THAI Cancels Flights To Snowbound UK

[londonthai]

from uk thai air site:

"A relief flight, TG9119/24 December is planned. Please do not go to the airport unless you have a confirmed flight as you might be denied access to the departure hall. Please check with your travel agents or our Reservations center of your booking status".

checking heathrow site, this flight will depart 6pm.

looks like they have returned to their normal scheduled flights, as they carry regular flight numbers

[sydneyjed]

Would have to be the first to raise my hand and admit that I have been very critical of Thai since 2006.. The recent appointment of a new senior executive appears to be working though , as flying the Syd-Bkk route twice in the last 6 weeks I have noticed a marked improvement in standards,including the cabins have been completely refitted(screens also in back of seats) cabin service has noticably lifted back on par to any of the other world class carriers touting themselves as'the best'.What has occured at Heathrow is no fault of any of the airline carriers.. let alone Thai ,so going looking for someone to blame is easy..but please don't blame Thai...this wasn't their fault!Lets put things into perspective,Thai Airways have been losing a s.it load of money for years now and this guy has been put in the hot seat for only a short length of time ..Easy to put the boot in when a dog is down..give the guy time before you take the p..s..I fly with many of the so called 'self anointed' top airlines and believe me Thai cabin service is heaps better now!!

[clinique]

Enough has been said about the snow.

But the nations reporting !! Their English grammer and the whole context of their articles is terrible. WHo writes and who edits these terribly written articles - must be the same people who write their SMS servcie.!!!. Why i dont buy the Nation.

[tso310]

While the majority of people on this thread are British just a reminder that there are still ongoing problems at other major European airports.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12073501

[sydneyjed]

While the majority of people on this thread are British just a reminder that there are still ongoing problems at other major European airports.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...europe-12073501

Seems to be weird weather patterns everywhere,as Queensland has an imminent flood warning over the next 2 days..This is Australia and supposed to be summer for christs sake...6- inches of rain forecast!!!

[Wozzit]

put things into perspective,Thai Airways have been losing a s.it load of money for years now and this guy has been put in the hot seat for only a short length of time ..Easy to put the boot in when a dog is down..give the guy time before you take the p..s..I fly with many of the so called 'self anointed' top airlines and believe me Thai cabin service is heaps better now!!

Lauding TG's service is fine - as long as their passengers can actually get on their aircraft! To me, an airline is only as good as its contingency plans when problems occur. It's not as though they haven't had time to work something out. Remember the airport closures due to the ash cloud earlier in the year? Remember too that snow snarling up Heathrow is not exactly an unusual occurrence. TG's contingency planning pales in comparison to the other Asian carriers it likes to be compared with. If I fly to London in winter next year, I'll fly through Hong Kong and take CX.

[Piengrudee]

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/SAA-resumes-flights-to-Heathrow-20101220 . . . "Hence, people who were unable to fly out on the last two days, should be available at the airport in case there is a seat available." . . . . I know SAA is not TG. But they seems to tell people to go to the airport (wht look like homeless tent avail outside the terminals) with or WITHOUT a confirmation. Isn't this contradict to what BAA say? . . . . . . I wonder why until I read this http://www.timeslive.co.za/business/article826871.ece/SAA-international-flights-back-to-normal

[sydneyjed]

put things into perspective,Thai Airways have been losing a s.it load of money for years now and this guy has been put in the hot seat for only a short length of time ..Easy to put the boot in when a dog is down..give the guy time before you take the p..s..I fly with many of the so called 'self anointed' top airlines and believe me Thai cabin service is heaps better now!!

Lauding TG's service is fine - as long as their passengers can actually get on their aircraft! To me, an airline is only as good as its contingency plans when problems occur. It's not as though they haven't had time to work something out. Remember the airport closures due to the ash cloud earlier in the year? Remember too that snow snarling up Heathrow is not exactly an unusual occurrence. TG's contingency planning pales in comparison to the other Asian carriers it likes to be compared with. If I fly to London in winter next year, I'll fly through Hong Kong and take CX.

Contingency plans?What about the so called busiest airport and world leader during this fiasco..Heathrow?Don't blame Thai for this as granted they do not have the resources and fleet that others such as Qantas or Emirates have.Just ask the guy whose father had to sleep in a wheelchair for 2 consecutive nights what he thinks of contingency plans right now?Give you a clue it wasn't Thai who 'left' him there!Same people who supposedly have contingency plans in Afghanistan right now...

[ginjag]

put things into perspective,Thai Airways have been losing a s.it load of money for years now and this guy has been put in the hot seat for only a short length of time ..Easy to put the boot in when a dog is down..give the guy time before you take the p..s..I fly with many of the so called 'self anointed' top airlines and believe me Thai cabin service is heaps better now!!

