Does anybody have alternatives to the 0870 numbers for arrivals and departures info - particularly for Heathrow or Gtawick?

I have complained twice to BAA about its lack of geographic numbers and the difficulty people have in contacting its airports from overseas. After a lengthy call with one of its managers, I could only conclude that BAA did not give a toss about people from overseas and it would not provide a geographic number. Its argument was that all the info is available through its web site and for those that cannot route to 0870 - tough. It is almost as arrogant as the DVLA.

I have tried complaining to the AUC (Air Transport Users Council) but this will not entertain my complaint as I am not a UK resident. The AUC doesn't give a stuff that I am a British citizen. I have also complained to the Department of Transport which has so far not replied.

What a completely crappy country the UK has become. I suggest you complain to the AUC, pointing out that it is actually cheaper to call, for example, JFK airport in New York than it is to call London's Heathrow airport. You could also point out that BAA has an obligation to those who are overseas to provide fair and non discriminatory access to its telephone center.

I can imagine that if there is ever an air accident in the UK, the cretins at BAA would give out a revenue-generating number.

I am pleased I do not have to live in this poor excuse for a country with seemingly every organization now on the make with these greedy numbers. The contrast with here, the US, couldn't be more stark. Banks, transport, government, support lines, sales, after sales, in fact almost every business operates a toll-free number.

What a joke the UK and its telecommunication regulator have become.

The initial reply from BAA is shown below (what a pile of crap). It really does demostrate the ignorance that prevails in a so called advanced and developed nation.

>>>>

I am sorry that there has been a delay in replying to you.

I have spoken to the Call Centre Manager today and he has made enquiries
and understands that we can be reached from abroad with the international
dialling code entered in front of our number, as long as the first 0 is
removed from 0870.

Depending on who your service provider is eg: AT&T or Packard Bell (a
reputable provider for the country) you will be able to contact us easily.
If you use a less well known service provider, you may experience
difficulty.  I am sorry if this is the situation you have found yourself
in.

Direct dial telephone numbers are available for business or customer
contacts to use, if they need to talk regularly with a particular member of
staff.

I hope this has clarified the situation.  Please contact me again via e
mail if you have difficulty getting through on the telephone.

Hi there!

Firstly, I agree about the lack of geo numbers available from the cretins at BAA & I do believe, that they are a slice short of a loaf and show a complete lack of helpfulness when dealing with the general public in relation to communication problems.   Anyhow, I will be going to Gatwick on January 29th 2005 and I will do my utmost to find a geo number from a member of staff.  

WE NEED A GEO number when phoning from overseas!!!

James Bond

I have been to Gatwick airport today ( Saturday January 29th 2005 ), and the staff there do not understand in any shape or form about 0870 numbers - dipsticks.  It looks likes BAA has brain washed their staff too, however I did collect a feedback form and I will address to the Chairman of BAA!  As soon as I have received the reply, I will post the details on this site.

James Bond

The number for Heathrow used to be 020 8759 4321. Unfortunately, that number now gives the BT lady telling us the number has changed to the 0870 number.

Likewise, Gatwick used to be 01293 535353, but again a similar message.

That means the underlying geographical numbers are likely to be ones that have never been listed, so we either need trial and error, or inside information!

Cynically, BAA offers geographic numbers in addition to its rip off numbers
for both its shopping information line and for booking LHR hotels.
Presumably this is to aid callers from overseas as both services will
potentially add to its profits. When it comes to providing a service to the
public about flight information, that is a service that BAA has to pay for,
it cannot be bothered to provide a geographic number for those overseas. It
doesn't care. It admitted this to me when I spoke to its Service Delivery
manager at LHR. What a sad indictment of a public service provider in the
UK. I feel that these rip off numbers will eventually disappear, and I will
enjoy gloating to the idiots at BAA and the DVLA in particular when they are
forced to provide real numbers.


