UK Airports Set To Get Long Awaited Revamp

Whether you travel frequently through corporate travel or just jet off once a year on holiday, there is no denying that everyone finds travel much more enjoyable when they are going from a well kept airport. Not only does the general cleanliness affect people’s travels but the facilities available such as bars, restaurants, shops and waiting areas can make a massive difference to how enjoyable someone’s flight can be.

 

Although the bulk of UK airports are looked after very well and have enough to keep holiday makers and those on corporate travel entertained, they have long been waiting for the funds to revamp themselves. There has recently been good news for Heathrow and Stanstead Airports as BAA has secured £7.65 billion for the two airports to get redeveloped.

 

Amongst the changes that are expected to take place include the building of Heathrow East which is set to replace Terminals 1 and 2 and the expansion of Stanstead Airport. This is great news for holiday makers and those on corporate travel because it means that there will be more flights and more facilities which will make flying a lot more enjoyable for everyone.

 

There have also recently been talks about raising more funds for another loan so that Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Southampton Airports can all be revamped. These things take a lot of time to get the funding, the building plans approved and the work to actually get completed so it is unlikely that these changes will be made anytime soon.

 

However, once the various airports around the UK have been refurbished then everyone from those on corporate travel to those going on holiday are likely to see the benefits. The general day to day operation of all the airports is likely to improve as well as the facilities will be better. This hopefully means that people will be able to check in and get onto their flights as quickly and easily as possible. This is particularly great news for those who do a lot of corporate travel because no doubt they get sick of being in and out of airports all the time.

 

With great new facilities though and easy check in systems even people who do a lot of corporate travel will find the process so easy that they won’t mind doing this. As well as this it also means that holiday makers can get their journey off to a better start as they won’t have to deal with any hassles when it comes to checking in at the airport.  

British Airways Move More Flights To Terminal 5

One thing is for sure and that’s the fact that Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport has caused a lot of controversy and attracted a lot of attention from the very first day its plans were unveiled. From environmentalists protesting against the extra damage it would cause to the skies and local residents worried about even more noise pollution, to Naomi Campbell getting arrested at the terminal and long flight delays and cancellations. Everyone has been affected by the commotion from those on corporate travel to those who were looking forward to a nice relaxing holiday.

 

However, things finally seem to be calming down at Terminal 5 and British Airways appear to be regaining control of the situation. In fact, as of today, June 5^th 2008, the airline are intending to move more flights to that terminal as it is functioning a lot better now the original hiccups have been solved. This is especially good news for those who go on a lot of corporate travel because no doubt they have been seriously affected by all the problems Terminal 5 has suffered if they have been travelling a lot.

 

Some of the new destinations that flights from Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport will fly to include New York, Beijing and South Africa. These are some of the key destinations for the airport so the move is likely to benefit many passengers and make the operation of the airport a lot smoother for the staff. Regardless of whether people are on corporate travel or are going off on holiday, they are likely to be affected by this if they are flying to any of the destinations currently operating from Terminal 5.

 

BAA and British Airways are currently working very hard to complete the transfer of the remaining long haul flights to operate from the new terminal building. However, they don’t want to do this until it is practical so they can ensure that the change over goes smoothly and without any problems. They are well aware of the fact that they can’t afford anymore bad publicity and negativity about the extension of Heathrow Airport as they have had so much already.

 

It is more than likely that those who embark on a lot of corporate travel are going to be affected the most by the change – over. This is predominantly due to the fact that they travel a lot more frequently than someone who only goes on holiday once a year. However, now that most of the problems have been resolved at Terminal 5 it is hoped that these changes will be for the best.

Update On In – Flight Mobile Phone Calls

Recent news has emerged that the use of mobile phones on aeroplanes is currently being tested. This has caused mixed reactions amongst travellers with some all for the idea and others strongly opposed to it. Professionals on business travel would be very happy if the option was introduced because it would mean that they are still able to contact colleagues and customers whilst travelling. However, some people find flying stressful enough without everyone’s mobile phones going off every five minutes.

 

Nevertheless, various airlines are currently testing out the idea to see if it could become an option in the near future. Air France is currently testing this out on one of their aircraft which flies within Europe. Part of the process involves distributing questionnaires to all their passengers regardless of whether they are on business travel or are off on holiday. This is in order to see if this is something they would want as a permanent feature and will heavily influence their decision as to whether they will allow it as a permanent thing on not. Although so far 80 percent of passengers are in favour of the move so it looks like in the near future all Air France passengers will be able to use their mobile phones on board.

 

However, there are some airlines that have no plans to allow mobile phone calls for the duration of the flight. Some of these are Air Malta, American Airlines and British Airways. There is a combination of reasons for this including the fact that they don’t want their customers to get annoyed, regulations state that phones can’t be used on board and some aircraft simply haven’t got suitable equipment to allow it.

