US airline boss brands Heathrow 'Europe's worst' Heathrow Airport has been branded the "worst in Europe" by a senior executive of a US airline. HEATHROW AIRPORT has been branded the "worst in Europe" by a senior executive of a US airline.
Don Langford, head of customer services Europe for American Airlines, delivered an outspoken attack on the west London airport, saying it was a "bit of a dump" that suffered from a lack of investment
The comments come as Heathrow attempts to rebuild its reputation after the opening of the £4.3 billion Terminal 5 saw tens of thousands of bags lost and dozens of flights delayed.
Mr Langford told BBC Radio 4 Heathrow was the worst of all European destinations his company flies to.
He told the broadcaster: "Heathrow is not just bursting at the seams. I think the seams have burst.
"If you look at the fabric of the building, if you look at where customers check in - missing light bulbs, duck tape on the floor.
"I would have to say that Heathrow is in many ways the worst of all the airports that my company flies to in Europe."
But Heathrow operator BAA said things were improving and it would invest £4bn over five years to improve the airport.
BAA's corporate affairs director Tom Kelly told the BBC: "This is an airport which was designed for something like 45 million passengers - we have now got 65 million.
"We are investing £4bn over the next five years.....you've got to realise that if you are going to invest that kind of money it takes time to put things right."
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Posted by: Conway on 8:52am Sun 4 May 08
Like many Scots and Iam sure many others in the UK ,i would fly direct rather than go through the so called UK hub airport at Heathrow and have changed my holiday destinations to suit.
Like many Scots and Iam sure many others in the UK ,i would fly direct rather than go through the so called UK hub airport at Heathrow and have changed my holiday destinations to suit.
Posted by: HEN BROON, SCOTLAND on 9:03am Sun 4 May 08
One day sooner rather than later, we here in Scotland will be allowed to fly where we want to and welcome who we want to without having to be filtered through London.
In the meantime having done so once only, I would sooner poke sharp sticks in my scrotum than travel through London. Much better and more refreshing to transfer through Schipol Amsterdam, if you have to.
One day sooner rather than later, we here in Scotland will be allowed to fly where we want to and welcome who we want to without having to be filtered through London.
In the meantime having done so once only, I would sooner poke sharp sticks in my scrotum than travel through London. Much better and more refreshing to transfer through Schipol Amsterdam, if you have to.
Posted by: Tomas, Alicante, Spain on 10:39am Sun 4 May 08
BAA's corporate Director gave the solution to the problem in his own statement..."designe
d for 45 million and now we have 65 million". When are BAA and successive UK governments going to stop trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear? Heathrow is, was and always will be a dump until they pull it down and rebuild from scratch, and we know that will never happen. So bite the bullet, ignore the screams from the City of London and build another airport. The business types would still be free to have their access to the City through a much reduced Heathrow and the rest of the travelling public can enjoy the type of airport facilities that even the so called third world countries have.
BAA's corporate Director gave the solution to the problem in his own statement..."designe
d for 45 million and now we have 65 million". When are BAA and successive UK governments going to stop trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear? Heathrow is, was and always will be a dump until they pull it down and rebuild from scratch, and we know that will never happen. So bite the bullet, ignore the screams from the City of London and build another airport. The business types would still be free to have their access to the City through a much reduced Heathrow and the rest of the travelling public can enjoy the type of airport facilities that even the so called third world countries have.
Posted by: Ken Marshall, Lower Greenwich, Canada on 11:28am Sun 4 May 08
Since the VERY early 1950s, EVERYBODY was expected to pay for travel through Thiefrow, either by directly paying for the dump, or by being forced to fly via Thiefrow.
As Tomas, stated, so correctly it will always be a dump.
Turn it into something useful, like a parking lot for the commuters from the suburban dwellers to the west of London, then they can hop on a train to get to their beloved London.
International travellers ( including from Scotland ) can use one of the many other airports around that over grown metropolis. Travellers will no longer be forced to land at Thiefrow, and wait around like idiots waiting on their luggage / connection, which probably will never be connected. It is not called THIEFROW for nothing.
