Canceled flight / When was it booked?

[buckshot85]

Curious question.
Plenty of you have experienced canceled flights recently or at least interrupted in some way.
Were these flights that were booked 8-10 months ago, or in that vicinity, when the pilot shortage issue wasn't an issue?
I'm wondering if flights booked now for next spring may have more stability???

 

[Tgood1]

from my experience it is a complete crap shoot. i had a flight cancelled in march for an argentina hunt due to "weather" but 3 other airlines went to same destination the same hour. come to find out it was a staff shortage.

 

[Carbon300]

It’s just luck of the draw. Had a Delta flight for a work trip this week cancelled 20 minutes before boarding time with the plane at the gate… then 2 people at the help kiosks to handle rescheduling 300 people. Good luck.

 

[wesheltonj]

Unfortunately, airlines are cancelling flights do to labor shortages. For example BA has announced cancellation all summer long. The problem is they are booking for the regularly scheduled flight, but don't have enough staff for the flight. and they don't tell you about it until a few days before your flight. And BA is not the only airline doing this. It's hit or miss. I was fortunate that my flights did not get cancelled, but others on those days were cancelled. Not much you can do about it, except accept the reschedule if you really want to get to your location.

 

[R.M.C.]

Unfortunately I don't think you're gonna find much stability, might be best to stay flexible. Its anyone's guess when the labor shortage will be totally figured out. I'm doing a 12 day hunt in RSA in August and I'm taking a week off of work before and after the dates I'm hunting in case things go crazy , with the kind of luck I have I'm pretty much counting on some stupid bullshit to come up lol

 

[mdwest]

Unfortunately, airlines are cancelling flights do to labor shortages. For example BA has announced cancellation all summer long. The problem is they are booking for the regularly scheduled flight, but don't have enough staff for the flight. And BA is not the only airline doing this. It's hit or miss. I was fortunate that my flights did not get cancelled, but other on that ones were. Not much you can do about it, except accept the reschedule if you really want to get to your location.

Yep..

Cancellations arent the only silliness going on...

Qatar has changed my departure times from the US.. and from Doha for my trip to Joberg next month no less than 6 times over the past 6 months.. Ive gone from having a 2 hour layover in Doha to a 6 hour layover to a 3 hour layover, etc..

American has changed my flight times from the US to LHR and the connection from LHR to Dublin 3 times already.. and that trip isn't supposed to happen until October.. I originally had a 2.5 hour layover in London.. at present moment I've got an 8.5 hour layover in London..

A buddy that Im hunting with in South Africa next month is spending a week in Zim before linking up with us in SA.. BA hasn't jacked with his US to Zim flights.. but they just notified him last week that the connecting flight between Zim and Joberg is cancelled.. so he had to find another solution..

Airlines have sucked for a long time..

But they are taking the suck to a whole new level these days..

 

[wesheltonj]

Yep..

Cancellations arent the only silliness going on...

Qatar has changed my departure times from the US.. and from Doha for my trip to Joberg next month no less than 6 times over the past 6 months.. Ive gone from having a 2 hour layover in Doha to a 6 hour layover to a 3 hour layover, etc..

American has changed my flight times from the US to LHR and the connection from LHR to Dublin 3 times already.. and that trip isn't supposed to happen until October.. I originally had a 2.5 hour layover in London.. at present moment I've got an 8.5 hour layover in London..

A buddy that Im hunting with in South Africa next month is spending a week in Zim before linking up with us in SA.. BA hasn't jacked with his US to Zim flights.. but they just notified him last week that the connecting flight between Zim and Joberg is cancelled.. so he had to find another solution..

Airlines have sucked for a long time..

But they are taking the suck to a whole new level these days..

I've just been thru Heathrow and is it crazy. Going I was on BA metal and had to change from T5 to T3 made it with 10 minutes to spare. No lounge for me going. Returning on BA metal, all flights from T5, the lounges were on an advance booking only. When I finally got into The Aspire lounge in T5 there was really not that many people in it. They are limiting capacity to way under what it can hold comfortably. The Plaza Premium Club in T5 was a Zoo. Make sure you advance book your lounges. And they are limiting the amount of time in the lounges.

 

[buckshot85]

I guess taking an extra day or two vacation before and after is a good idea.

 

[mdwest]

I've just been thru Heathrow and is it crazy. Going I was on BA metal and had to change from T5 to T3 made it with 10 minutes to spare. No lounge for me going. Returning on BA metal, all flights from T5, the lounges were on an advance booking only. When I finally got into The Aspire lounge in T5 there was really not that many people in it. They are limiting capacity to way under what it can hold comfortably. The Plaza Premium Club in T5 was a Zoo. Make sure you advance book your lounges. And they are limiting the amount of time in the lounges.

Thats good gouge. Thanks!

ASSUMING I end up keeping an 8+ hour layover, I'll probably take the train into the city grab some breakfast (we land at 0630AM.. by the time we could clear the airport and catch the train some places would be opening.. )..

Been to London many times.. there's not much there I care to see honestly.. but.. If I give myself an hour to transit into the city (that should be way more than enough time), an hour to transit back... and plan on arriving back at Heathrow at least 2 hours early... That should still give me 4 hours to screw around in town... Maybe I'll try to spend a few hours at Rigby or H&H or something..

Just sitting on a park bench at Hyde Park beats sitting in Heathrow..

 

[Carbon300]

Thats good gouge. Thanks!

ASSUMING I end up keeping an 8+ hour layover, I'll probably take the train into the city grab some breakfast (we land at 0630AM.. by the time we could clear the airport and catch the train some places would be opening.. )..

Been to London many times.. there's not much there I care to see honestly.. but.. If I give myself an hour to transit into the city (that should be way more than enough time), an hour to transit back... and plan on arriving back at Heathrow at least 2 hours early... That should still give me 4 hours to screw around in town... Maybe I'll try to spend a few hours at Rigby or H&H or something..

Just sitting on a park bench at Hyde Park beats sitting in Heathrow..

Good plan… thats what I did on last trip. 12 hour layover in Frankfurt, got a hotel and a hot meal. That and a cold beer really makes it suck less.