THAI Cancels Flights To Snowbound UK

[endure]

So when the government offered to send in the military, why did the Heathrow refuse?

A guy from BAA said on the radio yesterday that while they were grateful for the offer of troops it wasn't simply bodies that they needed but people with the specialised skills to operate the equipment that they use for dealing with snow and ice.

[londonthai]

baa just aprooved £10mln on a new equipment, to start comming as tomorrow

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/dec/22/baa-chief-bonus-heathrow-snow-equipment

if there are more cold spells there will be a shortage of de-icing materials in the uk

[sydneyjed]

Qantas announced over night that they are putting on 8 extra planes to get their 1000 passengers stranded world wide home for Xmas..Good news in what has been nothing short of a disgrace by The Heathrow Airport Authority!!!

[jackr]

Heathrow airport's level of preparedness for snow is a joke; they should take a lesson from Alaska's very busy Anchorage airport http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/anchorage/ - The sixth busiest airport in the world (by traffic).

The snow clearing teams at Ted Stevens Anchorage international Airport must be laughing themselves silly over the fiasco at Heathrow.

I think one would have to be a child or very silly to be comparing an airport in almost permanently-frigid Alaska to one in England.

[endure]

Qantas announced over night that they are putting on 8 extra planes to get their 1000 passengers stranded world wide home for Xmas..Good news in what has been nothing short of a disgrace by The Heathrow Airport Authority!!!

What is The Heathrow Airport Authority?

[webfact]

Heathrow Airport resumed service at 70 pct of normal operations after snow storm. The crowded condition was similar to chaotic refugee camp /Nation

[bitterbatter]

Does this mean that the ususal warm ocean current coming from the Gulf isn't doing its thing this year. I think that the snow is just the icing on the cake and the real story could be a very big story. I wouldn't use the words 'global warming' but the words 'climate change' are far more accurate.

Edited December 23, 2010 by bitterbatter

[fredtitmus]

In Newcastle Upon Tyne my car windscreen was frozen on the inside as well as outside, but the cold weather has its bonuses no dam mosquitoes to eat me alive!

However there's the hostile UK women and no Thai women wanting extra pocket money which is the only downside for me.

hahaha them mozzies are a nightmare,there is one in my bedroom somewhere,i keep seeing it fly past the tv at night but i turn the light on and its gone then i wake up the next day with 3 or 4 bites.its like it is playing games with me but im not gonna let it beat me,i will find the little sh*t! On the upside i will be down poolside about 12.30pm with a cool beer with my gorgeous thai lady friend massaging me lol.

[Ricardo]

So when the government offered to send in the military, why did the Heathrow refuse?

A guy from BAA said on the radio yesterday that while they were grateful for the offer of troops it wasn't simply bodies that they needed but people with the specialised skills to operate the equipment that they use for dealing with snow and ice.

And of course the RAF, who operate dozens of military-airports in that country, have absolutely no de-icing equipment, or people trained to operate it ?

Some of us remember the firemens' strike, when the military war-time 'Green Goddesses' were drafted-in, to help cover for the absent emergency-service.

[Kernow86]

A picture my parents sent me after the first snows.

I think they want to make me homesick.

They're succeeding in making ME homesick . . .

[Ricardo]

Heathrow is usually the world's 2nd-busiest airport, by passenger numbers, and the busiest for international-arrivals/departures (Atlanta has much more domestic traffic), but this year the effects of the Icelandic-volcano have pushed it down to 4th-place.

Indeed a somewhat-different operation, to Stockholm or Helsinki, let alone Anchorage.

[Kernow86]

So when the government offered to send in the military, why did the Heathrow refuse?

A guy from BAA said on the radio yesterday that while they were grateful for the offer of troops it wasn't simply bodies that they needed but people with the specialised skills to operate the equipment that they use for dealing with snow and ice.

And of course the RAF, who operate dozens of military-airports in that country, have absolutely no de-icing equipment, or people trained to operate it ?

Some of us remember the firemens' strike, when the military war-time 'Green Goddesses' were drafted-in, to help cover for the absent emergency-service.

I'm sure I remember that - and I'm not old. I do agree though.

My mate is a RAF survival trainer...they can't be listening to him, his favorite saying is 'Fail to plan, plan to fail.'

Three years later...

[Bagwan]

So when the government offered to send in the military, why did the Heathrow refuse?

No one in the Military can speak Hindi ?

