Blair Force One
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2
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From: London
Blair Force One
Anybody at Heathrow around 6am when the Prime Minister's chartered flight was held in a queue for 45 minutes, much to the annoyance of those on board?? Rumours that it was a NATS protest. Any information gratefully received, especially from anybody also stuck in the queue...
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 474
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From: uk
Just like the rest of us . Take your turn when it arrives . Go with the slot to ease the flow or first come first served . Just be at the gate with plenty of time to spare <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="cool.gif" />
Jet Blast Rat
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Sarfend-on-Sea
Don't complain about journalists openly asking questions here (can't be more open than calling yourself "theguardian"). Good to see a journalist looking for informed opinion, rather than publishing misinterpretation as usual. Unfortunately I know nothing of the incident, though it sounds very much like the aircraft was treated like every other, rather than deliberately obstructed as a protest. This would however annoy many members of the current government, who feel themselves to be exceptions to all the rules and their own advice.
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Joined: Dec 1997
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
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From: Suffolk UK
Don't know anything about your specific question about NATS, but both arrivals and departures are often delayed at that time of day. As hapzim implied, each aircraft has to take its turn in the queue, howver long it might be.
