Heathrow Airport Nonsense

[The Fat Controller]

Having arrived on BA10 from Bangkok this morning, 50 minutes late, was appalled to be told as we taxied in, that due to noise restrictions at the airport (this is at 0630), that we would have to shut down all the engines and get TOWED to stand at T4.
This took an extra 10 minutes.
If I had not already missed my connection to Glasgow I would have been raging.
Now, BA having recognised that we would not be making our connections, bussed 30 or so of us over the the central area on our own bus, and on reaching the hand baggage screening area, we were met by an enormous queue, OUTSIDE of the main screening area.
Of the 6 (or possibly 7) x-ray machines, at least 3 were out of service.
This time a 15 minute wait.....
COME ON BAA, WHAT A WAY TO RUN AN AIRPORT !!
As I write this my suitcase has been delivered to my door by courier, BA managed to get me on the 0815 shuttle, despite all the BAA nonsense, but my luggage has JUST caught up !!
Apologies to all who think this should have been posted to JETBLAST, but I think that is what BAA Heathrow management are due, preferably up their a****.

A very disgruntled,

[pilotwolf]

With maybe the exception of the non functioning X-ray machines how was this BAA's fault? :confused:

[FLARE DAMIT]

As i've mentioned on a couple of posts BAA are NOT INTERESTED in aviation but rather in shops. They would much rather spend the £650m odd profit they,ve ripped of from the airlines on supermarkets and clothes shop than the main core of the business at exorbitant prices.They are now putting the development of LGW on hold because of Sep11 and a slight downturn in pax figures. This is the ideal time with planning permission approved, a budget set aside and as pax numbers are slightly lower less inconvenience to the travelling public. Whats the bet when numbers start picking up again they will start building with max disruption to the public,increased cost and they'll put up those poxy signs "sorry for any inconvenience caused but it is for your own good, because we are the best airport operator in the world". What utter crap. They employ jobs worths for no money whilst the directors tuck in to the huge profits from the shops and the advertising on the piers, how very churlish they are.BAA= British Arcades & Advertising. I really do wish the CAA could take them to task.

[Magnus Picus]

The reason the flight had to shut down ALL its' engines and be towed on to stand is a BAA mandatory procedure due to the fact that residents of some of the hotels close to T4 don't like the fact that being an airport hotel, it suffers from the noise of aircraft.

The silly thing is, is that the noise of a taxying B747 going into T4 makes less noise than the departing jets using 27L from 0600 local. The towing policy lasts until 0700 local. :rolleyes:

Apparently now that T5 is going to be built, noise restrictions dictate that aircraft will only be allowed to use it between the hours of 0900 and 1700. Otherwise they must take off using idle power only, and landing must be carried out using a glide approach from 18nm.

[Davey Clark]

Well said FatCo.

Isn't it time the airport operators ran the airports for public/passenger good?

After a long-haul flight I'm not surprised at your angst. Rumour has it that there is to be a new Bankok service direct from Oban International, so maybe we'll get the use of a properly oriented airport operator for once!!

Wings Level, Ball in the Puddle!

[spud]

This kind of 'For your comfort and convenience, the next train is cancelled' nonsense has no place in aviation. It's dissapointing to see a tail so obviously wagging it's dog.

[The Fat Controller]

Pilotwolf :-
The point I was trying to make about BAA at Heathrow is that it is their noise policy that is delaying passengers regarding the towing at T4.
As for the x-ray machines, with all the arriving traffic at that time of day, which they know is going to happen, I have NEVER seen all the machines staffed, which would reduce the delays considerably.
The machines with the "sorry not in use" notices all appeared to be in standby mode and not broken, so, unless someone from BAA can confirm otherwise I assume they would work.
The saga of my return journey certainly caused a few raised eyebrows at ScACC this morning, and what's this rumour that we are changing our company name to "AIRTRACK" ?

[Sonic Cruiser]

Welcome to the Heathrow, we do have some planes here somewhere.

The only shopping centre in the world with its own airport.

[Young Paul]

Interestingly, BAA regard the passengers as their "customers."

In fact, they ought to regard the airlines as their customers.