I had cause to pass through T5 last night following a diversion to LGW and a brief, but very pleasant stroll in the sunshine following our evacuation on TWY E.
Coach chartered to take us to LHR (T5). On leaving the M25, where do we go? No signs to indicate the correct route for coaches (i.e. we were not a scheduled service) but plenty saying don't go this way (height restrictions). Our driver followed a National Express coach on the premise that if he could fit, so could we!
Parked, and a very "nice" man told us to move on. No discussion, no advice, just move! Eventually after much pleading we were told to leave the airport and come back in and park in another place. He suggested upstairs at pax drop-off. He may well have been correct, but all the signs we saw for upstairs mentioned height restrictions and therefore decapitation for coach drivers and their pax. He also said we could park in bay 17 in another bus lane which is what we eventually did.
Got to bay 17 - no baggage trollies.
Went inside T5 and took the lift to the departure level. V. few staff and most positions closed. Those staff that were there were helpful, but gave conflicting advice so we were bounced from customer service to check-in to customer service.
Through to security. This was very disappointing. A brand new terminal and no "lessons learnt" seem to have been applied to security screening. Very cramped and inefficient, And where may I unpack my laptop, take my belt, and jacket and shoes off and then where do I go to reverse this process? Easy, just leave all my bits on the conveyor belt until I get round to them thus blocking the flow of pax. Great! I do wish more airport operators would see how this is managed at Brussels National (BRU).
Once through security I had time to visit the gents. I turned right after security, walked for 5-10 metres, then started to look for signs to the toilets. None to be seen. But did soon find toilets on the right. So, T5 has been open for 4 weeks and hopefully nice and shiny new toilets? No chance! The toilets and floors were dirty. It was obvious from the general dust and fluff from clothes/the atomsphere that clung to the porcelain (to say nothing of other.... I'll leave it to your imagination) that they had not been cleaned for some considerable time. Five, or was it six handbasins? No soap in any of the dispensers.
The colour of the floors in T5 seems a bad choice. The tan coloured tiles naturally look dirty. Mind you, they are! On every level and in every area, the floors were scuffed, dirty and covered in rubbish. Sweet wrappings, screwed up baggage labels, etc. To me it was impossible to believe this "show case" facility is just one month old. And when all the longhaul flights are eventually transferred? I do hope arrangements are set in place to ensure basic cleanliness and hygenic conditions exist. As for the present, they most certainly do not!
And finally, our flight had a minor (<20mins) delay. So time for a snack. Went to the Giraffe??? fast food outlet. Lovely staff. However, bearing in mind no soap in the toilets (and some people's complete antipathy to washing their hands at any time) I was not impressed by the fact that each table had a pot with cutlery jammed in to it and just the very tips of the "business" end protruding. So grubby hands have to root around selecting the knives, forks, spoons......How can this be allowed? Surely basic common sense and hygene should prohibit this?
This month I've flown 9 sectors. And what stands out? My stroll in the sunshine at LGW? No. Just a feeling of depression and sorrow at just how poorly T5 was presented to me/everyone yesterday evening. Shabby, dirty and unhygenic.
Oh dear!
Last edited by fat'n'grey; 23rd April 2008 at 08:21.