[PoorSucker]

Helsinki handles 13 million passengers in a year. Heathrow handles 50 million. stockholm handles 16million. Canada's Toronto Pearson handles 31 million and didn't have the slow down like Helsinki. What's the point? The UK airports are not equipped for rare snow events. It isn't cost effective to invest in the personnel and equipment to prepare for the rare snow event. I think it's a bit unfair to give grief to AMS. FRA, LHR and others for this. It's not a normal event, much like the iceland volcano was not.

Still they have a fire brigade in case of a rare emergency landing.

[Bagwan]

name='Ricardo' timestamp='1293076513' post='4104758']

name='endure' timestamp='1293037386' post='4104152']

name='Credo' timestamp='1293025582' post='4103900']

So when the government offered to send in the military, why did the Heathrow refuse?

A guy from BAA said on the radio yesterday that while they were grateful for the offer of troops it wasn't simply bodies that they needed but people with the specialised skills to operate the equipment that they use for dealing with snow and ice.

And of course the RAF, who operate dozens of military-airports in that country, have absolutely no de-icing equipment, or people trained to operate it ?

For heavens sake don't call in the military. They'd spend all their time polishing everything that didn't move and saluting everything that did.

If the RAF gear was sequestered how would the Brylcreme Boys get into the air? Do you want to deny the UK and NATO of air cover? What if Montenegro mounted a sneak attack because one of their denizens decided that he wanted MCFC back? I can't think why he would seeing as they can't play for, or against, (the) Toffees but who knows what he would do to merit a few more column inches?.

Do not the most northerly of the US airports close from time to time on account of adverse weather? How would super efficient Alaska deal with a heatwave? Maybe they would canvas for UK support who could show them how to tie a knot in each corner of a handkerchief and position it correctly on their heads. The more intelligent might even learn how to roll their trousers up to above the knee.

[theo57]

An appalling situation is escalating at the London Heathrow

airport, as Thai Airways passengers that were suppose to fly since the 18

until 21 have now accumulated to the airport terminal 3 of Heathrow. Nights

at the terminal become horrendous as passengers scramble to find a place to

sleep on the floor and chairs and are terrified by the non-reaction of Thai Airways staff for all

the days that passengers are stranded since.

All the other airlines such as Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airline have

managed to get their passengers out of London with additional aircraft

arranged specifically for the stranded passengers. However, Thai Airways

sent one aircrafts on Monday and then stopped sending additional aircrafts

for stranded passengers. The math is that for one additional aircraft that

they have arranged, carried 368 passengers, but those passengers accumulated

over 3 days and stranded, amount to much more, given there are two flights a

day. Instead they only continued with regular flights on the 22 December,

which are naturally all fully booked over the Christmas and New Year season.

Hence, all passengers stranded were not given privileged access to regular

flights providing a queuing system to alleviate the anxiety and stress of

the stranded passengers.

Is the nonchalant behaviour of Thai Airways management acknowledging their

inexperience or their pure selfishness? The allocation of

aircrafts for such crisis is paramount or lease third party aircrafts if

none are available within their own fleet, but I am at a loss

understanding such irresponsible behaviour. All stranded passengers are not

informed how Thai Airways will rectify the problem and what is being undertaken to

provide alternative transportation.

[londonthai]

I believe it's a quotation from some newspaper, maybe good to give a link.

as I have said earlier - looks like thaiair by cancelling all flights is trying to get away from responsibility for those stranded and booked passangers, while heathrow is coming back to normal operations by opening the second runway on wed evening and by buying new de-iceing supplies and equipment.

for thaiair London is a profitable route with 2 flights every single day. If the occupancy is low they should switch to one flight per day, but not cancel all flights and not in the busiest period of the year and not announcing, when they will start operating again.

something is not right here

Edited December 23, 2010 by londonthai

[sydneyjed]

I am back in Sydney for Xmas ,but have just emailed someone who works at Suvarnabhumi who may be able to shed some light on what/or what isn't going on!Cannot promise anything but will try for you!

Edited December 23, 2010 by sydneyjed

[Wozzit]

All the other airlines such as Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airline have

managed to get their passengers out of London with additional aircraft

arranged specifically for the stranded passengers

Since it could not get planes in to Heathrow, Cathay Pacific sent two of its extra flights to Manchester airport and bused its stranded passengers up the motorway. Its website says all remaining stranded passengers will be flown on an extra flight departing Heathrow today. It helped in other ways, as this item from its website mentions -

During the height of the disruptions, Cathay Pacific arranged to look after hundreds of young students and passengers with special needs in the ballroom of the Park Inn Hotel, sending staff from Hong Kong to help its London team look after those who were left stranded.

Did TG look after its passengers in London? Did the airline ever think of an alternative airport strategy, I wonder?

