London Heathrow check in

[flighty 31]

Last July I spent 1 hour and 3/4 in queue for Eva flight at check in. Ran through to gate final boarding etc. So what happens, does the plane go with people still queueing for fear of missing take off slot when things get hairy or what?

Cheers

Flighty

[Mescalito 19]

Sounds almost as bad as CDG in Paris! I arrived exactly 3 hours before my departure back to the US, and they were boarding my plane by the time I got to the gate. Then we sat on the ground for an additional 45 minutes past our scheduled departure, leaving me with just 45 minutes to make my connection when we landed at JFK in New York. Fortunately, I've never had a problem at Heathrow.

[Duffabboy 0]

Flying Eva to LOS this December. Best camp at Heathrow the night

[nidnoyham 30]

When you work out how much equipment and technology is used to get you and your baggage on a flight, it's a wonder they are not more delays.

 

Check-in computer, Baggage system, X-ray system for bags, scanner system for counting and location of bags, electric tugs to deliver bags to aicraft. Security scanners for hand baggage and passengers, cash card readers for Duty Free

 

And your not even at the multi complex piece of kit that takes you to where you going- the Aircraft.

 

In the past I have known delays down to such things as- Greenfly on the salad... a mouse loose in the cargo hold... a passenger who thought he was the real Jesus. And of course the bomb threats.

 

The most interesting and lively one was when Princess Ann was going to Halifax. N.S. The aircraft had a toilet blockage, when maintainance checked the system a large package was found wrapped in a plastic bag. It was assumed to be an IRA Bomb for Her Maj'. I have never heard so many police sirens at once- bloody quick they were too.

 

When the package was opened by the Bomb Squad, it contained a couple of K of

Cannabis. Apparently, the aircraft had done the Jamaica run the day before and the stuff was put there for an emlpoyee in Canada to retreive, but obviously hadn't.

 

Gave us a giggle anyway.

[jacko 8,815]

When you work out how much equipment and technology is used to get you and your baggage on a flight, it's a wonder they are not more delays.

 

Check-in computer, Baggage system, X-ray system for bags, scanner system for counting and location of bags, electric tugs to deliver bags to aicraft. Security scanners for hand baggage and passengers, cash card readers for Duty Free

 

And your not even at the multi complex piece of kit that takes you to where you going- the Aircraft.

 

In the past I have known delays down to such things as- Greenfly on the salad... a mouse loose in the cargo hold... a passenger who thought he was the real Jesus. And of course the bomb threats.

 

The most interesting and lively one was when Princess Ann was going to Halifax. N.S. The aircraft had a toilet blockage, when maintainance checked the system a large package was found wrapped in a plastic bag. It was assumed to be an IRA Bomb for Her Maj'. I have never heard so many police sirens at once- bloody quick they were too.

 

When the package was opened by the Bomb Squad, it contained a couple of K of

Cannabis. Apparently, the aircraft had done the Jamaica run the day before and the stuff was put there for an emlpoyee in Canada to retreive, but obviously hadn't.

 

Gave us a giggle anyway.

And these issues are not applicable to more efficient airports elsewhere?????

 

Heathrow is a poor example of an airport and should have been replaced years ago, instead of the current expansion. Fortunately I normlly check in at Manchester and do not have to tackle that hole. Going through it is enough. Problems are exagerrated by staff with attitude.

 

And Bangkok, normally I arrive for check in and am in the lounge within 30 minutes.

 

Sadly for those in the London area there is little alternative.

[nidnoyham 30]

Jacko'

 

I wasn't trying to excuse LHR for delays, just making an observation about the complexity of air travel everywhere.

 

Unfortunately, the attitude of the staff is a result of having to work in such a place.

 

As for replacing it, people seem to want it where it is. or should I say no one else wants it near them.

 

It is a nightmare to travel through and even worse to work there. When I did my St Johns First Aid exam, the lady Doctor would not pass anyone, who worked there, who couldn't explain the difference between heart attack symptoms and angina, because they are the most common ailments for workers. I am sure it brings on many premature deaths, one of my mates died there two weeks ago from a stroke type illness. he was 45.

 

Someone once described the place as, a huge train set for the management to play with.

[doolish 14]

Hi, Jacko,

The last 3 years I have had to fly out of Man.(U.K.) on my trips to LOS because Manx Airlines sold out to B.A. and do not fly to LHR any more. In seven years flying from LHR before this I wish I was back at LHR. IMO.

Cheers Doug.

[vegaheart 0]

Yes I agree with nidnoyham, Heathrow can be a very stressful place to work. I have worked there for the last 10 years in Terminal 3. It's true some staff do have an attitude problem. But I am sure a lot of these people's attitude come from the environment they are working in. I have seen many new staff join who could not be more helpful, but as the months and years go by they slowly get more and more depressed about the environment and the conditions they have to work in. I have also noticed that it seems every year passengers become more and more demanding, sometimes about the most trivial things. And there are more and more cases of people losing their cool and shouting and screaming at the staff, which does no good for morale at all.

So it is true that Heathrow can be a bitch sometimes, but it is not really the fault of the staff who have to work there. It would also be nice to have new terminals where everything worked, but I think it's a long way off....

[flighty 31]

Thanks for posts folks, I do sympathize with anyone working at Heathrow, I think they do a good job with a lot of stuff outside their control.

From a passenger point of view tho has anyone been truly stuffed at Heathrow lately, missed a flight & had to buy a new ticket, got compensation or had the plane wait...?

27 days...

Flighty