Homeless at Heathrow wear floral shirts to blend in with tourists

by Iva Skoch on

As if London’s Heathrow airport needs another PR nightmare, after the fiasco with Terminal 5. The growing homeless population that has lived inside the terminal certainly doesn’t help Heathrow’s reputation as a pleasant, smooth airport.

Time magazine reports that at 3 a.m.at Heathrow Airport, the scene of people sprawled across plastic benches in various poses of contortion looks vaguely familiar and vaguely odd.

“Each night, scores of London’s homeless men and women take advantage of modern travel delays by posing as stranded passengers in order to sleep in a warm and safe place. They play a cat-and-mouse game with police, often donning floral shirts, fanny packs and other travel accessories to blend in,” Time writes.

You could easily take this to perfection by adding a wheeled Samsonite carry-on, and, of course a paper cup from Starbucks. Seriously, what is it about floral shirts and fanny packs? Why are tourists so ridiculous?

Five killed after private jet crashes south of London

by Aaron Hotfelder on

A private jet plunged into a housing development in southern England yesterday afternoon, just minutes after the plane took off. The crash killed all five passengers aboard, including two former motor racing champions. The plane was headed for southern France so that the men could test a Jaguar, according to UPI.

None of the people who lived in the housing development were home at the time of the crash, and neighbors who witnessed the crash called it a “miracle” that no one on the ground was hurt.

One witness said the plane flew so close to him that he saw the passengers’ eyes. Said the witness: “The pilot was struggling to bank away from our house and a terrified woman was staring straight at me. I will never forget that sight. The plane banked to the right and it followed a line of houses towards some woods. The pilot was trying to clear the estate — he was a real hero.”

More here and here.

A third day of Heathrow misery. Terminal case continues

by Iva Skoch on

Things are not working out so well at London Heathrow’s new Terminal 5. Since the terminal opened three days ago, it has been nothing but baggage problems, cancellations and misery, BBC reports. One fifth of flights from the new terminal were scrapped today: 67 out of the 330 scheduled. 37 flights have been canceled for Sunday.

A total of 208 flights in and out of the terminal were canceled during the first three days so far. Some elevators are not working. People cannot locate their bags. Sounds like a nightmare.

The cancellations also created an unexpected heavy demand for hotel rooms. An average airport hotel room, normally around $150, went up to $500 for a double room on Thursday. After many complaints, the airlines have scrapped its $200 limit for delayed passengers’ hotels.

Get better service being stuck on the London Eye than on an airplane

by Jamie Rhein on

Here’s an observation by Mike Nezza at The Lede. Although, it was ruled by a federal court that airlines don’t need to provide passengers with comforts if they are detained while sitting in an airplane, passengers stuck on London’s gigantic Ferris wheel, the London Eye don’t have to worry about such trifles.

Just like Abha reported in her post, if you get stuck on the London Eye, you’ll get blankets, water, glucose tablets and a toilet. If you get stuck on an airplane, according to the law, you are not guaranteed water, a working toilet or fresh air. On the London Eye, you’ll also get a terrific view of London if you’re close to the top. On an airplane, if you look out a window, there’s the tarmac—maybe other airplanes, a runway or a building or two.

But, perhaps one might rather be stuck on the ground than up in the air. Those at the bottom of the London Eye may have been allowed to get off. If you’re out on a runway, there you are, and are, and are, and are.

How is Heathrow’s new terminal like your girlfriend? It can’t deal with all your baggage.

by Aaron Hotfelder on

What does $9 billion dollars get you these days? For British Airways shareholders, it’s a shiny, state-of-the-art new terminal at London’s Heathrow Airport. (Note: Price does not include your checked luggage.)

Terminal 5, British Airways’ new $9 billion dollar megastructure at Heathrow Airport, opened earlier today to passengers, but the airline is experiencing some “technical glitches” in the process of returning passengers’ checked luggage to them. Some had to wait for as much as four hours for their bags, and passengers are being asked not to bring checked luggage on their flights– or to call the airline and rebook.

BA has already cancelled 34 flights because of “technical problems” with the new terminal.

Gareth Kirkwood, BA’s delightfully British-named director of operations, said: “We sincerely apologise to those customers who have suffered disrupted journeys or baggage delays.” Wow, he even spoke using British spelling. That’s impressive.

[Hat tip to Moody75 for the link.]