British Airways flight planning software causes delays

Back to Forum
Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

  • Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    … there seem to have been some major delays and also cancellations over night

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    esselle
    Participant

    Reports suggest that BA are pinning this one on a “third party systems supplier”.

    It takes me back to seeing Cruz making an apology in a hi-viz jacket. Will we get a repeat performance from Doyle?


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    We’ll see!

    The time difference means that some people are still waiting at US airports to see if their flights will set off…

    Meanwhile here in the UK online check-in was briefly suspended as well…


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    It’s been reported that 16 flights have been cancelled this morning from Heathrow, but there are still long delays for many flights.

    “The airline said the problem with its “third-party flight planning supplier” was behind the delays.”

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    Harbord1
    Participant

    BA used to do their own flight planning in-house. Presumably the outsource of this was supposed to save money. But big unforgivable fails such as this could cost them more than the £s saved. Certainly in lost good will from passengers and crew.


    AlanOrton1
    Participant

    I can’t really comment on whether other airlines suffer from similar issues but this seems to be the same old, same old with BA.
    Back in February, travelling from JFK on a Friday I believe the exact same reason was given for delayed departures. We were told we were some of the lucky ones as our flight was only 2 hours late.
    With a website that continually glitches, it is one of life’s great mysteries as to why BA’s IT still has a mid 1990’a feel to it!

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    It is strange that you can be on the BA website, trying to book something, and then suddenly it will revert to the old design from I don’t know how many years ago….

    I imagine it’s difficult to upgrade any part without it affecting lots of other parts as well, and it has to be ‘up’ the whole time, for everything from bookings through to the flight planning part – and it’s even more complicated if third party companies are being used.

    In the Telegraph,

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/12/20/british-airways-investigates-german-software-bug-flight-chaos/

    Oliver Gill says

    “The airline uses Lufthansa’s LIDO system, flight planning software that allows pilots to plot routes and navigate inclement weather. LIDO is popular among a number of other airlines including the German flag carrier and BA sister airlines such as Iberia and Vueling, as well as rival Virgin Atlantic. Other airlines are understood to have not been similarly affected, however.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    SimonS1
    Participant

    Honestly what hope is there for the airline when they can’t even process animals correctly. Sent this dog to Riyadh instead of Nashville. Seriously.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11553597/British-Airways-accidentally-flies-pet-Labrador-3-000-miles-wrong-direction-Saudi-Arabia.html


    SimonS1
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1316848]

    Presumably the first shot in some attempt to avoid EC261 compensation claims.


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    Yes, and it is also keen to say it is nothing to do with outsourcing at the same time.

    Having had a 5-hour delay flying out with Easyjet last week going to Geneva, I’m not sure who to book with next. I am certainly happy I am not flying anywhere this week. It’s bad enough using the trains 🙁


    SimonS1
    Participant

    Indeed. It also seems like time has caught up with Wizz. Had another 2 hour delay to Vienna this week, only comforted when I landed and found the CAA has become involved due to the level of complaints to ADR about the airline.

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls