Weather & Technical Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

[lbaspotter]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

Looking at the DSA web site, the flight on Friday to Lapland is either cancelled or flying from another airport, feel sorry for the kids.

Wel you maybe pleased or not to know that Astreaus will be operating the flight that was planned to leave Doncaster-Sheffield tomorrow morning from Manchester instead as AEU705 @ 10:00 to Enontekio with Boeing 737-300, SP-HAA been the said machine in use.

 

[lbaspotter]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

Hi

I've just been imformed that Doncaster-Sheffield Airport will remain SNOW CLOSED until 10am on Sunday 05/12/10 at the earliest.

What are they clearing the snow off the runway with down there? Or are they just watching it thaw out natually....

Here's the offical press release form the DSA website: http://www.robinhoodairport.com/

IMPORTANT INFORMATION - Weather Update

Last Updated 3rd December 2010 at 10.15am

Due to ongoing adverse weather conditions, Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield is expected to remain closed until 10.00am Sunday 5th December 2010.

Passengers due to fly should check the latest information about their route directly with the Airline or Tour Operator before setting off for the airport.

For airline and tour operator contact details, please click here.

Next update is expected at 10.00am on Sunday 5th December 2010. If you are due to fly over the next couple of days, please contact your airline or tour operator for information.

 

[White Heather]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

I have to say I think this is really poor and they cannot be surprised if airlines are reluctant to fly from DSA if it takes them all week to clear the runway/taxiways (or not clear them). The fact that they have very few flights scheduled does not justify just leaving the snow. If other airports can clear it, then they should be able to also. Do they actually have sufficient snow clearing equipment or is the reason for this that they have not invested in enough machinery to be able to do the job?

It would be interesting to know the situation if anyone knows, particularly bearing in mind that Durham Tees Valley also remains closed, along with Humberside. All three are similar in that they have a very limited number of flights per day.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

I heard today that it could be as late as Sunday before DSA re-opens.

 

[lbaspotter]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

I heard today that it could be as late as Sunday before DSA re-opens.

Yep its true and also comfirmed Aviador. I posted the message thats on the DSA website earlier on here. See a couple of messages above......

 

[Aviador]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

I heard today that it could be as late as Sunday before DSA re-opens.

Yep its true and also comfirmed Aviador. I posted the message thats on the DSA website earlier on here. See a couple of messages above......

Sorry me bad. :sad:

 

[muddycoffee]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

I have to say I think this is really poor and they cannot be surprised if airlines are reluctant to fly from DSA if it takes them all week to clear the runway/taxiways (or not clear them). The fact that they have very few flights scheduled does not justify just leaving the snow. If other airports can clear it, then they should be able to also. Do they actually have sufficient snow clearing equipment or is the reason for this that they have not invested in enough machinery to be able to do the job?

It would be interesting to know the situation if anyone knows, particularly bearing in mind that Durham Tees Valley also remains closed, along with Humberside. All three are similar in that they have a very limited number of flights per day.

I think this is a little harsh.
I have just got home after a week on a training course in St.Albans. And I saw all the snow situation developing in the south yorkshire area on the national and London news. Even the london news had reports from the A57 near worksop and sheffield because this was some of the most severe weather in england.

As we drove home it was noticeable how the snow effectively began between nottingham and chesterfield. With all this in mind and the utter traffic chaos due to the extremely low tempratures and volume of snow it is a pretty good idea that DSA should be shut for the weather.
Clearly it would be safer and more feasable to use other airports while the region is under such a severe and unusual attack of weather.

The snow appears to be in stripes across the UK. Below london, gatwick was closed because of this, then where we were just above london it wasn't bad then back up north we have the same problems in a stripe which takes in DSA.

In previous years other airports have had this problem where DSA has been clear. I am sure I have heard that LeedsBradford usually suffers from worse weather than DSA, it is just that this year it has been DSA's turn to get the weather.

 

[pug]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

HUY has seen very severe weather, yet opened again yesterday. They also have very limied equipment.

 

[White Heather]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

LBA has had loads of snow muddycoffee, but has been cleared and re-opened several times this week, whilst DSA has remained closed. There is no reason why DSA should stay closed right through until Sunday, which must be what, 4 or 5 days snow closed? The last severe snowfall was probably Wednesday, and believe me, despite the fact that the media concentrated on South Yorkshire, it was bad here too. Remember also that LBA's runway is higher than DSA so tends to get more snow than the rest of the Leeds area.

The point I am trying to make, is that last winter, when it snowed, DSA did not clear its runway and took a commercial decision to just leave it. They appear to have done the same again this year, not only at DSA, but at Durham Tees Valley too, which has also had all its flights cancelled since mid week. That is no way to run an airport. Sometimes it is necessary to make a loss by doing what is necessary to keep a service going. Gatwick was closed for a couple of days, but consider the apron areas, taxiways and runway areas they had to clear compared to DSA?

Had they been out there trying to clear the snow whilst it was covering over again as they did it, I could accept it, but they have been saying it will not open for a day or two since midweek, which at best sounds defeatist. It cannot be a co-oincidence in my view that the two airports that remain snow closed at Doncaster and Durham. Sorry if that seems harsh - but I just cannot see any reason whey it should take 4 days to open again.