Since the VERY early 1950s, EVERYBODY was expected to pay for travel through Thiefrow, either by directly paying for the dump, or by being forced to fly via Thiefrow.
As Tomas, stated, so correctly it will always be a dump.
Turn it into something useful, like a parking lot for the commuters from the suburban dwellers to the west of London, then they can hop on a train to get to their beloved London.
International travellers ( including from Scotland ) can use one of the many other airports around that over grown metropolis. Travellers will no longer be forced to land at Thiefrow, and wait around like idiots waiting on their luggage / connection, which probably will never be connected. It is not called THIEFROW for nothing.
Posted by: Ian, Fife on 12:15pm Sun 4 May 08
Direct flights from Scotland are the answer.
Mind you people in glass houses should not throw stones. Flying to Newark with Continental from Glasgow or Edinburgh if fine.
In the past anyone flying to JFK with its individual airline terminals had a terrible time.
Avoid Heathrow like the plague, last time I was there it was taking normal people 3 hours to get through flight connections centre.
Direct flights from Scotland are the answer.
Mind you people in glass houses should not throw stones. Flying to Newark with Continental from Glasgow or Edinburgh if fine.
In the past anyone flying to JFK with its individual airline terminals had a terrible time.
Avoid Heathrow like the plague, last time I was there it was taking normal people 3 hours to get through flight connections centre.
Posted by: Harry, Bishopbriggs on 12:25pm Sun 4 May 08
We in Scotland dance to Thiefrow's tune as long as we do not decide on our own Central Scotland Airport. Then and only then will we attract flights to all the major European and North American hubs.
As long as the Edinburgh and Glasgow political mafias are allowed to slug it out, we will remain a no-go area for the big carriers.
We in Scotland dance to Thiefrow's tune as long as we do not decide on our own Central Scotland Airport. Then and only then will we attract flights to all the major European and North American hubs.
As long as the Edinburgh and Glasgow political mafias are allowed to slug it out, we will remain a no-go area for the big carriers.
Posted by: redleb, aberdeen on 3:26pm Sun 4 May 08
We have several flights a day to Amsterdam from Aberdeen, so no need to use Heathrow. VERY grateful to have another hub - anything is better than Heathrow
We have several flights a day to Amsterdam from Aberdeen, so no need to use Heathrow. VERY grateful to have another hub - anything is better than Heathrow
Posted by: Andy, Scotland on 6:32pm Sun 4 May 08
Who cares.
Posted by: Andy, Scotland on 6:34pm Sun 4 May 08
Who cares?
Posted by: Ian Elder, Toronto, Canada on 12:12am Mon 5 May 08
As a Canadian citizen living in Toronto, I agree wholeheartedly about Heathrow Airport. We used to be able to fly direct to Glasgow on scheduled airline Air Canada but now we have to fly via London. It took us 3 hours to transfer to the flight to Scotland because of the delays at Heathrow - we had to endure queues at both immigration and security even though we had been through security in Toronto! Last year we decided NOT to connect onto another flight and instead took the train from London! You can be assured that the inconvenience of changing flights in London will be a big impediment to Canadians holidaying in Scotland. I know there are charter airlines to fly direct but you don't get the flexibility of daily flights and many people really only contemplate flying scheduled airlines. I think the answer is for the Scottish government to woo Air Canada back to flying direct by offering concessions for direct flights.
As a Canadian citizen living in Toronto, I agree wholeheartedly about Heathrow Airport. We used to be able to fly direct to Glasgow on scheduled airline Air Canada but now we have to fly via London. It took us 3 hours to transfer to the flight to Scotland because of the delays at Heathrow - we had to endure queues at both immigration and security even though we had been through security in Toronto! Last year we decided NOT to connect onto another flight and instead took the train from London! You can be assured that the inconvenience of changing flights in London will be a big impediment to Canadians holidaying in Scotland. I know there are charter airlines to fly direct but you don't get the flexibility of daily flights and many people really only contemplate flying scheduled airlines. I think the answer is for the Scottish government to woo Air Canada back to flying direct by offering concessions for direct flights.
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