Shopping Information Line
Tel 0870 000 1 000 (UK) or +44(0)121 410 5105 (from outside the UK)

Book Heathrow Hotels
Tel 0870 050 0808 or
+44 (0)116 261 8251(outside the UK)

wrote on Jan 29^th, 2005 at 4:22pm:

The number for Heathrow used to be 020 8759 4321.

8759 is the old SKYport exchange and, whilst I do not  >:( advocate dialling numbers at random this may prompt others that recognise or remember groups and so on.

But, yes, we do need an internal 'phone book - as well as sharp-eyed visitors.

Most of the numbers at Heathrow are either 8759 or 8745. The fax number is +44 (0)20 8745 4290, so it could be near to that.

I actually found the old number by searching for 0181 745 as it could only find old pages, where the geographical number might still have been in use. A useful tip for people looking for London numbers.

has anybody asked the press office?

NB: the BAA.com web site lists: 0207-384-9449 as its company no!

Main switchboard numbers    

Heathrow Airport Tel: +44 (0)870 000 0123
Gatwick Airport  Tel: +44 (0)870 000 2468
Stansted Airport Tel: +44 (0)870 000 0303
Glasgow Airport  Tel: +44 (0)870 040 0008
Edinburgh Airport Tel: +44 (0)870 040 0007
Aberdeen Airport  Tel: +44 (0)870 040 0006
Southampton Airport  Tel: +44 (0)870 040 0009
Corporate office Tel: +44 (0)20 7834 9449

Some more info:

Heathrow Airport
Public Affairs Manager
Heathrow Airport
234 Bath Road, Hayes
Middlesex UB3 5AP
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)20 8745 4648
Fax +44 (0)20 8745 6061
 
Gatwick Airport
Public Affairs Manager
Gatwick Airport
West Sussex RH6 ONP
United Kingdon
Tel +44 (0)1293 504888
Fax +44 (0)1293 503789

 
Stansted Airport
Ralph Meloy
Government Relations Manager
Stansted Airport
Enterprise House
Bassingbourne Road
Stansted Airport
Essex CM24 1QW
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)1279 663723
Fax +44 (0)1279 662971
Email ralph_meloy@baa.com
 
Scottish Airports
Malcolm Robertson
Parliamentary Affairs Manager
Scottish Airports Ltd
29 Drumsheugh Gardens
Edinburgh EH3 7RN
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)131 272 2131
Fax +44 (0)131 272 2112
Email malcolm_robertson@baa.com  
 
Corporate office
Liam Curran
Government Relations Manager
BAA plc
130 Wilton Road
London SW1V 1LQ
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)20 7932 6635
Fax +44 (0)20 7932 6783
Email liam_curran@baa.com

Stephen Hardwick
Director Public Affairs
BAA plc
130 Wilton Road
London SW1V 1LQ
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)20 7932 6608
Fax +44 (0)20 7932 6783
Email stephen_hardwick@baa.com

Heathrow Airport Press Office
BAA Heathrow
Heathrow Point West
234 Bath Road
Hayes, Middlesex UB3 5AP
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)20 8745 7224
Fax +44 (0)20 8745 6061
Email heathrowpressoffice@baa.com

 
Gatwick Airport Press Office
BAA Gatwick
7th Floor, South Roof Office Block
Gatwick Airport
West Sussex RH6 0NP
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)1293 505000
Fax +44 (0)1293 503794
Email gatwickpressoffice@baa.com

 
Stansted Airport Press Office
BAA Stansted
Enterprise House
Stansted Airport
Essex CM24 1QW
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)1279 680534
Fax +44 (0)1279 662971
Email stanstedpressoffice@baa.com
 
Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen Airports' Press Offices
BAA Scottish Airports
29 Drumsheugh Gardens
Edinburgh EH3 7RN
United Kingdon
Tel +44 (0)131 272 2111
Fax +44 (0) 131 272 2112
Email scottishairportspressoffice@baa.com
 
Southampton Airport Press Office
BAA Southampton
Southampton Airport
Hampshire SO18 2NL
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)23 8062 7141
Fax +44 (0)23 8062 7234
Email southamptonpressoffice@baa.com
 