[Bagwan]

Does Thai Airways use their own staff at Heathrow? Ten years ago when I left UK for good it was Air Canada who processed the travellers. A good job they made of it too. My luggage was well overweight but a smile and a nod and they let it pass.

[metisdead]

An off topic reply to a post has been removed from view.

[londonthai]

Does Thai Airways use their own staff at Heathrow?

for check in they use somebody else, but thai are at the gate. Because they have only 2 departures per day there is no point for them to keep larger crew.

TG office in lhr deals as well with cargo, which must be a good additional earner, as it's a direct flight. From the other airline only BA/quantas and eva do fly directly, but because they have only a short stopover in bangkok they don't have much time for cargo. Interesting to know, how fresh flowers and fresh vegetables from thailand are going to come to thai shops and restaurants in the uk. Cancellation of flights will hit as well exporters in thailand, some of them rely only on export to the uk

Edited December 23, 2010 by londonthai

[theo57]

The article I have written is not in the newspaper but wish to air my frustration as my family with other students travelling back to Thailand is affected and yet unable to be confirmed on an aircraft. I just don't understand what politics is being practiced when they decide who can board the scheduled aircrafts.

Would be glad if someone knows what is really going on inside the organisation.

[londonthai]

apologies, your post sounded to me like lifted from a newspaper.

try tea money, but not sure how it works in London (joke)

most probably it's those, who payed the highest fare go first, so thaiair doesn't have to refund too much money from cancellations and still keep some of those better off fliers with them

[Wozzit]

Does Thai Airways use their own staff at Heathrow? Ten years ago when I left UK for good it was Air Canada who processed the travellers. A good job they made of it too. My luggage was well overweight but a smile and a nod and they let it pass.

No idea who handles TG at Heathrow. Ten years ago was before a lot of the extra payments started being introduced. I really can't imagine much overweight getting through nowadays without payments. In any case, handling long delays to 700 passengers requires quite a bit more than one check-in staff handling overweight baggage to a passenger's satisfaction, IMHO. CX had greater problems than TG because it flies out roughly twice the number of passengers each day. Yet CX got its act together fast, sent extra flights in to Manchester when Heathrow would accept none, bused its passengers there and got them to their destination. Did TG do anything apart from cancel flights and wait for Heathrow to reopen?

[sydneyjed]

An appalling situation is escalating at the London Heathrow

airport, as Thai Airways passengers that were suppose to fly since the 18

until 21 have now accumulated to the airport terminal 3 of Heathrow. Nights

at the terminal become horrendous as passengers scramble to find a place to

sleep on the floor and chairs and are terrified by the non-reaction of Thai Airways staff for all

the days that passengers are stranded since.

All the other airlines such as Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airline have

managed to get their passengers out of London with additional aircraft

arranged specifically for the stranded passengers. However, Thai Airways

sent one aircrafts on Monday and then stopped sending additional aircrafts

for stranded passengers. The math is that for one additional aircraft that

they have arranged, carried 368 passengers, but those passengers accumulated

over 3 days and stranded, amount to much more, given there are two flights a

day. Instead they only continued with regular flights on the 22 December,

which are naturally all fully booked over the Christmas and New Year season.

Hence, all passengers stranded were not given privileged access to regular

flights providing a queuing system to alleviate the anxiety and stress of

the stranded passengers.

Is the nonchalant behaviour of Thai Airways management acknowledging their

inexperience or their pure selfishness? The allocation of

aircrafts for such crisis is paramount or lease third party aircrafts if

none are available within their own fleet, but I am at a loss

understanding such irresponsible behaviour. All stranded passengers are not

informed how Thai Airways will rectify the problem and what is being undertaken to

provide alternative transportation.

According to my source at Suvarnabhumi airport Thai airways have alrerady put up 2 extra sections in total ..one on 21 st December and one up on the 22nd December which created 650 extra seats.To do this Thai cancelled and consolidated their red eye Bkk-NRT 744 flight to free up the aircraft.Unless they do this for a 3rd time it is highly unlikely that they will have the capacity to free up more sections due to their limited equipment on offer.They do have the option of moving their A340-500,but that is the special ultra - long haul aircraft used non stop to LAX which only has a 170 seating configeration..so not much capacity.He is watching the system as I write and will inform me if Thai do add anymore capacity later this afternoon /this evening!

Edited December 24, 2010 by sydneyjed

[Dah fahrang]

They need to clean up their act. This is a major world airport and should be kept open except for the most horrible and dangerous weather.

Precisely. It is the most horrible and dangerous weather. Checked on the status of Frankfurt by the way? Or other European airports?

