Heathrow Closed Gates versus Open Plan
Flying as I do a lot through Heathrow, I have come to regard each terminal as its own airport. They really are like five separate worlds.
So my question is this: Why does BAA continue with the separate gated areas even in the new A380 areas at Terminal 3 when there is never enough room to sit everyone down and any delay involves no toilet facilities or access to food and drink! I was astonished to find this system still in play at Terminal 3 last week, which STILL looks like a building site down the pier with Gates 26-42 as it did in June 2007 when I was last through.
I know T2 and the old parts of T1 have these restricted access gates but T4, the Europier and T5 have no such thing. Yet T3, which for many is their only experience of Heathrow, continues with this madness. Is there a reason why the freedom of the T5 approach would not have worked in the A380 pier? There's sure as Hell not enough room to seat 500+ people in the gate room.
The Business Class traveller next to me was rightly appalled to be trapped in the rat trap at Gate 36 for an hour as the fuellers were late turning up. Is T3 to remain like this forevermore?
Cheers!