15 August 2006, 17:39
bwanamrmChrister,
I am actually flying through Heathrow this Monday on my way to Lusaka, Zambia. So far so good. I have been in touch with my travel agent daily and things are slowly easing up. I will post the latest advisory when I get it.
Good luck, good hunting,
Russell
British Airways welcomes the Government's announcement (Monday August 14), easing restrictions on hand baggage on flights departing all UK airports.
With effect from today the following UK airports have implemented the new hand baggage policy:
Aberdeen
Belfast City
Birmingham
Bristol
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Isle of Man
Inverness
Jersey
London City
Luton
Manchester
Newcastle
Southampton
Customers travelling from these airports will be able to take on board as hand baggage one cabin bag no bigger than 16cm by 35 cm by 45 cm. This is equivalent to a small laptop bag.
However, restrictions remain in place on the contents of cabin baggage:
Cabin baggage MUST NOT contain:
Any cosmetics
Any toiletries
Any liquids
Any drinks
However, cabin baggage CAN contain the following:
Electronic equipment, including laptops, mobile phones and portable music and DVD players,
Prescribed medicines in liquid form e.g. diabetic medicines
Baby milk and liquid baby food (the contents of each bottle MUST be tasted by the parent)
To help progress through the airport all customers are encouraged not to include items capable of containing liquids (e.g. bottles, flasks, cans etc.) in either their hand or checked baggage.
All electronic equipment will need to be removed from the item of hand baggage and screened separately. We recommend these items be packed carefully for easy removal at the security search point.
Pushchairs and walking aids will be permitted but must be x-ray screened.
Once in the departure lounge customers may purchase any item in any store and take it onto the aircraft as normal unless you are travelling to the USA.
For customers travelling to the USA, extra restrictions are in place - customers WILL NOT be permitted to take any liquid or gel items purchased in the departures lounge into the aircraft cabin. All food or beverage items must be consumed before boarding.
Customers travelling from London Heathrow and London Gatwick - Monday August 14:
BAA has stated that customers travelling through London Heathrow or London Gatwick today must:
Arrive with no hand luggage
Bring only those items currently allowed in cabin baggage in a clear plastic bag and be prepared for delays; for more detail please Click Here
With effect from this afternoon, BAA is also allowing mobile phones and car keys to be carried as hand baggage in the clear plastic bag.
Customers travelling from London Heathrow and London Gatwick - Tuesday August 15:
From 0430 (BST) tomorrow morning (Tuesday, August 15) the new hand baggage policy as detailed above will be fully implemented for passengers traveling from London Heathrow and London Gatwick.
Customers transferring through London Heathrow and London Gatwick
Please note, for customers travelling on UK domestic flights or transferring through London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports today the hand baggage rules may differ by airport due to the varying implementation times and dates by the airport authorities. We recommend customers do not carry hand baggage throughout their journey today to avoid delays.
PLEASE NOTE: The above update is based upon information received from UK airports. Further updates will be provided by BAA on their website (www.baa.com).
Flying programme for Monday August 14, 2006
London Heathrow
British Airways has complied with a BAA directive to all airlines to cancel 20 per cent of its shorthaul operation on Monday August 14 at London Heathrow as a result of continuing congestion at the airport.
British Airways is seeing some improvement to the airport’s operation and continues to work with BAA.
The airline has cancelled 12 European return flights departing from Heathrow Terminal 4 and 27 European and domestic return flights departing from Terminal 1.
There will also be five return longhaul cancellations.
British Airways anticipates that its flights that do operate will suffer delays.
For up-to-the-minute information on delays and cancellations, please click here .
The airline would like to apologise again to its customers whose travel plans are being disrupted. The airline is doing all it can to minimise flight delays and cancellations including working with the airport operator, BAA Heathrow.
Customers who do not have a valid ticket for travel on Monday 14 August should not come to the airport.
London Gatwick
The airline anticipates that it will operate a full European and longhaul schedule from London Gatwick however all domestic flights departing from the airport have been cancelled, excluding flights to Jersey.
BA Connect – UK regional services
BA Connect, the airline’s regional subsidiary, which operates from UK regional airports, is aiming to operate a full schedule, including London Gatwick to Inverness and Gatwick to Isle of Man services.
Flying programme for Tuesday August 15, 2006
The proposed schedule for Tuesday August 15 has been published with some cancellations for flights operating at Heathrow.
There are plans to operate a full longhaul and shorthaul schedule from Gatwick.
Flights that do operate remain subject to delays.
Customers should continue to check real time flight information to see if their flight is operating before travelling to the airport.
What to do if you are affected by this disruption
British Airways have put in place policies for customers directly affected by this disruption. Please Click Here
BA Holidays has issued a specific policy for customers holding package bookings or elements within a flight booking. For more details please Click Here
Delayed Baggage Claim Form
Customers who have arrived at their destination without their baggage can submit a claim form.
Click Here for details.
Tips for Travellers
Click Here for some useful tips for travellers during the current disruption.
Online Check-in
Customers are advised that Online check in is now available for all routes on ba.com.
I have seen NO flights cancelled to/from Houston or to/from Lusaka.
Also see :
http://www.tsa.gov/ Regarding the guns – I have faxed the info to BA – the reason for doing so is for them to check the caliber and make sure it is not considered MUW and if it is then they either approve it in your record (had one last week) or advise us by email or fax that they will not accept it. Yours are good to go. If you want to reduce the number it is not a problem. I would need to advise them if you change the type of gun !!
Susan
16 August 2006, 09:00
almostacowboyI just love the FAA. They are the world champs at closing the barn door after the horses are out.
"OK! All you middle-aged, upper middle-class white guys with your Purple Hearts and Viet Nam Campaign Ribbons who are declaring to the world that you have a legal hunting firearm: You will be subjected to the scrutiny of $9 per-hour-civil-servant-high-school-drop-out anti-hunters and social misfits for secondary, terciary, and quadri-centinial inspections. Once done, the baggage handlers will do their best to destroy your camera, binoculars, and previously advertised as "rhino-tuff" gun cases."
All the while, swarthy young men 19 to 38 years old, with one-way tickets and no luggage are waved around, over, and through security while infant carrying mothers are forced to drink their own expressed breast milk to prove it won't blow up.
I'm sorry. I get carried away.
Dave