BA flight lands in Edinburgh instead of Dusseldorf by mistake

Roger_007

I'm so glad this was a BA flight and not Aer Lingus or Ryanair. The Brits would have had a field day. As it is it is just another embarrassment to go with the Brexit shambles.

ted1

Locker10a wrote: »

Who only checks the date? The gate staff scan the boarding cards and the computer will accept it or not.
Then at the entrance to the aircraft the cabin crew will check flight number, destination and date, if it’s a twin aisle they’ll check the seat number too so you know which aisle to head down. However BA removed this procedure for their crew and airlines operating their flights. Hence on this flight the crew, going to Edinburgh didn’t notice that all the pax had Dusseldorf boarding cards

On the Aer Lingus flight I got the other day. The cabin crew at the door of the plane told me “I’m only checking the date”

Van.Bosch

Locker10a wrote: »

No I’d say the cabin crew announced Edinburgh, the cabin crew and flight crew wouldn’t have been operating two separate flights, it’s a legal requirement that cabin crew and flight crew conduct a pre flight briefing together.
I’d say the crew did mention Edinburgh but the passengers just weren’t listening or doubted they heard correctly

The cabin crew announced Dusseldorf, issue was just with pilots.

smurfjed

Papers arrive, "oh look they have changed us to Edinburgh, do you have the approach plates for Edinburgh, what's it like, I wish that they stopped messing us around like this with last minute changes, but we need this contract so lets not cause confusion"... and off they go.

If they had the flight plan, ATC would have the same filed flight plan with Edinburgh as the destination. Remembering that this was an RJ so no ACARS/ SATCOM etc.

FrancieBrady

ted1 wrote: »

On the Aer Lingus flight I got the other day. The cabin crew at the door of the plane told me “I’m only checking the date”

There is a post from me here from about 3 years ago where I was asking about an incident I was involved in where a passenger got on a flight and into the air with a ticket with the wrong date on it.
So it does happen that they don't check dates.

This seems like a cock-up between pilots and cabin staff. Somebody, or a number of people, not being a professional and going through the motions.

Del2005

ted1 wrote: »

They only check the date on the boarding cards

Even though they only have to check the date shouldn't they have noticed that all the boarding cards had a different destination to where they were going? Or is the date check not even done on boarding.

Del2005

Tenger wrote: »

Last couple of times flying out of Heathrow they have gone all hi tech. Photo is taken as you pass through security and at the boarding gate the photo is checked against the person presenting at the gate. Not sure if LCY has similar system.

They had that years ago, for access to the CTA section they verify your picture.

GBX

Why would the pilot ask passengers for a show of hands on who wanted to go to Dusseldorf? Is this one of those "well the whole plane needs to get to Dusseldorf, so I'll fly there now instead - i'll deal with the bosses later on that one?"

L1011

There were FIVE passengers at that. Shouldn't have taken too long to check with all of them!

Nijmegen

Five passengers?! Well that might explain why nobody noticed - five frequent flyers out of LCY, probably fly all the time, headphones in, FT open on their laps not looking out the window.

Tenger

L1011 wrote: »

There were FIVE passengers at that. Shouldn't have taken too long to check with all of them!

That’s partially explains the incident and the missed signs early on.

If the cabin crew announced Düsseldorf but the flight crew had a flight plan for Edinburgh, then serious questions about CRM are needed.


As for checking boarding cards, IAA requires date and flight number/destination to be checked. So while a person might say “just checking the date” to you they are checking 2 things. Imagine having to explain that the dozens of ppl each day who shout “I know my seat number” to you?
That doesn’t however preclude a staff member being lazy and not following procedure correctly.

Locker10a

ted1 wrote: »

On the Aer Lingus flight I got the other day. The cabin crew at the door of the plane told me “I’m only checking the date”

They check more than the date, when people bark their seat number at you, you give them an explanation, short of saying “I don’t give a flying f*^k where you’re sitting”. “im checking the date/flight no/destination” is a means of explaining the check. Honestly when I was crew I truly didn’t give a sh1te where you were sitting, I was only interested in my complience checks.

Locker10a

GBX wrote: »

Why would the pilot ask passengers for a show of hands on who wanted to go to Dusseldorf? Is this one of those "well the whole plane needs to get to Dusseldorf, so I'll fly there now instead - i'll deal with the bosses later on that one?"

This was done after they landed in Edinburgh and the crew were confused as to why their passengers didn’t want to get off in Edinburgh!

Locker10a

FrancieBrady wrote: »

There is a post from me here from about 3 years ago where I was asking about an incident I was involved in where a passenger got on a flight and into the air with a ticket with the wrong date on it.
So it does happen that they don't check dates.

