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BA I love you.... But
But BAA is making it hard, real hard to stay loyal to you.
First we arrive and no stairs, after around 15 minutes they arrive, but something is wrong with them. We had to wait forever for the next set to arrive. Even the pilot was upset and said had he known he would have done something different.
Then transiting, security checks, it took for ever and ever. Every darn bag had to be opened and checked, every bag in my lane, The content of every purse had to be taken out, even sunglasses. I didn't have anything checked but people ahead of me. When I asked if at least they could take the bags to the side so that at least we could move on, NO was the answer. 3 people in line missed their connecting flights. That is how bad it was.
I had just come back from being in 3 airport, 2 of them third world countries with 3rd world service, security checks there were much more efficient than LHR (the 3rd airport) and quick, even when they had to keep asking people to take off their darn belts (haven't they ever flown) or seen the people in front of them? But LHR took the cake, the worse one ever. I was so upset that I am really thinking of trying another airline even Air Chance (aka Air France).
BA, you need to get BAA inline please. You are almost going to lose me as a devoted client.
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Was declined for mFT... some claim that I am bitter because of that.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yahillwe
But BAA is making it hard, real hard to stay loyal to you.
First we arrive and no stairs, after around 15 minutes they arrive, but something is wrong with them. We had to wait forever for the next set to arrive. Even the pilot was upset and said had he known he would have done something different.
Then transiting, security checks, it took for ever and ever. Every darn bag had to be opened and checked, every bag in my lane, The content of every purse had to be taken out, even sunglasses. I didn't have anything checked but people ahead of me. When I asked if at least they could take the bags to the side so that at least we could move on, NO was the answer. 3 people in line missed their connecting flights. That is how bad it was.
I had just come back from being in 3 airport, 2 of them third world countries with 3rd world service, security checks there were much more efficient than LHR (the 3rd airport) and quick, even when they had to keep asking people to take off their darn belts (haven't they ever flown) or seen the people in front of them? But LHR took the cake, the worse one ever. I was so upset that I am really thinking of trying another airline even Air Chance (aka Air France).
BA, you need to get BAA inline please. You are almost going to lose me as a devoted client.
I might be mistaken, but I don't think BAA actually handles the ground operations, they just run the airports.
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I agree with you. I arrived at T5 last night, on a delayed flight from CPH, trying to make an already tight connection to Glasgow. Cue a bus journey to the terminal because we had docked an international flight at a domestic pier. And then to cap it, a cavity search of my laptop bag because they saw lots of wires in it. Yeah, that's a surprise for a laptop bag, isn't it?
Don't know what BA can do about the goons that run the security queues, but they should be able to pressurise BAA about gate handling and buses.
It's BA who decide where the aircraft parks and it's BA who supply the stairs to get you off and it's BA who supply the busses. BAA security staff don't go through all that bother, getting evil eyes from EVERY person to who they do it, (myself especially) for fun. They are being closely monitered by the DfT who will happily whack them with a fine if they don't.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skipness1E
It's BA who decide where the aircraft parks and it's BA who supply the stairs to get you off and it's BA who supply the busses. BAA security staff don't go through all that bother, getting evil eyes from EVERY person to who they do it, (myself especially) for fun. They are being closely monitered by the DfT who will happily whack them with a fine if they don't.
I think it's ATC who tell the pilot where to park, as in the pilot lands the plane, and ATC will tell them what route to follow to get to what get they want them to be at.
The pilot is in charge of everything when in the air - on the ground he/she has to do what they are told.
The stairs, bussing and stands are BA issues and not down to BAA as I understand it, however the security issues at T5 are getting silly. A large queue of people and I in South "Fast Track" an hour or so ago watched as no less than 6 (six) BAA security staff crowded round a monitor looking at a single bag being scanned. If they had an issue with it why not just force the person who owned it to unpack? As a result it took nearly 30 minutes to clear security and it wasn't even a large queue.
I make a point of pressing the red "satisfaction" button every time I pass through BAA security now.
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ISTBC, but gate allocations are entirely within BA's control. ATC simply see the required gate on their screen and give taxi instructions to get there.
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I pushed the red button wherever I saw them. I really was very upset by the inefficiency. When I told the lady that it really was ridiculous and that 2 other 3rd world airports were more efficient than LHR, she said that LHR is the busiest airport I told her that if they wanted to check bags then take the bags to the side and do them there and not let everyone wait forever. And that other stands were moving faster.
BTW I wasn't the only one complaining, very few were NOT complaining.
Whatever and whoever controls whatever, BA should really start putting some pressure down.
For NCL Do, am glad that I didn't book my ticket yet, am going to try Air Chance (aka Air France).
__________________
Was declined for mFT... some claim that I am bitter because of that.
I pushed the red button wherever I saw them. I really was very upset by the inefficiency. When I told the lady that it really was ridiculous and that 2 other 3rd world airports were more efficient than LHR, she said that LHR is the busiest airport I told her that if they wanted to check bags then take the bags to the side and do them there and not let everyone wait forever. And that other stands were moving faster.
BTW I wasn't the only one complaining, very few were NOT complaining.
Whatever and whoever controls whatever, BA should really start putting some pressure down.
For NCL Do, am glad that I didn't book my ticket yet, am going to try Air Chance (aka Air France).
I hear you, and completely sympathise. I am now to the point of squeezing my handbag into my wheelie to reduce the chance of my bag being picked for secondary manual search and being seriously delayed if I have a connecting flight. I had stood around security for 30+ minutes in a "fast track" lane, which actually seems to be treated to extra screening as it turns out - I have not yet been manual bag-searched in a standard lane at T5, but I get it every time at "Fast Track" and it ends up taking five times as long.
Travelling experience through LHR has become very, very time-consuming and frustrating. I understand the necessity but they need to hire more staff to do this, unless they want to inconvenience passengers.
Unfortunately I have no choice but to travel through LHR unless I wish to use a low cost carrier, or fly via AMS or somewhere like that, and travel substantial distance on the ground to do so. I do not want to do that to myself, but honestly, travelling through LHR has become inconvenient and time-wasting. That includes the slow immigration clearance for non-EU passport holders and the IRIS being phased out (my registration has expired and I cannot renew it)
They have to find a solution to Heathrow's headaches, they really have to. I might even try LH, never flew them maybe I should widen my horizons.
LH is quite OK. LX F is pretty good.
I agree, they really need to find a solution. The security seem to be doing things that are too much for the number of staff at busy times IMO. I sometimes feel so miserable being stuck in queues or waiting around at security at LHR when I am tired that it has turned me a bit grumpy. It's not a nice feeling.
As you know very well Lady Phobia, I do have a choice. Instead I inconvenience myself to fly my favorite airline.
This is at the source of my desire to see BA service from the regions to somewhere useful other than LHR. I hate transiting LHR and anyone in their right mind hates it too. It's forcing me to reconsider how I get to and from the UK from abroad.
I might even try LH, never flew them maybe I should widen my horizons.
If you want to see how transfer could/should be done, then route your next transfer through MUC (my "home" airport) with LH in T2.
Not only is it calm, easy and MCT is only 30 mins in T2 ... but they even have an on-site brewery at MUC (and a restaurant serving the beers airside at T2 upstairs by H gates) ... what more can you ask for...?
Come visit MUC, have a few beers, then write a trip report
Interesting. I thought gate assignments, stairs etc were controlled by BAA with perhaps BA having more control of the gates. I would be helpful to know who does what so that complaints go to the right organisation.
Shocking experience and understandably frustrating.
