in the middle of the day 🥵😱

[TizerorFizz]

@DrBlackbird
we did VeriFLY. All was done correctly and not difficult. We had some glitch with BA going out and DH couldn’t check in though. I could. We weren’t together as a result but no big issue. Ok coming home: checked in yesterday. Vancouver airport was chaotic on arrival though. Arrivals is automated but readers were iffy. Queue huge. DH snd I then queued for an official and that was fine. Virtually no help available. As elsewhere, staff shortages. We then went to Alaska and did arrive Can again to get back into Canada. Getting back to Vancouver later today. More queues I expect!

[notimagain]

@deathbollywood

Anyone flown from Luton recently?

Very very very likely not going to be the case if they fly with BA 🙂

You probably need to ask on another thread.

[deathbollywood]

Anyone flown from Luton recently?

[DrBlackbird]

@LibertyBlues

Flying to Vancouver from Heathrow on the 18th of July. Hope things are better by then. Luggage should be ok as we are flying to Heathrow from Newcastle so bags already checked in. I'll check in from home and print boarding passes from home too.

We also uploaded the Verifly app to upload our NHS vaccine letters otherwise you’re not able to print out boarding passes at home 🙄 and of course you still have to fill in the arriveCan documents.

[TizerorFizz]

@LibertyBlues
We flew to Vancouver with BA T5 on 18 June. Delay of 2 hours but no other issues. No queues anywhere! Flying back on 5th. Just chosen our seats. Obviously not school holidays but only cancelled flights were short haul. Currently in Prince Rupert snd been unconnected to wi fi for 2 weeks as we’ve been on board a boat. Sunny here right now. Hope you have a lovely time.

[DoThePropeller]

Thessaloniki. Managed to get on a flight from another airport so fingers crossed 🤞🏼

[PaniDomu]

@peoniesarejustperfect I got to security and my boarding pass wouldn’t scan - it came up with the message to return to desk. The app was still showing that the flight was on time, but I checked my emails and there was one sent about half an hour before (so when I was in the queue for security) saying that it was cancelled. No idea where the bag is - I’ve registered it as lost. I asked the BA check in staff and one told me she had no idea where it might be and someone else said it would be in a holding area.

[FluffingMarvellous]

@DoThePropeller

We’ve had our flights to Greece cancelled, mid-July, rebooked on an alternative… which they’ve cancelled. On hold to them now but feel my holiday slipping away!

Sorry to hear this, where in Greece were you going?