Lauding TG's service is fine - as long as their passengers can actually get on their aircraft! To me, an airline is only as good as its contingency plans when problems occur. It's not as though they haven't had time to work something out. Remember the airport closures due to the ash cloud earlier in the year? Remember too that snow snarling up Heathrow is not exactly an unusual occurrence. TG's contingency planning pales in comparison to the other Asian carriers it likes to be compared with. If I fly to London in winter next year, I'll fly through Hong Kong and take CX.

Contingency plans?What about the so called busiest airport and world leader during this fiasco..Heathrow?Don't blame Thai for this as granted they do not have the resources and fleet that others such as Qantas or Emirates have.Just ask the guy whose father had to sleep in a wheelchair for 2 consecutive nights what he thinks of contingency plans right now?Give you a clue it wasn't Thai who 'left' him there!Same people who supposedly have contingency plans in Afghanistan right now...

Well aware arn,t we of BAA at heathrow, and how they handled the situation, BUT it was Thai who cancelled-and thats the subject, they didn,t fly -so they had the aircraft, I ask again why didn,t they pull the stops out, get round the BAA problem, take their planes to Manchester-like Cathay P. get the people back. Another reader said the new man in charge of Thai should be given time, Maybe the stranded passengers that are so angry-would give him.... Time...if they could have hold of him. Abad situ at H.R. a bit more effort Thai and you will win new friends..

[sydneyjed]

put things into perspective,Thai Airways have been losing a s.it load of money for years now and this guy has been put in the hot seat for only a short length of time ..Easy to put the boot in when a dog is down..give the guy time before you take the p..s..I fly with many of the so called 'self anointed' top airlines and believe me Thai cabin service is heaps better now!!

Lauding TG's service is fine - as long as their passengers can actually get on their aircraft! To me, an airline is only as good as its contingency plans when problems occur. It's not as though they haven't had time to work something out. Remember the airport closures due to the ash cloud earlier in the year? Remember too that snow snarling up Heathrow is not exactly an unusual occurrence. TG's contingency planning pales in comparison to the other Asian carriers it likes to be compared with. If I fly to London in winter next year, I'll fly through Hong Kong and take CX.

Contingency plans?What about the so called busiest airport and world leader during this fiasco..Heathrow?Don't blame Thai for this as granted they do not have the resources and fleet that others such as Qantas or Emirates have.Just ask the guy whose father had to sleep in a wheelchair for 2 consecutive nights what he thinks of contingency plans right now?Give you a clue it wasn't Thai who 'left' him there!Same people who supposedly have contingency plans in Afghanistan right now...

Well aware arn,t we of BAA at heathrow, and how they handled the situation, BUT it was Thai who cancelled-and thats the subject, they didn,t fly -so they had the aircraft, I ask again why didn,t they pull the stops out, get round the BAA problem, take their planes to Manchester-like Cathay P. get the people back. Another reader said the new man in charge of Thai should be given time, Maybe the stranded passengers that are so angry-would give him.... Time...if they could have hold of him. Abad situ at H.R. a bit more effort Thai and you will win new friends..

Because Thai Airways do not fly out of Manchester..simple as that and haven't for years!Tell me how they can impliment a contingency plan to just bus passengers up to Manchester and announce to Manchester Plc that we demand spots at your airport during this freeze??Not being rude but do you really have any experience with the air or travel industry?Fortunately a few of us have and it aint helping with ill informed sweeping contingency statements such as yours!

Edited December 24, 2010 by sydneyjed

[Wozzit]

Because Thai Airways do not fly out of Manchester..simple as that and haven't for years!Tell me how they can impliment a contingency plan to just bus passengers up to Manchester and announce to Manchester Plc that we demand spots at your airport during this freeze??Not being rude but do you really have any experience with the air or travel industry?Fortunately a few of us have and it aint helping with ill informed sweeping contingency statements such as yours!

Not so simple, sydneyjed! Your information needs a bit of updating. When did CX last fly out of Manchester? Not for many, many years! CX has no staff based in Manchester and no landing rights. But CX had the experience and intelligence to work out what to do. TG did not. WIth your experience of the travel industry, you will know that getting landing rights at Manchester during an emergency situation at Heathrow is not difficult at all. The only real problems are finding time slots that work for both airline and the airport, and getting staff on the ground fast. As I reported earlier, CX actually flew staff over from Hong Kong to help those London-based staff whom they could spare. Did TG do any of that? No.

[sydneyjed]

Because Thai Airways do not fly out of Manchester..simple as that and haven't for years!Tell me how they can impliment a contingency plan to just bus passengers up to Manchester and announce to Manchester Plc that we demand spots at your airport during this freeze??Not being rude but do you really have any experience with the air or travel industry?Fortunately a few of us have and it aint helping with ill informed sweeping contingency statements such as yours!

