Another problem to watch out for
I flew out of T5 yesterday, with a mere three hour delay, but mainly caused by a problem with the biometrics system. This could be a huge issue. Since domestic and airline passengers mix airside (because, allegedly, BAA wanted everyone to pass the expensive shops usually only available to international pax), the domestic ones have to have an 'iris' picture taken. When we eventually boarded our flight to Scotland, the Captain announced that some jobsworth in BAA had decided that we might have mixed with international passengers on the jetty (it was indeed chaos), and therefore we would have to take our belongings, get off, and go to another gate to do the boarding procedure again. It was right on the other side of the terminal at a coaching gate, where the earlier flight to the same destination was still boarding – so we got mixed up with them. More confusion. We reboarded but a dozen passengers were missing: seems they had almost reached the new gate when BAA made an announcement that the flight was closing – but at the original gate! So they went back. Then the biometrics system rejected them for some reason, so they were denied boarding and the Captain announced their baggage might have to be removed. Presumably they hit the roof and insisted on travelling, which they did. A very angry, frustrated and scathing pilot announced that incredibly, "in a £4bn terminal, only five or so gates have a bimoetrics system". This one could run and run...