Passenger Assistance - comparison of airports
Last November we decided to indulge ourselves and fly Business Class to Australia._ It was a big mistake._ Or probably our mistake was choosing Thai Airways._ We had entré to the Heathrow business lounge and could help ourselves to entrées and coffee and wine - all gratis._ When we entered the lounge we were asked if we needed a buggy to take us to the gate - and at 40 minutes before take-off the receptionist presented herself to us to announce that our buggy awaits._ But at Bangkok there was no buggy._ The Business Lounge at Bangkok was excellent._ But there is not a buggy system._ Bangkok is of course a hub for Thai Airways which meant that we walked more than two kilometres to get to the gate for our next flight._ On our long walk (with frequent collapses made difficult because there are virtually no seats along the 2 kilometre walk) we saw no buggies.
In Melbourne a friend whose judgement we respect told us that there were buggies in Bangkok airport._ Bangkok is enormous and has satellite terminals that reach out like gargantuan octopus legs, so I can only suppose that one or two of the "octopus legs" of this airport are different._ There must have been pressure from top airlines on the airport._ I presume that a few of these octopus-legs were designed for buggies and that aircraft stands in these buggy-served areas are at a premium (all guesses on my part)._ My theory is that Thai Airlines cannot afford to pay premium fees, and does it on the cheap._ All that is invention on my part, all I know is that in the business lounge we were told very clearly that there are no buggies in the airport (which I guess is a simple way of covering up the problem).
Clearly we had to overcome the disability of the Thai Airline Business Ticket and so on our return I telephoned beforehand and ordered two wheelchairs._ This worked very well at Tullamarine and at Bangkok._ The provision of wheelchairs and buggies is not done by either the airport or airlines - there are separate companies that provide this service (presumably being paid by the airport who would no doubt cover this by the rates that Airlines are charged for using the airport)._ The system at Tullamarine is very good, I made no notes and cannot remember much except that the wheelchair pushers (one per chair) were very friendly. Jokes in an Airport are strictly taboo, but the atmosphere was so relaxed that I asked my pusher if she knew the difference between a British Airways Stewardess and a supermarket trolley - and when she said that she did not know I explained that a supermarket trolley has a mind of its own (that was a topical joke when the cabin crew were continually threatening to strike)._ My Ozzy pusher was so tickled by this anti-British joke that she repeated the lines to her companions as our procession continued its majestic way._ I remembered quite a lot of this first experience and this was why I was so critical of what was provided at Heathrow._ But first we had the delightful experience in Bangkok - thrilling and slightly unnerving - of our two attendants racing each other - running and pushing us this way and that way oh so fast._ Apart from this one criticism the wheelchair service at Bangkok was very good (we did not see any buggies).
How disorganised is Heathrow wheelchair service in Terminal 3!_ It is a disgrace._ The only thing that I could think was that all the capable attendants were in the new terminal - Terminal 5._ We waited a long time for wheelchairs and then were taken a short distance and de-seated._ Getting on and getting off the wheelchairs was quite difficult because the chairs kept rolling around as you get on (or off) - the trick we were told was to get on sideways and then pull the chair arm down._ At the place where we got off there were two other elderly passengers and a two more wheelchairs._ This place was manned by a woman who had a desk and a phone and she and our chaps argued for some time._ After some time a buggy came and the driver folded up the four wheelchairs, loaded them onto the buggy and drove off._ We four passengers sat there like cabbages._ The thing about cabbages is that no-one wastes their time speaking to cabbages._ I had no jokes to tell._ Eventually a buggy came and although none of us had baggage to collect we were deposited in the baggage hall - that being the standard way of doing things.
