I am fascinated to know at which UK airport Capot's customer focussed skills made any difference to what was, I suspect in his days as an airport manager, HMI's staffing or service levels.
I've worked at just about every UK airport handling over 1m passengers a year (exceptiond might be SOU and Newquay if they are in those figures); and can say that border control has been a problem for years and years.
However, I have also worked at numerous US airports and had the misfortune to land at several more and believe we have some way to go to get to their inhumane standards.
I actually agree that an airport operator has responsibility to take poor service, be it private or state, to the respective management.
I agree that the staff on border control have an unenviable job and one that I would not want to do.
I concur that many travellers, including myself, will do almost anything to avoid transfers through LHR or LGW; even CDG is better.
Despite long queing times I have always found the actual officers of UKBA very pleasant and courteous; heaven knows how they remain so polite with the never ending throng waiting for their turn to pass past their desk.
What makes my blood boil (sadly, I have no cat to kick to relieve the tension) is the lack of willingness of our politicians and UKBA senior management to invest in the staffing levels required to ensure that a good service is provided as part of 'product UK'.
Rant over.
GH