LHR Terminal 5 - Transfer Security Fiasco

[radeng]

Monday afternoon had only two out of the four security lanes open for the so-called 'fast track'. Over ten minutes to get through.

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by radeng

Monday afternoon had only two out of the four security lanes open for the so-called 'fast track'. Over ten minutes to get through.

Two Fastrack lanes open ? That's better going than often, when there is one or none open.

I believe BA pay extra for these lanes. I wonder if they get a rebate when it's slower than the main lanes, or closed.

Originally Posted by PAXboy

Secondly, they turned to retail. They upped the cost to the shop keepers of the cost per square metre.

That's not quite how it works (or wasn't when I was there). BAA don't charge rental or anything. Their retail team determine what shops there will be, and they take all the takings. They then get retailers in to act just as operational contractors, paying them their costs (stock, staff, etc), a percentage for their overheads, and an amount for their profit. More complex than that, of course, but you get the general idea.

[PAXboy]

Most interesting WHBM, thanks for that. It's certainly a clever way to make more money than just taking a slice. They get the whole cake and then give some slices back. I have always said that BAA are very clever at what they do and that it is not their fault that no one has a strategic vision of air transport in the UK. Leave alone any kind of control over it.

[HamishMcBush]

Let's not forget one thing, as a fellow member of a professional body found out a few years back when doing a customer service/quality project at Heathrow:
as far as BAA is concerned, its customers are the retail outlets and airlines. They really do not seem to give a damn about passengers

[radeng]

Hamish

>They really do not seem to give a damn about passengers<

Actually

They really do not give a damn about passengers!

[Rwy in Sight]

If pax decided not to shop in the airport shops

Rwy in Sight

[radeng]

>If pax decided not to shop in the airport shops<

I rarely do. Occasionally in duty free for whisky, occasionally in Boots for throat lozenges and the like! Three times this year in 42 flights...Looking at the stuff brought onto the plane, many do, though. If the rules on cabin baggage were actually enforced, there would be problems....