Category: British Airways Disruption

Information and advice regarding expected disruption to flights across the British Airways network due to severe weather, industrial action, aircraft maintenance and Air Traffic Control issues.

BA Computer System Crash: What is going on with BA and IT?

As has been widely reported all over the world today, BA has experienced what must be the biggest IT disruption in its history as almost all of its IT systems failed today, Saturday 27 May 2017.

This has led to the cancellation of all flights from London Heathrow and Gatwick for the remainder of Saturday with reports of very long queues to exit Terminal 5 from the post-security airside area and passengers being separated from their luggage.

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British Airways Logo (Image Credit: British Airways)
British Airways Logo (Image Credit: British Airways)

As has been widely reported all over the world today, BA has experienced what must be the biggest IT disruption in its history as almost all of its IT systems failed today, Saturday 27 May 2017.

This has led to the cancellation of all flights from London Heathrow and Gatwick for the remainder of Saturday with reports of very long queues to exit Terminal 5 from the post-security airside area and passengers being separated from their luggage. (Here is guidance for passengers due to fly from Sunday 28 May 2017.)

This is the first time in several years BA has been forced to cancel its entire flying programme, and the timing on a bank holiday weekend clearly could not be worse.

It is understood that the scale of the disruption was extremely severe with almost all IT systems out of operation, bar its internal e-mail.  The airline has cited a power failure as its cause, and has denied claims of a possible cyber attack.

BA is by no means the only airline in the world to face significant disruption due to IT. Both United Airlines and Delta have experienced network-wide disruption due to system failures.

However, this is not first time in the past 12 months BA has faced IT disruption. Its website ba.com crashed for nearly a day last month.  Last year, BA implemented a new check-in system which continues to crash repeatedly.
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BA cancels London Heathrow – Abuja Wednesday 8 March -Tuesday 18 April 2017

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British Airways has cancelled all direct flights between London Heathrow and Abuja route from Wednesday 8 March to Tuesday 18 April 2017.

The reason for this is that the airport’s runway will be closed for emergency repairs.

According to press reports, the Nigerian Government had instructed airlines to operate flights to an alternative airport in Kaduna (some 200km north of Abuja) with onward road transport to Abuja. However, these contingency plans has clearly not been implemented by BA.

The affected BA flight numbers are BA083 and BA082.

Affected passengers have the option of a full refund, rebooking on an alternative British Airways operated flight between London Heathrow and Abuja outside of the runway closure (up to Friday 19 May 2017), or rebooking on an alternative British Airways operated flight between Accra or Nigeria and London Heathrow within 7 days of the date of your original booking.

However, if you choose the later option any additional costs such as ground transportation and hotels will be at your own expense and will not be reimbursed by the airline.

BA is the only airline to fly non-stop between London and Abuja. In terms of the response from other European airlines, Air France and Lufthansa fly from their respective hubs in Paris Charles de Gualle and Frankfurt to Abuja. Both airlines appear to have cancelled all flights during the period of the runway closure.

Affected BA passengers should contact either BA or their travel agent.

BA Heathrow Cabin Crew Christmas Day & Boxing Day strikes called off

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British Airways Tailfin (Image Credit: Nick Morrish/British Airways)
British Airways Tailfin (Image Credit: Nick Morrish/British Airways)

The planned strike action by British Airways’ “Mixed Fleet” cabin crew at London Heathrow on Christmas Day & Boxing Day have been called off.

Unite, which represents the cabin crew, has called off the strikes following discussions with BA at ACAS.  This is not the end of the dispute as a new offer tabled by the airline has to be presented to union members for approval.

However, the strikes are off and all flights will operate as scheduled.

If you have changed your bookings with BA because your flight was at risk of disruption your revised booking will still stand and you do not need to revert to your original booking.

For the latest news on the cabin crew strike, please visit our strike information page.

