Originally Posted by
Musket90
So while landing early may be nice for the passengers and crew it can often seriously affect others on the ground.
Sorry guys this just does not cut it. Example :
BA Heathrow to St Petersburg, Russia, a couple of months ago. Arrives early due to good tailwind. No BA staff, they use a handling agent. Airport where they have had no investment in ground equipment etc for years (example, Follow Me ramp vehicle is still an old Lada, but they are always waiting for you). Huge blizzard in progress, active snowploughing of both ramp and taxiways is going on, Lada leads us by alternative taxi route. Straight to gate, everybody standing round (yes, in the snow, big coats, hats and gloves on) and ready, ALL ramp equipment on hand. Same going on at adjacent gates as well, it was quite busy. Bags and pax all start unloading in a minute, fuel truck positioning, etc. bags on belt inside terminal in 10-15 minutes, before most are even through immigration. Terminal from the 1950s but everything neat and clean.
BA St Petersburg to Heathrow a few days later, lands somewhat ahead of time, nice CAVOK day, gets held up taxiing to gate but approaches there pretty much to the minute. Holds for 10 minutes as nobody on stand. Eventually taxies in, another 15 minutes to get the door open. Five staff, all the wheelchair team etc, all in the jetway and had been hanging round for an age but nobody qualified on the jetway itself. Walk down through terminal where, as ever, all the ceiling tiles have been ripped out yet again to expose he wiring - and just left with nobody working. Wait at belt over 45 minutes for first bags. Very few bags coming through anywhere in the hall at all, it was quite quiet.
You see, read that quote at the start again. It's the attitude that is key, not what resources you have or have not got.