This seems like a cock-up between pilots and cabin staff. Somebody, or a number of people, not being a professional and going through the motions.

I don’t see it as an issue with the pilots or crew, they did exactly as they were told. It was either BA operations or LCY ground staff that literally boarded pax onto a flight for Dusseldorf without cross checking that that flight paperwork was filed for Edinburgh

loyatemu

Locker10a wrote: »

This was done after they landed in Edinburgh and the crew were confused as to why their passengers didn’t want to get off in Edinburgh!

"Are you sure you don't want to get off here? There's a lovely castle and you can get deep-fried pizza in the chippy. Have any of you seen Trainspotting?"

arubex

Locker10a wrote: »

Honestly when I was crew I truly didn't give a sh1te where you were sitting, I was only interested in my complience checks.

But yet you still 'directed' the passengers to their seats. "Right-hand aisle and all the way to the back". Is it any wonder they thought you were just a glorified usher?

Perhaps if FAs actually treated their passengers with some respect and dignity then we'd have reciprocal respect. Tell us what you're doing and we'll be more compliant. Don't just stand at the door barking and glowering.

Stovepipe

.....because, fundamentally, it doesnt matter where you sit, unless you are very big or fat in a small aircraft or you are not able bodied and want to sit in the emergency exit row. Making you pay for particular seats is an airline marketing scam and no more. Same with priority boarding. Just seperating you from your money, another way.

Stovepipe

...it was a 146. probably didnt want to leave the ground in the first place.

Tenger

arubex wrote: »

But yet you still 'directed' the passengers to their seats. "Right-hand aisle and all the way to the back". Is it any wonder they thought you were just a glorified usher?

Perhaps if FAs actually treated their passengers with some respect and dignity then we'd have reciprocal respect. Tell us what you're doing and we'll be more compliant. Don't just stand at the door barking and glowering.

Lovely generalisation there. Don’t be a dick to people doing a job is another one. Let’s focus on the topic rather than deep seated resentments or previous bad experiences.
In my time in an airline I met quite a number of crew who “barked and glowered” but the vast majority did their job as expected. I know the reputation that Ryanair crew have but in my experience they are efficient at their role.

Locker10a

arubex wrote: »

But yet you still 'directed' the passengers to their seats. "Right-hand aisle and all the way to the back". Is it any wonder they thought you were just a glorified usher?

Perhaps if FAs actually treated their passengers with some respect and dignity then we'd have reciprocal respect. Tell us what you're doing and we'll be more compliant. Don't just stand at the door barking and glowering.

Hi,
Yeah naturally I directed passengers to their seats! And I did so to improve and speed up the boarding process for ALL passengers.
I don’t actually care where you’re sitting, I’m checking what I’m required to check, but if it’s a dual aisle aircraft, to prevent chaos and bottlenecks I would direct, again, to speed things up for everyone else.
You automatically assume from having never met me or having never flown with me that I don’t treat people with respect, which I think tells us more about you than anything else. For the record I don’t disrespect passengers at all, in fact in a previous company I was invited to a gala dinner with the CEO along with selected other staff in recognition for going above and beyond and recieving consistant positive feedback from passengers and colleagues, that’s not to say I don’t have frustrations and occasional rants, as I clearly do but I always act in a totally professional manner. My boards.ie account is a personal one and nothing more.
I’m all for telling passengers the reason for this and that, yes they’ll probably be more compliant, but giving an explanation to each and every passenger as they board would just be ridiculous. Gate staff often make an announcement during boarding to ask you have your boarding cards ready for inspection at the aircraft door, maybe I’m old fashioned here but I don’t see why the general public shouldn’t just comply with a simple request without sighing and huffing and needing an intricate explanation for everything. Having said that, by all means politely ask and I’m happy to engage in any explanation.

donkey balls

What about the fuel uplift there be a difference between EDI & DUS would that not stick out to the crew.

billy few mates

donkey balls wrote: »

What about the fuel uplift there be a difference between EDI & DUS would that not stick out to the crew.

Not if the crew genuinely believed they were supposed to operate to EDI and planned accordingly. There is no way in this day and age you could take off aiming for DUS and end up in EDI, it's impossible.

billie1b

donkey balls wrote: »

What about the fuel uplift there be a difference between EDI & DUS would that not stick out to the crew.

About 200kg difference between the 2 flights, if even, there’s only about 40NM difference between the two flights, with no difference in weather etc the DUS flight is about 4 minutes shorter than the EDI flight, the uplift would be pretty similar for both.

Del2005

donkey balls wrote: »

What about the fuel uplift there be a difference between EDI & DUS would that not stick out to the crew.

The flight crew and all the paperwork was for EDI, the passengers and cargo where for DUS though.