Brussels Airport Closure: BA launch temporary Heathrow – Liege service

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BA Airbus A319 aircraft at London Heathrow (Image Credit: British Airways)
BA Airbus A319 aircraft at London Heathrow (Image Credit: British Airways)

Following the closure of Brussels Airport, British Airways has suspended all of its London Heathrow – Brussels services until Tuesday 29 March 2016. In addition, flight BA389 from Brussels to London Heathrow on Wednesday 30 March is cancelled.

Update Sunday 3 April: All BA flight to and from Brussels have been cancelled through to Thursday 7 April 2016.

The airline is running an alternative service to Liege Airport which is located approximately 90km from Brussels.

Flights will operate up to Thursday 7 April 2016 at the earliest.

Update Sunday 3 April: Flights to Liege will continue until Thursday 7 April 2016 at the earliest.

Flight BA406 Depart London Heathrow 08:55 – Arrive Liege 11:05
Flight BA407 Depart Liege 11:55 – Arrive London Heathrow 12:15

Flight BA410 Depart London Heathrow 13:55 – Arrive Liege 16:10 (28 & 29 March only)
Flight BA411 Depart Liege 17:00 – Arrive London Heathrow 17:15 (28 & 29 March only)

Flight BA408 Depart London Heathrow 15:15 – Arrive Liege 17:30
Flight BA409 Depart Liege 18:15 – Arrive London Heathrow 18:30

Note that if you are booked onto a flight to/from Brussels which has been cancelled you will not be automatically accommodated on these flights to/from Liege. You need to contact BA or your travel agent to be reboooked.

BA is also offering passengers booked to fly to Brussels up to Sunday 3 April 2016 to rebook onto alternative services to Brussels up to Sunday 17 April or to alternative airports such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Paris, Frankfurt and Dusseldorf.

It should also be noted that BA will not meet any incidental expenses such as ground transportation as a consequence of the change in departure / arrival airport.

BA Tactical Winter 2014/2015 Long Haul Cancellations

British Airways is to make tactical cancellations to long-haul schedules at Gatwick and Heathrow during the Winter 2014/2015 season.

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British Airways Tailfin (Image Credit: Nick Morrish/British Airways)
British Airways Tailfin (Image Credit: Nick Morrish/British Airways)

British Airways parent company, International Airlines Group, released its half year results last Friday.

The results were, overall, very positive. All three IAG airlines (BA, Iberia, and Vueling) reported increased profits year on year.

However, IAG, did sound a note of caution. The group will moderate planned capacity growth for the rest of the year with BA and Iberia in particular shaving off a couple of per cent of their growth.

In the case of BA, this will not be done by way of route suspensions or cancellations, but by tactical cancellations of flights during quiet periods.

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Ebola: BA suspends Freetown and Monrovia

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British Airways Logo (Image Credit: British Airways)
British Airways Logo (Image Credit: British Airways)

As has been widely reported in the UK media, British Airways has suspended its flights from London Heathrow to Freetown and Monrovia from Wednesday 6 August until Sunday 31 August 2014 at the earliest, following an outbreak on Ebola in the region.

BA has provided details of rebooking and cancellation options for affected passengers.

Passengers are entitled to a full refund or to rebook their flights at a later date.

Alternatively, passengers can travel between London Heathrow and alternative BA destinations in Africa. These are Lagos and Abuja in Nigeria, Accra in Ghana and Nairobi in Kenya. Any additional consequential costs must be met by passengers.

Update: Flights are now cancelled until 31 March 2015. BA is no longer allowing reroutings to Lagos, Abuja, nor Nairobi. Passengers booked to travel up to 31 December 2014 also have the option of an alternative routing to Freetown or Monrovia via Brussels on SN Brussels airlines.

Update: This route has since been suspended permanently

Rebooking options for BA passengers booked to fly London – Nairobi

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British Airways Logo (Image Credit: British Airways)
British Airways Logo (Image Credit: British Airways)

Following the fire at Nairobi airport in Kenya yesterday, British Airways has provided details of the options available to passengers whose flights to Nairobi have been cancelled, or are booked to fly to Nairobi over the next few days.

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