[Edski777]

Richard,

BA is hampered by delays at LHR. From the 5 major airports in Europe LHR is the one with most delayed flights. They are also infamous for their poor handling of snow conditions and cancellations due to that.

This reflects badly on BA, but is ultimately not BA’s fault. I do understand though that it can be an issue when choosing an airline. It would be for me.

[VintageKrug]

It’s not so much poor handling of snow conditions which results in cancellations, but that given the incompetence of the Airport Operator, Heathrow Airport Ltd formerly known as BAA, the best strategy for the airline with most movements at LHR is to cancel shorthaul flights to free up slots for longhaul operations, attempting to preserve those flights as best as possible.

Just sensible to be aware of that, and on days like today when snow is forecast, to adjust your schedule to take that into account.

[JohnHarper]

I would have thought that the most sensible strategy for the biggest customer of HAL was to ensure that the airport remained open by bringing pressure to bear and ensuring there were stiff financial penalties for it not doing. I was told recently by a BA manager that after the winter of 2011 when there was no snow clearing equipment and HAL were ordered to buy it that the following winter it remained unused as no one had told HAL to train anyone to use it.

It may be the responsibility of HAL but that BA knew this and sat back is amazing.

It smacks of a time about ten years ago when they were increasing security again resulting in long delays and the advice from BA was to turn up early to queue!

Absolute nonsense, why the major customer of HAL puts up with all this is astonishing. Bad management on their part I say.

Other airports in Europe deal far better with the weather. I need to go to Vienna in December and have just booked a flight on OS four hours earlier than I need to, not because I think there will be a problem at VIE but because should so much as a snowflake be forecast, I know LHR will be in chaos and I’ll be delayed getting away.

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