Terminal 5 at Heathrow

[Vagabond]

From the Press Association

What was supposed to be a triumphant opening for business for Heathrow's new £4.3 billion Terminal 5 (T5) descended into travel chaos, with cancelled flights and long baggage-collection delays.

 

With staff apparently struggling to cope with the demands of the new building, British Airways had to cancel 34 flights in total. These included services to Munich, Frankfurt, Paris and Brussels as well as flights to Glasgow and Aberdeen.

 

Despite a much-trumpeted new sophisticated baggage system, some passengers had to wait more than two hours to collect their bags after flying into the new terminal.To add to the problems, computer difficulties also meant that there was a problem with bags on departing flights in the morning, with three flights leaving without luggage on board.

 

British Airways, which has exclusive use of the new terminal, said it had had

 

"a few minor problems"

 

A delayed flight is a "minor problem"

 

Leaving baggage behind is also a "minor problem"

(although perhaps not to the passengers affected)

 

A cancelled flight is surely a "Major Problem" (like the knock-on effect of the aircraft not being at the other end for the return flight.)

 

...and THIRTY FOUR cancelled flights suggests ineptitude of a major order.

Edited March 27, 2008 by Vagabond

[Elton]

I watched a programme about th building of T5 the other night. It went into great detail about how good the baggage system was, and how there was a COMPLETE back-up system if it should ever fail....

[chesters1]

i think its because theres a runway missing ,with a third one installed i'm sure it would run fine ,now all they have to do is find a way of getting it installed without raising suspicion

[kleinboet]

Chesters - The one thing BAC is trying desperately to overlook is the fact that the ACA (which is THE Air Authority) has already said that there CANNOT be another runway as British airspace will not allow it - they say that any more aircraft would "seriously compromise safety" of aircraft landing and taking off.

BAC must not be allowed to "overlook" this fact!

[Newt]

Heathrow is not the first to have some minor startup issues.

 

More details at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver_International_Airport but here are a few highlights.

In September 1989, under the leadership of Denver Mayor Federico Peña, federal officials authorized the outlay of the first $60 million for the construction of DIA. Two years later, Mayor Wellington Webb inherited the megaproject, scheduled to open on October 29, 1993.

..................

Delays caused by poor planning and repeated design changes due to changing requirements from United Airlines caused Mayor Webb to push opening day back, first to December 1993, then to March 1994.

...................

In April 1994, the city invited reporters to observe the first test of the new automated baggage system. Reporters were treated to scenes of clothing and other personal effects scattered beneath the system's tracks, while the actuators that moved luggage from belt to belt would often toss the luggage right off the system instead. The mayor cancelled the planned May 15 opening

.......................

[five bellies]

But Is any one realy,Truely,in the slightest bit Amazed that It fell on its arse.

 

Im ashamed to say I wasnt

 

Being a British you get used to being Embarassed. Grandly on an international stage.

[Elton]

But Is any one realy,Truely,in the slightest bit Amazed that It fell on its arse.

 

Im ashamed to say I wasnt

 

Being a British you get used to being Embarassed. Grandly on an international stage.

 

Yeah. Can't wait for the Olympics

[Vagabond]

Heathrow is not the first to have some minor startup issues.

 

More details at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver_International_Airport but here are a few highlights.

 

Yes, but at least the mayor of Denver applied common sense

 

The mayor cancelled the planned May 15 opening

 

By contrast, BA were in denial.

 

.....like the silly lie by the BA PR staff "we experienced a few minor problems"

 

Like a four-year-old with jam smeared over face and hands "I didn't eat the jam tarts Mummy"

 

They are promising it will be back to normal today - Yeh, like just 20% of the flights cancelled

[five bellies]

I heard on the Radio that a BA air stewardess was Jostled and abused as she crossed the Concourse of T5 she was reduced to tears, This was while the senior managment of BA & BAA where at a party slaping each other on the back over a job well done.

[captain cojones]

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society...ng-20080328826/

 

richard branson was amused apparently!