We used Terminal 5 of Heathrow last month in order to fly to JFK New York._ I had booked wheelchairs on British Airways intelligently designed website, but unfortunately the check-in lady had no record of this._ She summoned a couple of wheelchairs and we were taken by wheelchair to the holding point in the air-side of Terminal 5._ Although Terminal 5 is spacious with plenty of potential for the future increase of passengers, this does not apply to the waiting room for wheelchair passengers._ Presumably the "passenger assistance" manager or managers are paid good money and attend the planning meetings that negotiate available facilities._ They must be awful managers who say nothing and smile and nod and agree without thinking or understanding._ They don’t organise the staff who are trying to make do with bad planning and poor training._ A passenger has to be agile and quick witted to get onto a wheelchair without it running away._ Because the waiting room was full, we were told to sit in the public area and we were told that we would be fetched when the time came._ When I considered that it was about time they did something and I enquired at the desk (of course a different person) I was rebuked for not coming earlier.
What a contrast is JFK._ They do more than do the job._ At JFK the wheelchairs were waiting for us with our names known, and we had the novelty of one man pushing both wheelchairs simultaneously._ He worked hard because he was putting on and taking off the handbrake of the wheelchair whenever needed. In next to no time we were wheeled to the front of the taxi queue outside._ No nonsense about the journey ends in the baggage hall._ Our return journey was even better._ At JFK we had put on our jackets and looked smart and spoke politely and intelligently with English accents and were therefore taken to the First Class Lounge despite only having World Traveller Boarding Passes._ After we had indulged in free wine and snacks the chap came back and single handedly flipped hand brakes and took us right to the departure point._ I gave this marvellous chap a $20 tip (passed from my palm to his palm)._ Later on as we sat at the gate, the call was made for (my name) to put up his hand, the British Airways lady asked if we wanted assistance and I assured her that we were ok to walk down the covered ramp.
We were confidently told on the plane to Heathrow to wait until everyone got off and then the wheelchairs would be waiting._ Actually the wheelchairs weren’t there, and the friendly hostess was clearly trying to make plans as to how to cope with this challenge as all her colleagues came striding out of the empty plane._ Then to her great relief two wheelchairs and two attendants appeared at the far end of the ramp._ We were told to walk up the ramp to the chairs._ There were three of us - with different walking speeds._ The two attendants faced up to the awfulness of their job._ There were three of us, because the other five "needing-assistance" passengers had given up waiting and had decided to walk._ There was argument about why there were only three of us and how to manage the few that did have - and after some long discussion the stamina of one attendant defeated the other._ The third passenger (a frail old lady) was put in one of the chairs and was taken away._ After a while a buggy came, the spare chair was folded up and put in the front seat, we climbed into the back seats and met up with the third passenger at Customs where a new temporary pen nearly prevented the buggy getting through._ The employees were outraged at this unnecessary impediment._ The driver of the buggy was a morose chap who clearly found no job satisfaction._ He put us down in the baggage hall and he drove away to cope with his next problem.
How can such a badly managed organisation be transformed?_ It is beyond me._ It is particularly sad that some of the pushers will have the wisdom and understanding to know how the operations should be organised._ But their advice will not be sought by the incompetent management that is running the passenger assistance organisation.
In the dim past we have encountered dim airlines._ A Crimea bound aircraft with insufficient seat belts to put round all the passengers - it was seriously suggested to one couple that the long belt on his left side could strap both of them in by using her right hand side belt - as this plane took off I glanced back and saw that most belts were unfastened and hung down into the gangway - one of the few ways that the proletariat of Soviet society could express its general dissatisfaction with authoritarianism._ An aircraft from London that landed in Moscow instead of Leningrad - and the pilot coming back to the door to ask the ground staff which airport he was at._ In Uzbekistan the Stewardesses chatting away and ignoring passengers while pigging themselves with food on a plane that served no food._ An aircraft where upon landing (at Tbilisi) we, the passengers, unloaded the hold, lifted up the perimeter barrier to let our coach come in to collect us and our baggage._ However that is all in the past._ There is today much more variation in competence in the field of passenger assistance than there is in airline competence._ On a scale of 1 to 10, my ranking of airports is as follows
JFK New York 11 points
Tullamarine 6-9 points (to be refined next month on our next flight to Melbourne)
Bangkok 7 points
Heathrow 4 points (bad management)