Wee Bit Of Snow ...Sorry..Fyi

[Maestro]

BAA - controlled by Spain's Ferrovial - claims it has spent an extra £6million on snow-clearing equipment compared with last year.

But with pre-tax profits expected to push £1billion this year, the operator has been accused of failing to invest properly.

Source: The Sun, 2010-12-21

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3311241/Brits-desperate-for-seats-on-planes-trains-as-snow-buries-holiday-plans.html

The BAA is in charge of seven airports and prefers to hoard huge profits rather than spend money on making the airports operable in winter.

[theoldgit]

Does anyone know what airline policy/practice is in such circumstances. If there is a plane available to fly say on Wednesday that was originally fully booked and most of the passengers turn up, do they honour that day's bookings and let the previous days' stranded passengers pick up the scraps of available capacity, or do they transport passengers on a first in first out basis

If the flight you have a confirmed booking on a flight and it flies then yes they will honour your booking, and again yes any stranded passengers will be left to pick up the scraps of available capacity - though you will have to pick your way over their sleeping bodies on the terminal floor.

Some people say this is unfair on the stranded passengers but airlines say any other system would be unmanageable, there was a story on BBC World about this yesterday.

Really sorry to hear about your car, a real bummer.

[Mickeem]

Got into Heathrow last night (monday) after setting off Sat afternoon CNX - BKK - BOM - LHR with Jet Air - 20 hrs waiting in a resturant at BOM (Mumbai) fed curries! when it was realised there would be further delay we were bussed to a very nice hotel for the 2nd night paid by Jet Air after immigration agreed to keep our passports and let us out of the Airport without a visa.

Although delayed 2 nights I feel we were quite fortunate compared to the scenes on the news of travelers delayed at Heathrow.