 

BMI is set to begin testing the use of in – flight mobile phone calls very soon. However, they emphasise that this doesn’t mean that it will definitely become a permanent feature and will rely heavily on customer feedback as well.

 

This is more than likely going to see a divide between those on business travel and those going on holiday when it comes to which airlines are being used. Holiday makers are more likely to choose an airline that does not allow this facility whereas those on business travel are going to prefer an airline where they are still able to contact important sources.

 

On the whole it appears as though there have been very mixed reactions about whether you should be allowed to use mobile phones whilst flying. However, the common ground here is that airlines are keen to give their customers what they want regardless of whether they are jetting off for a relaxing holiday or are on business travel. This means that whatever happens it is likely that the majority of flyers are going to be left satisfied.

Business Travellers Want Internet Connection On Aeroplanes

For some people flying is an absolute joy because it is a way of escaping the world for the duration of the flight. No phone calls, no emails and no interruptions means that you can sit back and relax whilst watching television or reading a book. However, for others this is their worst nightmare, especially for those on business travel.

 

For most companies time is money and the time their employees are spending on an aeroplane un – contactable and unable to work, they are losing valuable costs. Bearing this is mind it is hardly surprising that recent research has revealed that 50 percent of business travellers want airlines to provide internet connection on board their flights. Whilst this would be great news for those on business travel because they can continue to work whist flying, it is likely to annoy other people who simply want to enjoy their flight in peace.

 

The survey also showed that there is a much larger demand for people wanting wireless internet connection on board compared to the number of people who want the use of mobile phones to be allowed. However, this is hardly surprising because the majority of people would agree that there would be nothing more frustrating that dozens of mobile phones going off in such an enclosed environment.

 

Being able to use the internet is unlikely to affect anyone though because those on business travel can be left to get on with their work and nobody would even notice the difference. However, it is not just passengers on business travel who would like to see this option introduced as those going on holiday would like to see this happen as well. With so much to do on the Internet now from social networking sites and emails to playing games and researching pretty much any topic in the world, it is likely to relieve hours of boredom for many passengers. This would be particularly handy for long haul flights where people get bored of watching television and reading.

 

Although the increase in modern technology means that less business travel is needed, the majority of employers still feel that a face to face meeting is more effective. With so many low budget airlines competing against each other to offer flyers the cheapest possible fairs, travelling within Europe has never been more popular. This means that as business travel continues to increase, so does the need for technological advancements. If the use of wireless Internet connection was introduced it is almost guaranteed that more employers will be sending their staff on business travel because they know that they won’t be losing valuable working hours whilst travelling.

Naomi Campbell Run In At Heathrow Terminal 5

The opening of Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport has filled hundreds of inches of column space in all the top newspapers, been top news bulletins on the evening news and been the talk of the town ever since it opened last month. Long delays, missing baggage and flight cancellations have all contributed to the chaos surrounding the airport at the moment.

 

It seems no – one can escape the mayhem at Terminal 5 regardless of whether you are off on holiday, are on business travel or even if you are an international supermodel. Naomi Campbell was arrested at Heathrow airport on suspicion of assaulting a police officer after she had an argument with BA staff over her luggage.

 

The incident is said to have happened after the model was taken off her flight due to her temper with airline staff. Witnesses say that she tried to take too many bags on board with her because she was concerned about the current luggage problems that BA is facing. She did not want to put her belongings into the hold in case they went missing and argued her point until officers had to come onboard and handcuff and remove her from the flight.

 

A range of people saw the incident take place from those on business travel to those who were trying to enjoy the beginning of their holiday. People who saw the disagreement take place say that Miss Campbell was aggressive towards the police officer who was trying to escort her off the plane and same people even claim that she spat at the officer. Once the situation had calmed down she was taken to Heathrow Airport’s police station where she was questioned about the incident.

 

Few people will be surprised about the news of the model’s behaviour as she is regularly in the news because of her temper. As recently as last September, she was seen openly swearing at airport staff because they would not let her board a flight when she arrived just 11 minutes before take – off.

 

Thousands of travellers have been affected by the problems that the opening of Heathrow’s Terminal 5 has brought regardless of whether they are going on holiday or are on business travel. Obviously this means that temper levels are high amongst staff and passengers as it is a very stressful situation. However, British Airways emphasise that they do not tolerate the kind of behaviour that Naomi Campbell displayed on the flight and have since barred her from flying with the airline ever again.  

