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Flights cancelled at UK airports due to ATC issue

bbc.com

41–50 of 125 posts

Re: Flights cancelled at UK airports due to ATC issue

#41
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My wife is currently at Gatwick, supposed to have taken off 2 hours ago, but no update.... The frustrating thing is the complete lack of information. I cannot comprehend how nobody knows what the situation is. I mean, is aircraft on the tarmac yet? Has it left it's previous destination yet? etc. Worst part is, likely no compensation as it isn't the airlines "fault".

Why the use of scare quotes? It's not their fault. The airline arranged for flight crew, had the plane available, yet something outside of their control is preventing them from doing the deed. It's no different to the airline if a sudden bit of weather came along preventing the flight from taking off.

In the UK we use quotation marks when we are quoting some verbatim.

Scare quotes are an Americanism that is gaining traction her, but normally we use it for quoting speach.

Re: Flights cancelled at UK airports due to ATC issue

#42
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People will be angry regardless of what they say, some if they say they're sorry, some if they don't say they're sorry. Regardless of what they say, some set of people or another is going to come out and be angry about it. What do you hope to accomplish with the phone call? Failures happen, does it make a difference if there's someone in charge feeling a strong emotion about it? Do the call center staff have to feel…

I suspect there is a name for thinking that, "if I do something, it will get resolved quicker". Lots of us won't just sit there and wait for someone to come and tell us when it is fixed because we don't trust that other people also want to resolve the problem.

Sounds like pedestrian push-buttons on crossings - satisfies people but it doesnt actually do anything.

Re: Flights cancelled at UK airports due to ATC issue

#43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the frustration comes from airlines not being able to accurately predict what the impact of a delay will be for the schedule for the remainder of the day, following day. They always hope they'll be able to recover some of the schedule with fast turnarounds. On a recent trip (when I encountered issues on every leg — cancellations, delays, missed connections, you name it), it is clear that airlines are incentiv…

I'm going to guess that they have really good predictions, it's just that it doesn't benefit them at all to reveal those to customers.

Because making prediction and being wrong is way worst then not making one.

Plus, imo, they dont know what exactly will happen. There is likely whole bunch of negotiations and replannings going on in background with unsure results.

Re: Flights cancelled at UK airports due to ATC issue

#44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ocean liners use several times more fuel per passenger mile than airliners.

Ocean liners use several times more fuel per passenger mile than airliners. So what? Two things can be bad at the same time. Nobody mentioned ocean liners except you. Why not bring up the greenhouse gases from landfills while you're at it? Whatabouting everything is so last decade.

Calling everything "whatabouting" when someone is just responding and expanding context to an existing comparison is what's actually last decade.

Re: Flights cancelled at UK airports due to ATC issue

#45

Including mine. I'm not angry because my flight was cancelled. It's a pain in the arse but what really infuriates me is the "We are terribly sorry" these PR releases give. I've been on hold for three hours with British Airlines and it's "we are sorry", no you're not. "We are truly sorry for the ongoing flight disruption" is what infuriates the situation; when words have no meaning behind the phase. Pixelated hold-mus…

What would you prefer they say?

Completely utilitarian message. "Your flight #FLIGHTID (src -> dst @ time) is cancelled on account of REASON. For available flights click LINK. For reimbursement click LINK."

Re: Flights cancelled at UK airports due to ATC issue

#48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the frustration comes from airlines not being able to accurately predict what the impact of a delay will be for the schedule for the remainder of the day, following day. They always hope they'll be able to recover some of the schedule with fast turnarounds. On a recent trip (when I encountered issues on every leg — cancellations, delays, missed connections, you name it), it is clear that airlines are incentiv…

I'm going to guess that they have really good predictions, it's just that it doesn't benefit them at all to reveal those to customers.

Why would you guess that? “Prediction is hard, especially when it’s about the future.”

Re: Flights cancelled at UK airports due to ATC issue

#49
post #42
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect there is a name for thinking that, "if I do something, it will get resolved quicker". Lots of us won't just sit there and wait for someone to come and tell us when it is fixed because we don't trust that other people also want to resolve the problem.

Sounds like pedestrian push-buttons on crossings - satisfies people but it doesnt actually do anything.

It wont turn green unless you push it here. If you dont push it, you will stand there like an idiot until someone else comes and pushes it.
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