"A Bunch Of Idiots": IATA's Willie Walsh Slams Heathrow's Lack Of Preparedness

[@BC_26fhj]

They were arrogant to think they could just sack experienced staff and expect them to just come back when passenger numbers increased…

[@Pro_Existance]

Yeah

[@asdf3568]

Not arrogant. Just afraid of losing money. Unless it's a state run airport.

[@BC_26fhj]

@@asdf3568 It is not a state run airport that was part of the problem. State owned airports like Milan, Italy didn't sack any staff during the pandemic.

[@asdf3568]

@@BC_26fhj I would say that is the problem. Because they lost a ton of money when the pandemic hit. They were taking a huge risk by opening it up. Rehiring staff etc. With our insane politicians you have no way of knowing if they are going to go for more lockdowns or not. Turns out they didn't but the airport management did not know that back then.

[@athgt6630]

The airlines he represents did the same.

[@martinbarabe4643]

I travel for a living on a weekly basis. Not in the UK but in Canada and US. It is as crazy here as it is across the ocean. I have seen first hand the development of this airport nightmare. From flights cancelation, long departing delays from baggage movement, being stuck on the tarmac for 3 hours before being able to deplane and waiting over 7 hours to get my luggage (tools) to go to work.

[@RB-rp6ud]

This is what happens when employers do not value the contribution of workers, especially airport staff who do the front & back end jobs.

[@feldons5621]

LHR management need to explain at an MP's enquiry what the heck they have done with tax payers money? £300 million. Its interesting that Gatwick are not facing such severe problems, sure there are queues there but passengers are not being affected so badly and nor are airlines being ask to cancel flights !

[@athgt6630]

Gatwick is always a mess, so business as usual

[@ewantennant5847]

I was flying to Miami from t3 with virgin onJuly 13th. I got to the airport 4.5 hours early, knowing about disruption. I waited 90 mins for security, through a confusing queue that filled most of the pre security area. The queue was split into several different sections to allow access to check in desks and so forth, which confused people and caused lots of people accidentally cutting in line. The queue got so big that I saw through a window that it had extended out onto the pathed drop off area in front of the terminal, it was absolute chaos and there were so many airline staff members going through the queue, looking for passengers who’s flights were on their last call

[@devendrandevaraj]

I flew in May and June , you could tell they were no where near prepared to handle the numbers at that time … I can only imagine how bad it is now with Summer Holiday Travellers !!! I waited over 1hr on the tarmac waiting for a gate , thankfully my flight was the first in line , but there were 6 other long haul flights behind us !!

[@anandnagarajan1564]

Even in normal times I found Heathrow to be of utter confusion, over crowded ,long lines in un necessary security checks for connecting passengers . I avoid flights thro Europe to U S .

[@LMays-cu2hp]

Thank you for sharing.

[@msungamo2339]

Are there any estimates when this lack of staff is likely to be sorted? I believe this is THE question everyone in aviation and every travellar is asking themselves

[@RonPiggott]

By the time you do security checks and training I expect this will drag on

[@ewantennant5847]

I was in Florida, going to theme parks and their security will handle like 20,000 people at least in the first hour or so of the park being open and yet the line was tiny despite metal detectors and manual bag shortages

[@PakaBubi]

Now regarding AMS. I am flying to and from AMS every 2 weeks and the carry-on there is just outrageous. You can only enter the terminal 4 hours prior departure. That's ok, but the check-in doesn't start 2 hours before your flight... Standing in line for 2 hours for nothing and then, run not to miss your flight.

[@todortodorov940]

Pure stupidity. Air travel in the 60's had glory. In the 2000's and 2010's was a mixed experience. In 2022, even cattle, animals and cargo wait less than passengers at some airports.

[@Yazennnnnn]

I’m traveling to Heathrow this Thursday and I’m literally scared of the return flight on Turkish airlines on the 7th of August. Let’s hope it goes well and I don’t miss my flight

[@PakaBubi]

Safe travels and pack some Xanax

[@quasarsavage]

good luck m8

[@uwantsomechickenlad8835]

I had to wait 2 hrs on the taxiway for the takeoff slot. Good luck. If Turkish isn’t t5 then u probably are alright

[@ewantennant5847]

Get to the airport like 4 hours prior to your flight

[@j3oooooooooooooooooooooooooooe]

A while ago I flew back into heathrow to come home from Vancouver and I was greeted with a lovely 3 hour wait at baggage reclaim but thankfully not that long queues at security.

