4 ms·

Who paid for this? I frequently fly from Heathrow and it's a horrible airport, run into service problems almost every time. Yet they can do all this for one per

Who paid for this? I frequently fly from Heathrow and it's a horrible airport, run into service problems almost every time. Yet they can do all this for one person.

jrockway 13y ago
What are your specific problems? Lines at security? Delayed flights when the visibility is one inch?
- iliiilliili 13y ago
  Always understaffed, bad organization (e.g. gates announced late), too small for the number of people it serves, particularly rude staff a lot of whom are on a power trip... I've seriously never had a bad experience that comes close to the average day in Heathrow.
  - jrockway 13y ago
    What do you intend to get from the "particularly rude staff"? It's likely there is nothing they can help you with: you get a seat on the flight you paid for, and a voucher for future travel if they can't provide that seat. They have no other obligations and I'm not really sure what people demand. I'll agree on the gate thing, though. They really want you to sit around in that god damned shopping mall for as long as possible. Get elite status and sit in the lounge. Much better.
    - Alphasite_ 13y ago
      Honestly, i prefer they announce the gate let, if only so they don't do what they used to o, and swap it around t the last minute. This is much more consistent, been if it does make ams a little anxious.
    - iliiilliili 13y ago
      One example... many airlines have a one bag policy, in most airports if you have an extra camera bag or small handbag, the staff will politely ask you to put it inside the bigger one or most of the time let you off, in London you can guarantee somebody will shout at you for it. It's not one particular thing, it's the general feel of the airport.
      - jrockway 13y ago
        Yes, this is something I notice a lot on frequent flyer forums: people being mad because today they didn't get an exception they usually get. Once you let the rules slide once, people are outraged that you don't let it happen every time.
        deleted 13y ago
        [deleted]
        lmm 13y ago
        We're not talking about getting an exception, just about being told politely rather than rudely to follow the rules.
    - zmk_ 13y ago
      Actually, in my experience, airport staff in UK is less pleasant to deal with than in other countries in Europe.
  - Alphasite_ 13y ago
    Well, i believe they are currently building new terminal to replace terminals 1 and 2 its meant to be a very nice building, and from what little o've seen of it i'd agree.
yareally 13y ago
Most likely covered under the disability laws in the UK. It doesn't seem to make anyone go that far out of their way if there's enough warning in advance.
djrobstep 13y ago
So unfair isn't it? Clearly disabled children and their parents have had it too good for too long.
- eksith 13y ago
  Actually Heathrow is a terrible airport. I had a connecting flight through there and swore I'll get on a scrappy prop plane via Djibouti first before doing that again. The security "might" be impressive, but often there's no real coordination so I've felt this is largely theater. I was wandering around while looking for the security office and not once was I stopped and asked where I was going. No one knew where the security office was. One of my travel companions got lost and wound up there and I had to ask 6 different people (I don't know if they were security, but had uniforms and radios) and all of them gave me the "try over there" treatment. Gate announcements are invariably late so you either make it barely on time or not at all. I know this is something we have to keep an eye on, but tired people tend to fall asleep. It also doesn't help that it's one of the most confusing airports I've ever been through. Probably only second to Charles De Gaulle. The language used on most sign posts is English, allegedly, but of no dialect I'm familiar with and with no obviousness at a distance. I don't know if they've changed these things since the last time (it's been a couple of years), but it was really quite terrible.
  - outside1234 13y ago
    nope - that's right on. you only missed the 40 minute bus rides between terminals.
wpietri 13y ago
How much do you think is being paid?

Who paid for this? I frequently fly from Heathrow and it's a horrible airport, run into service problems almost every time. Yet they can do all this for one person.

jrockway 13y ago

What are your specific problems? Lines at security? Delayed flights when the visibility is one inch?

iliiilliili 13y ago
Always understaffed, bad organization (e.g. gates announced late), too small for the number of people it serves, particularly rude staff a lot of whom are on a power trip... I've seriously never had a bad experience that comes close to the average day in Heathrow.
- jrockway 13y ago
  What do you intend to get from the "particularly rude staff"? It's likely there is nothing they can help you with: you get a seat on the flight you paid for, and a voucher for future travel if they can't provide that seat. They have no other obligations and I'm not really sure what people demand. I'll agree on the gate thing, though. They really want you to sit around in that god damned shopping mall for as long as possible. Get elite status and sit in the lounge. Much better.
  - Alphasite_ 13y ago
    Honestly, i prefer they announce the gate let, if only so they don't do what they used to o, and swap it around t the last minute. This is much more consistent, been if it does make ams a little anxious.
  - iliiilliili 13y ago
    One example... many airlines have a one bag policy, in most airports if you have an extra camera bag or small handbag, the staff will politely ask you to put it inside the bigger one or most of the time let you off, in London you can guarantee somebody will shout at you for it. It's not one particular thing, it's the general feel of the airport.
    - jrockway 13y ago
      Yes, this is something I notice a lot on frequent flyer forums: people being mad because today they didn't get an exception they usually get. Once you let the rules slide once, people are outraged that you don't let it happen every time.
      - deleted 13y ago
        [deleted]
      - lmm 13y ago
        We're not talking about getting an exception, just about being told politely rather than rudely to follow the rules.
  - zmk_ 13y ago
    Actually, in my experience, airport staff in UK is less pleasant to deal with than in other countries in Europe.
- Alphasite_ 13y ago
  Well, i believe they are currently building new terminal to replace terminals 1 and 2 its meant to be a very nice building, and from what little o've seen of it i'd agree.

yareally 13y ago

Most likely covered under the disability laws in the UK. It doesn't seem to make anyone go that far out of their way if there's enough warning in advance.

djrobstep 13y ago

So unfair isn't it? Clearly disabled children and their parents have had it too good for too long.

eksith 13y ago
Actually Heathrow is a terrible airport. I had a connecting flight through there and swore I'll get on a scrappy prop plane via Djibouti first before doing that again. The security "might" be impressive, but often there's no real coordination so I've felt this is largely theater. I was wandering around while looking for the security office and not once was I stopped and asked where I was going. No one knew where the security office was. One of my travel companions got lost and wound up there and I had to ask 6 different people (I don't know if they were security, but had uniforms and radios) and all of them gave me the "try over there" treatment. Gate announcements are invariably late so you either make it barely on time or not at all. I know this is something we have to keep an eye on, but tired people tend to fall asleep. It also doesn't help that it's one of the most confusing airports I've ever been through. Probably only second to Charles De Gaulle. The language used on most sign posts is English, allegedly, but of no dialect I'm familiar with and with no obviousness at a distance. I don't know if they've changed these things since the last time (it's been a couple of years), but it was really quite terrible.
- outside1234 13y ago
  nope - that's right on. you only missed the 40 minute bus rides between terminals.

wpietri 13y ago

How much do you think is being paid?