 

[muddycoffee]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

Assuming DSA has the same snow as I have here in south sheffield, the worst I have seen for 15 or 20 years. I live 50 yards from a main road but am not planning to get the car out over the weekend at all. Myself and 5 or 6 neighbours have spent much of the morning digging out our cars and trying to make the road safe for work next week.
Almost all the plastic gutters have been smashed by the snow coming off the roof and I have never seen snow this extreme. Certainly since the 1970s when I remember more regular snow falls.
Most of my friends have not been able to get to work this week, something which has not happened in the last 20 years. I fully expect that one of the problems at DSA is that hardly anyone has been able to get to work there.

 

[wawkrk]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

I made the point on another forum similar to Heathers and was attacked because the worlds biggest mega runway cannot be cleared quickly.So I enquired why does it need to be cleared to the full 60m width unless you have squadrons of fighters taking off 2 and 3 abreast.Also, does it need to be cleared full length?I don't really know.
I know for sure at LBA some Winters the cleared strip to 30m wide allowed some flights to land.
Proabably I said the wrong thing by saying at least not many flights will be affected.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

wawkrk

I don't know what caused the delay at Doncaster but four or five days does seem a long time to get the airport open especially after the snow has stopped falling. At LBA the company put essential staff into local hotels to ensure they could get to work. Peel may not have had that as an option at Doncaster. Else where the BBC reported that Gatwick airport had sent 4 x 4 vehicles out to pick staff up from their home.

As far as I am aware it is possible to clear only part of the runway. The airport would need to declare new available distances, obviously not all aircraft would be able to accept them. It is also worth remembering that if an aircraft can land it also needs to be able to taxi to stand safely.

It is possible Doncaster airport just didn't have the staffing or resources to carry out the job properly. Another possibility is the snow could have become compacted meaning the runway would have become almost impossible for the conventional ploughs and brushes to clear it. Whatever is the case the airport may have to re look at it's snowplan for the rest of the winter to see if improvements can be made.

 

[wawkrk]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

Now closed until Monday

 

[Aviador]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

Oh dear. I'm starting to think the compacted snow theory is the most likely possibility.

 

[DonnyLad]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

The problem is now, with nearly a week of lost flights is the negative press, and the stories from the thousands effected.
Look at the Facebook group, most saying they will never fly from DSA again. With an airport with less than a million pax a year, this kind of press could do serious damage to the future.
Also what hope now for potential new airlines or airlines expanding when things like this happen.
Preperation Prevents Poor Performance.

 

[White Heather]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

Well is it compacted snow at Durham Tees Valley too? If so, it seems odd that these two (Peel) airports have a different type of snow to everyone else. As for the weather conditions, there are still roads covered in snow around the areas of Leeds near the airport, and many people have yet to get their cars out, but the airport cleared the runway 3 days ago now. By the time DSA re-opens, the snow will probably have melted on its own! Sorry, but there is no excuse for an airport being closed for the best part of 5 days after the last snow-fall.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

White Heather, compacted snow closed LBA for a week back in the 90's. The airport had to draft specialist equipment in if I remember correctly.

 

[ryan]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

Do these people criticising DSA for being closed really think that it's in DSAs interest to remain closed for so long? I'm sure the management are doing everything they can to re-open. As with any business, they earn more being open than closed! Anyone in Doncaster knows how much snow we've had over the past few days - the town was virtually shut, and even now, buses aren't going around their full routes. Most people, even today haven't even dared take their cars off their own drives. And that's on less exposed areas than an airport runway. Waiting until the snow melts may very well be the most sensible thing - they may be able to clear the runway, but where do they put the snow? It was well publicised on the news that South Yorkshire had had some of the worst snow in the country, so anyone not living in South Yorkshire isn't really qualified to comment on the situation in my opinion!

 

[ryan]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

Look at the Facebook group, most saying they will never fly from DSA again.

Very damaging - a group viewed by 505 people, with about 50 comments, from about 10 people.


Yes, Facebook is very influential in making a non-X Factor Christmas No.1 happen, but causing serious damage to a regional airports passengers, no.

 

[White Heather]

Re: Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

I respect the opinions of everyone supporting DSA, however, I have been to South Yorkshire this week, and I can see no difference in the type of snow down there compared to what we had in West Yorkshire. Come on now! What makes anyone think that up here, just 40 miles away, it is a different type of snow compared to down there. Same conditions, same sea the clouds came over, same snow, and I do not believe that the snow at DSA just compacted itself, or that it did the same at Durham, which was also closed for too long. The fact is that DSA openly decided last winter not to clear the runway as a commercial decision, and nothing has been said so far by either the airport, or anyone on here, to suggest that they haven't done the same again this year, at both DSA and Durham Tees Valley. The fact remains, that every other airport in the country, even those in Scotland and the North East (where they have had far deeper snow that anywhere in Yorkshire) has cleared their runways and re-opened. It will however, be interesting to see the reaction of airlines since they are the ones who can really hit back if they feel an airport hasn't done enough.

No more comments from me on this one as I realise I am 'playing away from home' and going to get a hammering from the home fans. Lets hope the airport is open again on Monday and it doesn't move back another day.