UK NEWS

HOLIDAY CHAOS LOOMS AS MOVE TO T5 IS DELAYED

PROBLEMS: Terminal 5

Saturday April 12,2008

By Express Travel Writer

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TENS of thousands of airline passengers face disruption this summer after British Airways yesterday delayed plans to use ill-fated Terminal 5 for the bulk of long-haul flights.

Chaos surrounding the jinxed site continued as the airline decided to put back using the terminal fully until all systems are working smoothly.

The move into the new £4.3billion terminal was due to take place at the end of this month, doubling passenger numbers from 40,000 to 80,000 a day.

But the airline and Heathrow operator BAA said this was being put back to June in the wake of the terminal’s opening debacle when thousands of bags went missing and hundreds of flights were cancelled.

BA’s chief executive Willie Walsh said the switch would happen on June 5 “at the earliest” – perilously close to the mass summer getaway.

The delay not only damages BA’s reputation further but scuppers plans to shift other airlines around the airport to make use of the extra space.

Thousands of BA passengers will continue using Terminal 4 while it is being refurbished. The knock-on effect will be felt by thousands of other passengers using Terminals 1, 2 and 3.

Heathrow has been left facing the anger of other airlines, which could sue after being given just 30 minutes’ notice of BA’s plans.

First to be hit will be Delta, KLM and Air France, which were due to move into Terminal 4 at the start of next year.

Nigel Turner, chief executive of Bmi, Heathrow’s second largest airline, said: “We are not very happy about this. Once again the UK is a laughing stock.

“The relationship with BAA is very strained at the moment and we cannot rule out taking legal action against them.”

Mr Walsh defended the decision, saying it was in the interests of customers.

WILL HE?

12.04.08, 5:36am

I wonder if Willy's bonus will be bigger and better than last years whopper?
It seems in modern day britain one is rewarded for the number of cockups one champions and not for engineering a well oiled piece of machinery one has devised.

• Posted by: kojak • Report Comment