Heathrow airport's level of preparedness for snow is a joke; they should take a lesson from Alaska's very busy Anchorage airport http://www.airport-t...ects/anchorage/ - The sixth busiest airport in the world (by traffic).

The snow clearing teams at Ted Stevens Anchorage international Airport must be laughing themselves silly over the fiasco at Heathrow.

Any day now I am certain the mandarins at Heathrow will inform us that... wait for it... "It was the wrong type of snow!"

How come a few days of rain in thailand screwed up the country earlier this year, maybe it was the wrong type of rain? Surely thailand is prepared it does happen every year! Your writing is ridiculous you can apply a piss take to anything.

But the writer is NOT taking the p*ss. He is re-quoting an old, (in)famous statement made by one of the UK railway operators, which was to blame the 'wrong type of snow' for tracks becoming slippery and trains beig cancelled or delayed - after a mere dusting of the white stuff.

Another similarly 'ridiculous' piece of gobbledegook comes, also c/o the same railway operators, who blamed leaves blown onto the tracks for extensive delays to trains during the autumn months in the UK.

There will, for sure, be an expensive and interminable Government Enquiry in to this fiasco. Heads won't roll, but, at least we can extract some verbal enlightenment reading the inevitable lame excuses from the senior management of Heathrow about their being caught out so badly at the busiest time of the year, by only 4" of snow - be it the right or wrong type!

[Ricardo]

Interesting to know, how fresh flowers and fresh vegetables from thailand are going to come to thai shops and restaurants in the uk. Cancellation of flights will hit as well exporters in thailand, some of them rely only on export to the uk

I have seen, a few years back, an elderly 'MK Airlines' (now defunct) 747-200 cargo-jet parked at BKK.Perhaps other operators offer direct/indirect capacity between Thailand & the UK ?

On the other hand, there used to be (several years ago) two days every week when Thai's own shipments reached our local UK grocery-stores, which I believe went as hold-cargo on the regular 747-400s, but on days-of-the-week when passenger-loads were lighter. Sometimes airmail can be moved on a similar subject-to-load basis IME.

[ginjag]

All the other airlines such as Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airline have

managed to get their passengers out of London with additional aircraft

arranged specifically for the stranded passengers

Since it could not get planes in to Heathrow, Cathay Pacific sent two of its extra flights to Manchester airport and bused its stranded passengers up the motorway. Its website says all remaining stranded passengers will be flown on an extra flight departing Heathrow today. It helped in other ways, as this item from its website mentions -

During the height of the disruptions, Cathay Pacific arranged to look after hundreds of young students and passengers with special needs in the ballroom of the Park Inn Hotel, sending staff from Hong Kong to help its London team look after those who were left stranded.

Did TG look after its passengers in London? Did the airline ever think of an alternative airport strategy, I wonder?

I made some comments about this new man in charge at THAI, I trashed Thai prices-and standards,and very old aircraft (London route) Some readers blasted me, and said the new man was the best, and would turn Thai, back to its old reputation, Ha Ha--- he didn,t turn his aircraft round and head back to London did he ??? Why..as some resders said he is a brill man with a brill brain for business. Sorry but he hasn,t proved it-has he, amazing....one mentioned about a 777 in the fleet, it was leased from India, are they so hard up...

[ginjag]

All the other airlines such as Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airline have

managed to get their passengers out of London with additional aircraft

arranged specifically for the stranded passengers

Since it could not get planes in to Heathrow, Cathay Pacific sent two of its extra flights to Manchester airport and bused its stranded passengers up the motorway. Its website says all remaining stranded passengers will be flown on an extra flight departing Heathrow today. It helped in other ways, as this item from its website mentions -

During the height of the disruptions, Cathay Pacific arranged to look after hundreds of young students and passengers with special needs in the ballroom of the Park Inn Hotel, sending staff from Hong Kong to help its London team look after those who were left stranded.

Did TG look after its passengers in London? Did the airline ever think of an alternative airport strategy, I wonder?

I made some comments about this new man in charge at THAI, I trashed Thai prices-and standards,and very old aircraft (London route) Some readers blasted me, and said the new man was the best, and would turn Thai, back to its old reputation, Ha Ha--- he didn,t turn his aircraft round and head back to London did he ??? Why..as some resders said he is a brill man with a brill brain for business. Sorry but he hasn,t proved it-has he, amazing....one mentioned about a 777 in the fleet, it was leased from India, are they so hard up...

Amazing silence from 1 or 2 Thai Airline supporters. and their so clever comments backing the new boss 1 week ago.