Not so simple, sydneyjed! Your information needs a bit of updating. When did CX last fly out of Manchester? Not for many, many years! CX has no staff based in Manchester and no landing rights. But CX had the experience and intelligence to work out what to do. TG did not. WIth your experience of the travel industry, you will know that getting landing rights at Manchester during an emergency situation at Heathrow is not difficult at all. The only real problems are finding time slots that work for both airline and the airport, and getting staff on the ground fast. As I reported earlier, CX actually flew staff over from Hong Kong to help those London-based staff whom they could spare. Did TG do any of that? No.

As stated in an earlier post TG had already pulled 2 flight sections off p.m. red eye flights on 20/21st December to move 650 passengers..and you are wrong on this as not all airlines have an agreement or right to fly between 2 points in one airport or country,as you are well aware that these are known as 'freedoms'within the industry.Thai presently do not have the section capacity like many of the other airlines to move large volumes of passengers especially at this busiest time of the year..granted others have..but again Thai are in the early stages of a transitional restructioning process which will take years to implement.Paris De Gaullestill has 5000passengers sleeping over night there by reports on Xmas Eve...are they all Thai airlines? Testing times for many at the moment! Safe Xmas!

Edited December 24, 2010 by sydneyjed

[Piengrudee]

More snow is coming. Good luck TG. By the way, we Thais always thought that TG means "Tomorrow Go" or "Today Grounded".

Edited December 24, 2010 by Piengrudee

[ginjag]

Because Thai Airways do not fly out of Manchester..simple as that and haven't for years!Tell me how they can impliment a contingency plan to just bus passengers up to Manchester and announce to Manchester Plc that we demand spots at your airport during this freeze??Not being rude but do you really have any experience with the air or travel industry?Fortunately a few of us have and it aint helping with ill informed sweeping contingency statements such as yours!

Not so simple, sydneyjed! Your information needs a bit of updating. When did CX last fly out of Manchester? Not for many, many years! CX has no staff based in Manchester and no landing rights. But CX had the experience and intelligence to work out what to do. TG did not. WIth your experience of the travel industry, you will know that getting landing rights at Manchester during an emergency situation at Heathrow is not difficult at all. The only real problems are finding time slots that work for both airline and the airport, and getting staff on the ground fast. As I reported earlier, CX actually flew staff over from Hong Kong to help those London-based staff whom they could spare. Did TG do any of that? No.

Thankyou for that Wozzit, My point yesterday to sydneyjed. was the same as yours. Did Thai do much to help the stranded people. He implied that my experience was limited on travel matters, The know it all, seems to be in denial. As other airlines showed more urgency to help the stranded. So hats off to the new boss of Thai.

[Wozzit]

you are wrong on this as not all airlines have an agreement or right to fly between 2 points in one airport or country, as you are well aware that these are known as 'freedoms'within the industry.Thai presently do not have the section capacity like many of the other airlines to move large volumes of passengers especially at this busiest time of the year.

And CX do have that capacity at what for them is an equally busy period? The size of the TG and CX passenger fleets is almost identical - at around 100 aircraft. Even though TG's domestic network means it has a smaller number of wide-bodied aircraft, I respectfully do not think it is anything to do with capacity. I do not know how many aircraft CX had stuck on the ground in London. But I doubt if it was more than 4 (their daily quota), and I assume it was less as only 2 of these flights land in early morning - the other 2 are spaced out through the day. Similarly with TG, I assume not more than 2 aircraft were stuck, but maybe it was only one. Both airlines therefore faced the same difficulties. Operating just one daily flight to London with a flight/turnaround cycle of over 24 hours requires more than one aircraft. These aircraft will then be used on shorter haul sectors before gearing up for another London trip. Losing the use of even one aircraft certainly results in some aircraft allocation difficulties in the rest of the network. But having lost the use of more aircraft, CX was in an even more difficult situation than TG. I am personally not aware of any cancellations made by CX to enable their relief flights to be scheduled. TG, as we know, cancelled at least one round trip to Tokyo.

As far as rights are concerned, of course these 'freedoms' must be negotiated government to government. But to suggest that this 'freedom' to fly into Heathrow means that an airline cannot fly into Manchester in an emergency situation does, frankly, stretch the imagination considerably (I'll bet a large sum that TG has flown into Manchester more than once when Heathrow has been fog-bound). That requires no negotiation of 'freedom' rights. It is not as though they were opening Manchester as a destination. it was a temporary short-term emergency measure for less than a handful of flights. After all, TG has been flying into the UK for longer than CX. So of course it knows how to obtain speedy permissions to land at other UK airports in emergency situations. I suspect the staff did not even think of this, preferring instead to wait till Heathrow reopened to get extra flights in. CX, on the other hand, acted fast in the best interests of its passengers.

Edited December 25, 2010 by Wozzit