[News] Flying from Heathrow today (Fri 21 March) or picking up please read

[Chicken Run]

Urgent investigation ordered into power outage that closed Heathrow, energy secretary says

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband says there are "lessons to be learned" after a substation fire brought the major airport to a standstill on Friday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Springal]

Russian sabotage I reckon

 

[Chicken Run]

100 plus planes on route to LHR diverting all over the place including some flights from US 4 hours in and turning back!!!

This will take days to sort out

 

[Guinness Boy]

Thanks for the heads up @Chicken Run

I’m supposed to be flying from Heathrow on Sunday. Strongly suspect it’ll be cancelled.

 

[Chicken Run]

Thanks for the heads up @Chicken Run

I’m supposed to be flying from Heathrow on Sunday. Strongly suspect it’ll be cancelled.

Good luck

 

[Flounce]

Nightmare but anyone who booked through a travel agent with an IATA licence will be much better off than those trying to get through to airlines or the airport for rebooking options. Travel agents have links to airline systems and can rebook much quicker than people trying to get through to airlines who will be in meltdown on the phones

 

[Chicken Run]

If they weren’t already i suspect the three Emirates flights from LGW today will be busy

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Glad the airport had a decent DR plan to keep running Needed you in charge @Dave the OAP

 

[AmexRuislip]

Well I feel sorry for the local residents without power, going to be a right mess....
We've still got power here thank f...
Will be quiet in the sky's over our house, as generally on a flight path.

 

[boik]

Glad the airport had a decent DR plan to keep running Needed you in charge @Dave the OAP

Exactly what me a Mrs B were saying. Both worked on major it systems all our lives. Whatever happened to "eliminate all single points of failure "?

 

[GingerBeerMan]

Russians. My first thought. This is modern day espionage.

Also, sometimes stickies are harder to see than normal threads. This thread will be constantly bounced as it's a developing news story, does having it sticky hinder some people from viewing it?

 

[Home and Away]

Russians. My first thought. This is modern day espionage.

Also, sometimes stickies are harder to see than normal threads. This thread will be constantly bounced as it's a developing news story, does having it sticky hinder some people from viewing it?

Same.

 

[Springal]

Exactly what me a Mrs B were saying. Both worked on major it systems all our lives. Whatever happened to "eliminate all single points of failure "?

How much power do you reckon Heathrow uses ?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Both my daughter, (supposed to be flying to the Maldives this evening) and my son’s family (stepson in LA - now trying to find a hotel) attending a wedding tomorrow, are affected.
It’s going to take days to sort out.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Russians. My first thought. This is modern day espionage.

Also, sometimes stickies are harder to see than normal threads. This thread will be constantly bounced as it's a developing news story, does having it sticky hinder some people from viewing it?

Ok. Thought I was helping. I’ll unsticky it.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Exactly what me a Mrs B were saying. Both worked on major it systems all our lives. Whatever happened to "eliminate all single points of failure "?

Being tight and trying to save money on an event 'that will never happen' springs to mind. The number of CTOs and CEOs I've had this exact discussion with who don't understand the question "How much would it cost you if your company couldn't trade for x number if days?". Then they quote a figure well in excess of the cost of putting in a decent DR system/plan. Too many C suite executives are blinded by costs.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

How much power do you reckon Heathrow uses ?

Doesn't matter - they should have an N+1 plan in place to keep running. Like data centres do.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Nightmare but anyone who booked through a travel agent with an IATA licence will be much better off than those trying to get through to airlines or the airport for rebooking options. Travel agents have links to airline systems and can rebook much quicker than people trying to get through to airlines who will be in meltdown on the phones

A smartphone is all you need. I was flying to Gatwick that Xmas when there was all the drone problems. I kept on top of developments and booked a flight with another airline..and then cancelled original flight when I was onboard my back up….. all online. I would also advise booking with airlines directly, it’s much easier to deal with the airline directly and not via an agent.

As aside, I had a booking at The Salt Room that evening. I arrived there a few hours late and just as the kitchen was closing, but via the magic of my smartphone, a very helpful and flexible attitude from the restraurant, and my dining buddy, I read the menu and ordered ahead of arrival. There was a bottle of champagne on ice waiting for me.

Smartphones are brilliant.

 

[Giraffe]

Russian sabotage I reckon

I had the same thought. Or maybe the French. They’ve not forgotten Agincourt

 

[BBassic]

Customer service people can sometimes get a bad rap but spare a thought for those poor souls today. It's going to be carnage.