Why's that then Capot?
1) Why won't they do anything?
2) Why is the issue limited to BAA? They don't own all the airports and there are queues at all airports not just BAA airports.
3) Perhaps the UKBA told them the answer and it was an unassailable point they made?
4) I submit you influenced nothing - I suspect it was simply expedient to move the aforementioned person on and the reason suited. Poor form to mention this as well in an open forum. I bet you don't care to tell us which airport you managed?
You said;
We did not say, "Ah well, that's Customs, not our business, nothing we can do". For sound commercial reasons we wanted people to think highly of our airport, and we were not going to let any Government agency or officials get in our way. We had to go quite high up to do it, but that's never a problem..
Astonishing - so why is there a 'problem' if people like you exist?
I've read some old cobblers in my time - but this is right up there. You work to a commercial imperative - these people do not and why on earth should they. There is no profit per se in denying entry to criminals and smugglers - when you understand that not everyone thinks like this, then you will understand the issue at hand. I submit that for far too many years, the interests of business have undermined the interests of the state with obvious ramifications for us all as seen in the unfolding financial mess around us.
You may have customers Cabot - they have the travelling public and offenders. And until they've been spoken to and looked at, then no-one get's waved through simply because there is no profit in holding them up, I suspect that this is miles down their list. I also suspect you understand the cost of everything but the value of nothing. You clearly do not understand what border control is, the risk they work to and the peaks and troughs of traffic that determine staffing and cover. So a few flights arrive at once - do you deploy all your staff for those flights and leave nothing for later when it's busier? Or is it the fact that you were just pissed off because you had to wait for a bit?
1) I take it you've had access to the UKBA duty lists and flight schedules for the day in question?
2) I take it that you were fully aware of the target selection for the day that UKBA had tasked staff with?
3) I take it you are familiar with case load being conducted behind the scenes?
No, no and no.
Perhaps they started the shift with full staffing but cases were picked up that had to be investigated? Is it fairer to keep you waiting for 45 minutes or is it fairer to lock someone up for half a day that they might ultimately admit to the country, to get you through ASAP? What on earth do you think goes on? You sound like you managed a farm strip frankly.
I assume you have a some rudimentary knowledge of the work of the border control authorities? I'd be all for keeping people waiting for hours while they checked them out, their antecedence in terms of crossing a border is everything, their inability to get into an airside shop is utterly meaningless in that context.
Your ability to argue this point effectively is limited by your inability to answer my last 3 questions.
e-Borders will help you I suspect.
Last edited by qwertyplop; 1st Mar 2009 at 19:59.