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BA says officially ready for millennium

LONDON, July 7 (Reuters) - British Airways said on Wednesday it had been certified by independent Y2K assessors as offically ready for ``business as usual'' during the millennium period.

BA said officials appointed by the Civil Aviation Authority had given the airline a ``blue rating,'' which it said was the highest level that can be awarded under a compliance rating system of the UK government's millennium watchdog Action 2000.

``Public confidence in the British Airways' preparations for the year 2000 is at an all time high with more than half a million bookings already taken -- a 150 percent increase on the same period last year,'' the airline said in a statement.

It added that a 200-strong team had been working on the Y2K issue at British Airways for the past two years, committing more than 100 million pounds ($156.9 million) to the project.

($1 equals .6375 Pound)

-- Sista In 'Da Hood (Sista@Da.Hood), July 06, 1999

Answers

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0011rw

From the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_382000/382893.stm

Thursday, July 1, 1999 Published at 18:01 GMT 19:01 UK

UK pilots are refusing to fly over the New Year to any countries where air traffic control systems could be hit by the Millennium Bug.

"People will not have to worry about travelling from Britain to a country over the millennium because we ourselves will not fly to areas we may regard as unsafe," said Captain David Marshall, chairman of the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa).

The union, which has 7,000 members, is investigating aircraft, airports and control systems worldwide to ensure they are year 2000 compliant.

It has already given a clean bill of health to all Airbus and Boeing aircraft which make up the vast majority of passenger planes.

Pilots have recently expressed concern about the general level of air traffic control standards in parts of Africa and eastern Europe.

Balpa will publish its survey at the end of the month but does not want to name specific countries until it has evidence of potential problems.

"We are monitoring the situation very carefully and we will keep our members and the travelling public informed. We will ensure their safety," said Balpa general secretary Chris Darke.

And off-topic but related:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_383000/383547.stm

Thursday, July 1, 1999 Published at 22:33 GMT 23:33 UK

BA false alarm strikes again

The jet's 402 passengers were 'scared out of their wits'

British Airways has come under fire after 402 passengers were told that their jumbo jet was about to crash into the sea.

It was the third time in just four months that an emergency message was played in error.

The passengers, on a flight from London Heathrow to Los Angeles, were left stunned by the pre-recorded message, which was played twice.

The captain intercepted the message - which went out when the Boeing 747 400 was three hours from landing and flying at 35,000ft - and told travellers it was a false alarm.

BA - which describes itself as the world's favourite airline - gave all the passengers on flight BA279 a letter of apology upon arrival.

A BA spokeswoman said: "The captain quickly intercepted the announcement and obviously it should not have happened.

"We will be carrying out an emergency review to discover the cause.

"We are extremely concerned and are treating the matter seriously.

"We are writing to further reiterate our apologies to passengers. We will consider compensation but that is a matter between us and the passengers."

Passenger Susanne Jackson told Channel 4 news: "The first time there was calm. It was like when a fire alarm goes off you sort of ignore it at first but when it came over a second time I started to worry a little bit.''

This is just the latest in a growing line of false emergency alarms at BA.

The 400 passengers on board a 25 April flight from San Francisco to Heathrow were offered a box of chocolates as compensation after an emergency announcement warned them they were about to crash.

Some of the passengers on board the jumbo jet were so distressed the crew had to call for a doctor.

Last month passengers on board a Heathrow to Philadelphia flight were told their Boeing 777, which was cruising at 37,000ft over Ireland, was about to crash.

Tom Brake, Liberal Democrat aviation spokesman, said: "Passengers are entitled to more than a box of chocolates or a letter of apology to compensate them for being scared out of their wits.

"British Airways should pay substantial cash compensation to passengers for the distress they have suffered.

"British Airways must also review its security procedures to ensure these automated warning messages cannot be triggered accidentally or as a hoax."

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), July 01, 1999

Answers

You'd think that they would at least offer fresh knickers.

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), July 02, 1999.

-- just (trying@being.helpful), July 06, 1999.

User beware--Y2K compliance claims could be bogus

-- (@ .), July 06, 1999.

Good, the airline may be okay:

"It added that a 200-strong team had been working on the Y2K issue at British Airways for the past two years, committing more than 100 million pounds ($156.9 million) to the project."

Now, all the others have to finish. Why did they spend more so much than all of the US airlines? Are the US airlines not spending enough? Not testing enough?

Could be - I've only heard of ONE test on one type of aircraft in one company that did systems testing airborne: Continental, in a single 737, in a single flight, I believe.

Is that single success enough to assure widespread success in all aircraft by all makers in all classes at all companies and after all update status, when the NTSB is requiring replacement of thousands of wiring harnesses based on one (possible) spark in one (possible) fuel tank that caused one (possible) explosion?

But we know that the FAA has things well in hand. That they are honest and truthful in all things.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), July 07, 1999.

From the Electronic Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/et?ac=000154642417163&rtmo=qsuLebL9&atmo =99999999&pg=/et/99/7/7/nbul07.html#e

BA 'bug-free'

BRITISH AIRWAYS said yesterday its jets were free of the Millennium bug after the clocks on a special Heathrow-Nice flight ticked over from 11pm on Dec 31 1999 to Jan 1 and the aircraft's systems worked normally. Taskforce 2000, the watchdog, dismissed the exercise as a gimmick.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), July 07, 1999.

obviously norm's a buddhist,he's reincarnated!!!

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), July 08, 1999.