Heathrow Terminal 5 turmoil

If you are going to talk yourself up, then you’d better make sure you deliver!

The British media is approaching self-oscillation yet again, but if you haven’t heard yet, the opening day of Heathrow Terminal 5 was dominated by baggage delays, flight cancellations and staff issues.

You’d expect some teething problems with the opening of a brand new terminal, but I suspect a few people at British Airways and BAA today wish they hadn’t been quite so loud about Terminal 5.

“The opening of Terminal 5 heralds a new era in air travel. Customers can look forward to a calmer, smoother, simpler airport experience at Heathrow”, said British Airways’ commercial director Robert Boyle last week.

This evening the message from British Airways is less encouraging: “customers due to travel on flights departing Terminal 5 this evening will be able to travel with hand baggage only.”

I am not going to join the people that I’m sure are following the news with a self-satisfied smirk this evening, but once passengers have been reunited with their luggage, surely there is a lesson to be learned for a few people in the travel industry?

TAGS: Heathrow Terminal 5, travel

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