Heathrow - a world class airport?

[Ignis Fatuus]

The "traders" as you call them are high street chains. Their staff are paid little more than minimum wage so they have no incentive to stay open.

Now if the store was independent and run by a British Indian from an ex-British Colony it would be open.

People who own businesses act differently from mere staff.

In Geneva, in the little satellite terminal that UK flights use, the cafe/bar has posted hours: 07:00 until last flight leaves. They (probably the airport) just decided that that's what was needed, and arranged it so.

The problem is not that the Heathrow shops are high street chains, it is that they have decided how they want to run for their convenience, and nobody has told them otherwise. BAA could have imposed such a rule as a condition for getting a franchise, but passenger needs are not BAA's concern. The government could have imposed such a consideration on the airport operator, but has apparently decided that business works best if you get out of its way. This is true if you define "works best" as making profits for shareholders, and nothing else. It is not true if you also include in the definition of "works" the requiement to serve users' needs appropriately.

In general, I blame BAA and the government. The government for not properly regulating how an airport is run, and BAA for running it for their shareholders, and for their customers; and for seeing their customers as airlines and shops, not passengers - passengers are not customers, they are just revenue streams.

It is a classic case where private enterprise can achieve the best results, but only if it is gently guided to a consensus view of what would be the best results.

[configman]

The "traders" as you call them are high street chains. Their staff are paid little more than minimum wage so they have no incentive to stay open.

Now if the store was independent and run by a British Indian from an ex-British Colony it would be open.

People who own businesses act differently from mere staff.

Call them what you like, but fact is they did not bother to turn up for work of their own accord or they were told not to bother by employers. This was just typical of everything at Heathrow, lack of care to the customer by everyone involved. You will find at any shopping mall in the UK it is in the contract that opening times must be maintained by all otherwise you are out - Heathrow should be the same when the flights are on.

[lilelvis2000]

I think of an modern airport as a shopping mall with an airstrip and ludicrously priced parking attached.

[TimberWolf]

Airports are cheap places to spend the night as long as you don't buy anything. Heathrow is a bit busy at the moment though.

[SueEllen]

Call them what you like, but fact is they did not bother to turn up for work of their own accord or they were told not to bother by employers.

Shop workers are low paid and if you aren't management you don't get paid if you don't turn up, therefore they have an incentive to turn up to work.

This was just typical of everything at Heathrow, lack of care to the customer by everyone involved. You will find at any shopping mall in the UK it is in the contract that opening times must be maintained by all otherwise you are out - Heathrow should be the same when the flights are on.

Odd the shopping malls I visit have a few shops shut completely on a Sunday when it's open, and some also open up to an hour later than when the mall opens. ( I know because my optician's is one of them.)

I view using Heathrow as unpleasant experience so try and use another airport if possible.

[minestrone]

IN the last couple of years I have been through the airports of Singapore, Bangkok, CDG, Schiphol, O'Hare, JFK, Ho Chi Minh and many others.

Went through Terminal 5 today for the first time. Total disgrace. An hour to get from landing to getting off the plane. They could not fuel the planes leaving so we got stuck waiting to get a space, then the boom failed, then the first set of ladders failed, we had to get bussed from the plane to the terminal.

I was given an hour to get from my plane from the States to my plane to Glasgow and in any other airport that would not be an issue, 2 hours to get through the 'system'. Shambles.

[MarillionFan]

Went through Terminal 5 today for the first time. Total disgrace.

I was given an hour to get from my plane from the States to my plane to Glasgow and in any other airport that would not be an issue, 2 hours to get through the 'system'. Shambles.

Two hours. As a foreigner in England I would have expected you to have taken 5 hours and been stripped searched.

Standards are falling.