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Unseasonal snow showers that covered much of the UK in white yesterday have turned to sleet and rain as temperatures rise across the country, forecasters said today. Sunday's snow showers caused chaos on roads and at airports and the knock-on effects are still being felt today. At Heathrow around 57 flights, 34 of them British Airways flights, have been cancelled, largely because of weather-related disruption on Sunday, the airport regulator BAA said. The weekend snow was in contrast to warm temperatures and sunny weather at the end of last week. Snow in Scotland hampered the search for a light aircraft that had gone missing in the Highlands. The aircraft disappeared from radar as it was crossing the Cairngorms in poor weather on Saturday morning. The coastguard had to rescue two yachts on the south coast and two motorboats lost in poor visibility in the Solent. A spokeswoman said sailors who were setting out in poor visibility needed to navigate without visual aids as "it's like flying blind". Snow in April is not uncommon, according to the Met Office, although heavy falls are unusual. Apr 7, 2008

British Airways, London Heathrow

British Airways and BAA have deferred the planned move of the airline's long-haul services from Terminal 4 to Terminal 5 by up to two months. The news will come as a blow, but perhaps not a total shock, to members of the SkyTeam Alliance, who are progressively planning to move into T4 in the 'Under One Roof' concept. And BAA also conceded that the postponement would have a knock-on effect on SkyTeam, with chief executive Colin Matthews noting: "We recognise the impact [this] has on other airlines, but we believe it is a wise precaution to ensure that passengers can have the maximum confidence once the move does take place." Both the UK flag carrier and airport operator are clearly aware of just how disastrous the initial move into T5 was and are now moving with extreme caution before loading BA's long-haul services into the system. British AirBA had planned to move its long-haul services from T4 to T5 by 30 April but is now confining itself to noting that the move will be "deferred until June." Further details are expected from British Air on April 11. Apr 11, 2008

Airlines are reacting furiously to British Airways' decision this morning April 11 to postpone its long-haul move from London Heathrow's Terminal 4 to Terminal 5. A queue of carriers is lining up to condemn BAA and BA, with bmi heading the attack, labelling the move "absolutely outrageous," while the SkyTeam Alliance with perhaps most to benefit from British Air vacating T4, is holding crisis talks with the airport operator. And bmi's chief executive Nigel Turner was even more apoplectic, claiming the delay would affect 50 airlines at Heathrow. "It is an absolutely outrageous announcement by BAA and done with no thought, consideration or consultation of any other airline other than BA," he said. Even if the move had gone to plan, the overall building program for Heathrow to 2012 is a gigantic logistical exercise requiring minute planning. The airlines have to co-ordinate a precise dance that will see dozens of carriers relocate &endash; many grouped within Alliances in the same building &endash; while bmi in particular was hoping that its T1 passenger experience would vastly improve as those in T2 moved to T4 with a new 'Heathrow East' created. British Air long-haul business passengers should therefore still turn up to T3 and T4 as the interregnum period runs its course, but perhaps mindful of the chaos surrounding T5's opening, the airline merely says that it expects to move in June. Beginning or end of June is as yet, unclear. Apr 11, 2008

After the ghastliness and horror of Heathrow's Halloween-like Terminal 5 opening, a very amusing take on the chaos arrives in the form of a free online computer game where you play British Air's CEO Willie Walsh, scampering to clear a pile of bags onto &endash; and here's the rather unbelievable bit &endash; a moving conveyor belt. A pile of ten must be delivered (if only!) while a counter displays the number of flights departing &endash; and all to the British Airways theme tune, that rather majestic, lilting piece with ambient, floating choral lines from the French opera Lakme (by Leo Delibes). Who programmed this slice of satirical genius? Glasgow-based software company T-Enterprise - "We're fans of his and think he's doing a great job turning round the problems he inherited," it says on the site. Apr 7, 2008

As 28,000 bags continue not to be in their owners' possession &endash; and rather extraordinarily appear to have been routed via Milan for sorting &endash; the Terminal's woes have highlighted an area that has vexed legislators and customers alike for years. There were initial reports of irate passengers only being given £100 as compensation for enforced overnight hotel stays while the cancellations racked up &endash; and as hotels reportedly seized on the chance to make a quick buck &endash; only for British Airways to say it would refund the accommodation. This from the airline as of today: "We will compensate passengers for canceled flights, hotel accommodation, food and drink and transport costs relating to the disruption to flights at Terminal 5 in accordance with the EU regulations." Apr 7, 2008

British Airways meanwhile blamed BAA for the cancellation of 12 flights owing to technical glitches. British Airways had hoped to operate a full schedule yesterday for the first time since the new terminal opened on March 27. Instead, it had to cancel 24 short-haul flights at the start of the weekend. The STG4.3-billion ($A9.4 billion) terminal at one of the world's busiest airports opened with much fanfare but within hours had become a public relations disaster as the baggage handling system became overwhelmed. British Air said last week that it expected the chaotic opening of T5 to cost it about STG16 million ($A34.8 million) Apr 7, 2008

EasyJet, Lyon Airport

EasyJet has formally opened its Lyon Saint-Exupery base in south east France as the carrier ramps up its French expansion. The decision to pursue an aggressive French policy against incumbent flag carrier Air France, will see easyJet increase its fleet in the country from six to 20 aircraft and is part of a EU600m ($937m) investment across four years. Passenger numbers are expected to rise as a result of the extra machines from 6m last year to 12m by 2011, as French customers start to feel the benefits in a country so heavily dominated by Air France. Indeed, the news of extra services from a low-cost carrier also comes hard on the heels of speculation that Air France was possibly looking to review its domestic offering in the teeth of fierce competition from the country's highly-efficient - and relatively cheap - TGV rail system. Apr 7, 2008

Apr 14, 2008

 

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