Stand guidance at Terminal 5
A short while ago I resolved to start taking notes about how often, when arriving as pax at Terminal 5, we had to wait some time on the taxyway for the AGNIS stand guidance operator to turn up and switch this on so we can clear the taxyway and get onto stand.
You can imagine why I resolved to start taking these records ! I do not know a single airport, other than Heathrow, where this happens. You could understand an occasional disruption, but it seemed just too common.
So, here are the results. Out of my last five arrivals, we have incurred this delay, varying between two and ten minutes, three times. That is a 60% failure rate. What on earth is the issue ? What is the cost in aircrew time, engine hours, and fuel for this to be repeated (which presumably it is) right across the fleet ? Why can every other airport, and operator, manage to have the ground crew in place whenever I arrive with them ?