The delay in the aircraft being towed from the runway was in fact that the Handling Agent who had 2 hours notice of the fact that the A340 would not be able to vacate could not get their act together !!!
They had 2 hours notice before arrival and even after the Full Emergency was declared at 06:45z by ATC it took them until 07:29z before a tug turned up. The aircraft had landed at 07:07z.
aircraft finally towed off at 07:46z causing an unecessary runway closure of 39 minutes.
ATC were so miffed about the delay they filed an MOR !!!
we do try and keep Heathrow moving but we are not helped sometimes .