Heathrow Express Press Office
Heathrow Express
30 Eastbourne Terrace
Paddington, London
W2 6LE
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)20 8750 6622
Fax +44 (0)20 8750 6690
 
Corporate Press Office
BAA plc
130 Wilton Road
London SW1V 1LQ
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)20 7932 6654
Fax +44 (0)20 7932 6659
Email newsdesk@baa.com

useful article here

I have a 01914907901 for B.A. telephone number, there call center is in Newcastle! hope this helps. ;D

It's nice to know that the UK regulator really doesn't give a stuff about a customer being able to contact a major international airport by telephone and would rather abdicate its responsibility than investigate the problem. Shameful. The reply below is from the Head of Policy Services, Civil Aviation Authority.


>>>

I refer to your latest message dated 4 February 2005 to the AUC and the CAA
in connection with the difficulties you have experienced with the telephone
numbering system in use at the British Airports Authority.

I regret that there is very little the CAA or the AUC can do to help you in
these particular circumstances.

The AUC has already advised you that the assistance that they provide is
limited to UK residents in connection with flights contracted in the UK.
The emphasis of this limitation is on the contractual arrangements rather
than whether or not you are resident in the UK.  The AUC does not have the
resources available to be able to provide advice or assistance to anyone on
any aviation related matter and, therefore limits, out of necessity, its
work on passenger complaints to contracts for air transport services made in
the UK.

The CAA has powers under the Airports Act 1986 to investigate complaints
against the largest airports in the UK. However, the CAA's powers are
limited to complaints about "relevant activities" as defined by the Act.
Relevant activities covers the provision at the airport of any services or
facilities for the purposes of:

the landing, parking or taking off of aircraft;
the servicing of aircraft (including the supply of fuel); and
the handling of passengers or their baggage or of cargo at all
stages while on airport premises (including the transfer of passengers,
their baggage or cargo to and from aircraft.

Your complaint does not appear to fall within this definition and the CAA is
not, therefore, able to help you.  You may try the Office of Fair Trading,
which does have powers to deal with some consumer issues.

You did not mention in your messages to us the reason why you needed to
contact the BAA, but I suggest you try contacting the BAA's corporate
office, details of which are provided on their web site.  I note that the
Corporate Office telephone number is a normal geographic number.

Finally, I would like to clarify your point about the funding of the CAA and
the AUC.  The AUC is funded directly by the CAA.  Under the Civil Aviation
Act 1982, the CAA is required to recover its costs from those it regulates.
The UK taxpayer does not, therefore, fund the CAA (or the AUC) except in the
rare circumstances when the CAA carries out some of the functions of the
Secretary of State for Transport on his behalf, for which the CAA's costs
are reimbursed.

I have finally had a reply from BAA.  It is as followsalong with my reply:

From:
Laura_Seesarun@baa.com

Thank you for taking the time to complete one of our customer feedback cards.

It is standard practice with most organisations to use non-geographic numbers, as it means that everyone is charged the same price to call us.
Otherwise people are who are not in the local area to Gatwick would be charged more for calling us than someone within the local area.

I would like to apologise if you do not agree with this policy but we have to consider the needs of all our passengers which I am sure you can imagine is a very difficult task.

Thank you for raising your concerns with us. We place great importance on customer feedback which enables us to monitor and improve services provided by both ourselves and our business partners.

With regards,

My reply to BAA:

Thank you for replying to my feedback form.

I must take this matter further, in as much that I do not believe you fully understand what BAA is charging the customer or anyone else who has to telephone Gatwick airport, when they are forced to use these extortionate
prefixed non-geographic and premium rate number.  Do you realise, that whenever anyone phones Gatwick airport a high proportion of the cost of the
call goes to BAA - money making, and this is just not on.  Why should anyone pay twice to find out about a flight, in as much that the telephone subscriber pays for the call, and the likes of BAA just has to take a large
slice of the call ?  BAA has many other money making ventures within the airport industry, and does not need to extort money out of people ( your customers ) who either do not have access to a PC and / or are to old to
learn, when they need to contact the airport to find out if a plane is on time.  Secondly, when I am abroad, I am unable to contact Gatwick or any other airport run by BAA, because the overseas telephone networks refuse to connect because it is a premium rate number, however I can easily telephone any other airport any where in the world when I am in the UK.  This seems a
little strange, does it not ?  I do believe, that you personally may not wish to understand the cost conscientious of this subject of what I am
getting over.