The Problems With Heathrow Terminal 5

Heathrow’s new Terminal 5 building has caused controversy since the plans to build it were first announced. It stirred mixed emotions with environmentalists and local residents who are against the increased noise, pollution and traffic that it is going to bring. However, others, especially those who participate in a lot of business travel every year, feel that an extra terminal building is a wise move on behalf of British Airways. The reason for this is because it is hoped that the extension will help to ease the pressure of the increasing number of travellers passing through Heathrow Airport every year.

 

Since Heathrow Terminal 5 opened on March 27 2008 British Airways have faced nothing but problems and criticism from holiday makers and those on business travel. Whilst it is clear that the airport is simply experiencing teething problems with its new addition, a lot of travellers have been left feeling angry.

 

One of the main problems has been with the baggage handling systems which has meant that luggage has had to be sorted manually. Not only did this entail long delays for those trying to check in but it also resulted in hundreds of people losing their luggage. No doubt this got holiday makers’ journey off to an upsetting staff and created major problems for those on business travel. However, BAA took full responsibility for the loss of anyone luggage and did everything possible to try and rectify the problem so that the airline could start to function as normal again.

 

The problems that Heathrow Terminal 5 had with their baggage systems resulted in dozens of flights being cancelled as well. It is thought that one of the main causes of all the problems the new terminal has faced is due to staff confusion. Many of the staff were unfamiliar with the building and systems they were using which no doubt added to the delays and inaccuracies that occurred.

 

Just when BAA thought that there couldn’t be any more problems for Heathrow Terminal 5, the recent snow led to more than 100 flights being cancelled. This affected travel plans for holiday makers and those on business travel who were left feeling stressed, upset and stranded. Although the bad weather is out of the control of anyone and flights were affected throughout the whole of Europe, this was hassle that staff could have done without after an already stressful week.

 

Although Heathrow is facing many problems regarding the opening of Terminal 5 they hope to have everything up and running as planned very shortly. This means that holiday makers and those on business travel can continue with their journeys quickly and stress free.

Heathrow to get third runway

Recent news that the Government is to back plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport has caused much debate between airline and environmental groups. A new runway would also mean the introduction of a sixth terminal to help cope with passenger numbers. It is thought that the runway will be in place by 2020 if everything goes according to plan. Some people are in favour of the new extension whereas others are going to do everything possible to prevent it from being built. In order to help you make a decision here is some information from both sides of the argument. 

For

The introduction of a third runway will bring £5 billion worth of economic benefit to the UK even after taking account of climate change and noise costs. Heathrow Airport provides 170,000 jobs, billions of pounds of British exports and is the UK’s main gateway to the global economy. With so many benefits when only using two runways, the possibilities could be endless with the introduction of a third.  

It will help the airport to run more effectively as it will be easier to cope with ever increasing passenger numbers. At the moment Heathrow Airport is always full and relies on only two runways which can lead to delays and congestion. Not only does more space mean more flights and less delays, it means that more flight destinations can be introduced.  

The airport has been running at nearly full capacity for so long that minor problems are leading to major delays which angers travellers from all over the world. This means that Heathrow’s status as a world class airport will diminish over time which means that jobs will be lost and the economy will suffer. Another problem this will cause is that London and the UK’s nations and regions are reliant on the good international connections that the Heathrow Hub provides which could be destroyed if things continue as they are.  

All those involved with building the new runway are well aware of the environmental impacts and will work hard to keep them as low as possible. The chief executive of British Airways has said that the runway can be developed without increasing carbon emissions and the Stern Report on climate change has revealed that economic growth can be pursued hand – in – hand with measures to cut emissions.  

Against

As there is already limited space around Heathrow Airport this means that space is going to have to be created so that the new runway can be built. This is going to result in people who live in Harmondsworth, Sipson and Harlington losing their homes and there is every possibility that whole communities may be wiped out including ancient buildings. People who have been living in these areas all their lives may not want to move but will feel pressured to sell up and may not end up having a choice in the matter at all. There are currently 473,000 planes using Heathrow Airport but this is set to rise to 700,000 a year upon completion of the new extension. There is no doubt that this is going to have an effect on the environment with more carbon emissions being released from aeroplanes and more people driving to and from the airport.

As well as this new transportation links from trains and busses are going to be installed which again means that Heathrow is going to be inflicting more pollution on the environment. 

People who live near Heathrow Airport are already finding it hard to cope with the noise levels with aeroplanes taking off and landing every 90 seconds. This is set to increase after the introduction of a third runway which means that the noise is going to become even more unbearable for local residents. Although aircraft are now quieter than they were a few decades ago the fact that there are now so many of them taking off and landing every day makes the noise just as unbearable as it was before. 

So what do you think about the introduction of a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow Airport? Maybe you are a local resident and are campaigning against the building work or maybe you are a regular business traveller who is welcoming the extension. Whoever you are and whatever you think let us know.