I would like you to look, if at all possible at the following links and you may understand as to what I am trying to advise you.

http://www.alphatelecom.com/uk/cps_rates.aspx

http://www.superline.co.uk/prices.html

http://www.onetel.co.uk/index.php/callrates/plan,standarduktalk/view,national

http://www.bt.com/Pricing/pis_info.jsp?PRICE_OPTION=Residential/PIS_Specialised_Numbers/innertext/&showsub=PIS_Residential&showsub2=PIS_Specialised_Numbers&c_index=08

I also attach the price list from NTL.

Finally, I do think that the majority of passengers would agree in having
geographic numbers, and not extortionate prefixed non-geographic and premium
rate numbers.  I personally do not telephone any company which has any
premium rate numbers, as this is quite simply extortion.

Kindly pass these comments to the management at BAA, and ask them who is the
customer ?  The passengers are the customers, and the customers are king!

wrote on Feb 26^th, 2005 at 12:08pm:

... I can easily telephone any other airport any where in the world when I am in the UK. ...

It probably costs you less to call a foreign airport from the UK than it costs to call a British airport.  ::)

You're dead right !!!!

wrote on Feb 26^th, 2005 at 12:08pm:

It is standard practice with most organisations to use non-geographic numbers, as it means that everyone is charged the same price to call us. Otherwise people are who are not in the local area to Gatwick would be charged more for calling us than someone within the local area. I would like to apologise if you do not agree with this policy but we have to consider the needs of all our passengers which I am sure you can imagine is a very difficult task.

Whenever I see a reply in this vein I wonder, do they really believe this, are they aware that BT and almost all operators charge the same for local and national calls (and have done for quite a while now), and are they aware of the revenue sharing?

Of course, an 0870 number is in the interests of none of their customers. The only party that benefits is BAA.

wrote on Feb 26^th, 2005 at 3:40pm:

Whenever I see a reply in this vein I wonder, do they really believe this, are they aware that BT and almost all operators charge the same for local and national calls (and have done for quite a while now), and are they aware of the revenue sharing?

BAA is lying. I had a long conversation with a BAA 'manager' last year and he admitted 0870 revenue was used to offset the running costs of the service. He didn't really have an answer for the difficulty faced by callers from overseas other than they can use the web site. The manager had a very good understanding of NGNs and 0870 and how they operated. I have tried to complain to the CAA who referred me to the AUC, a part of the CAA that deals with the public. The AUC will not entertain my complaint as I am not a UK resident! What kind of service is this?! Just because I don't live in the UK doesn't mean that I can't complain about a service. I am raising this with my MP - as a registered overseas voter, I am entitled to representation. I suggest anyone who feels strongly about this writes to the CAA, AUC and the Department of Transport pointing out that, for a BT customer with International Option, it is cheaper to call Auckland airport, JFK airport and Sydney airport than it is to call Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted airport during the weekend daytime. When will the idiots at Ofcom wake up to this fact? It's a shame that FOI doesn't apply to the likes of BAA - they exist to serve us, the public, yet they can hide behind these rip-off numbers.

All BAA Gatwick numbers begin 01293 50xxxx - therefore ask for the internal extention number of the phone you want as they all have DDI's.

Internally the switchboard is 100 - i'm assuming you've tried the obvious 500100 and 500000.

Baa also have a head office in london, Business Support and Heathrow, Stanstead etc. Don't ring the wrong person or use random ext's but the switchboard is just that, once you know which dept it is and have spoken to them once, people you speak to reguarly will have a geographic number - so whats the problem.