[@ZRHTrainspotter]

2:17 IATA is right!

[@tita6818]

The airport operator 'Heathrow Airport Holdings' is a part of a Spanish company 'Ferrovial Group'.

[@skylineXpert]

He sounds like Michael O'leary when lashing out at Heathrow

[@ewantennant5847]

I think the problem with terminal 3’s sudden spike is that this is the first summer with people being allowed to go to the US, therefore there is a 2 year backlog of people all trying to fly there plus the huge spike in those booking new trips. Terminal 3 is what I would call the North America terminal as its major operator being virgin Atlantic, who operate mainly to the US. The terminal also has a big amount of flights from delta and American. The terminal also has a lot of connections popular with travel to Australia and this is also the first summer season that Australia is open to the uk. Heathrow should have thought about this, and relocated at least American and maybe Qantas and cathay to a different terminal (maybe t5 as these airlines are both one world members and therefore could use the BA amenities at that terminal, with BA flights to Europe being handled by t3 to make room at t5

[@hmerbay2]

As a baggage engineer at heathrow only half the problem is heathrows fault the other half is the airlines them selves. If you want to know more shoot me a message

[@todortodorov940]

If you round half to the nearest integer, you get one, i.e. the entire problem.

[@titob.yotokojr.9337]

What you have just said is called "passing the buck".

[@hmerbay2]

@@titob.yotokojr.9337 if only you knew what goes on behind the public eyes 🤣

[@Aviation365]

Travelled with Virgin Atlantic on 9th July. LHR-MCO. We get to the virgin Atlantic check in. The computer broke just as we got to the terminal. We are now 30 minutes behind schedule. Terminal 3 security was insane. We get out of security - the queue took around 1 hour and a half. We briskly walk to the long corridor and are greeted with a red “flight closing” text on the departure board. Made the flight but we’re the last on the plane. Nothing to do with Virgins fault a lovely flight with them overall. Thanks a lot Heathrow. Heathrow is my favourite airport, and it is a real shame to see it making such a poor job of the current circumstances.

[@ewantennant5847]

Yeah I think virgin are quite angry. I flew to MIA a few weeks ago and the pilot literally said something along the lines of “we apologise for the stressful experience caused by Heathrow with the long security line and the delay caused to the flight by the baggage loading and would like to say that it is unfortunately out of virgin’s hands”. Even with a 90 min delay, people were still rushing to the gate once they actually started boarding.

[@Q20-u3g]

Some days ago I came to the usa 🇺🇸 via London and it was hell many flights was canceled and the staff did not help it was very bad my flight got canceled and I had to wait for 16 hours for the next flight and they did not provide with a hotel and note I did not have the transit visa and they said sleep on the floor and tomorrow I am going back via London wish me luck 🍀

[@abrahamtordjman9157]

I flew out of LHR last week and my god I’m so happy I arrived 3 hours before my flight became woah in the security line there were so many people around me getting so upset because the line wasn’t moving and they had to catch their planes and so many people missed their flights it’s insane so yea make sure you get there well in advance

[@texasgrammy1]

Heathrow has always been a troubled airport, it's time to build a proper airport from ground up, then bulldoze down the atrocity that we have been forced to use

[@devon896]

I travelled through Heathrow in March this year, absolutely seamless experience both going out and coming back from Ireland.

[@ewantennant5847]

That’s because it was not at peak time and I assume at terminal 2, which hasn’t had any problems apart from one day where the baggage system malfunctioned

[@ross4]

Airports should be public infrastructure. Like roads, ports, bridges, etc. They should not be privatized.

[@Vivek-zw3ex]

My flight through Heathrow was cancelled and I had to reschedule for a different date. Then the flight on this different date was cancelled again and I had to reschedule to a different date again. Let's hope third time is the charm! 🤞

[@countbenjamin1442]

Yeah not every airport has a huge wait times or stacks of luggage piled up. Those airports tend to be smaller airports. I keep hearing how bad large airports are.

[@R3VStudios]

I hope they get sued into oblivion being a private company

[@edwardmathews4382]

Outrageous! Two hours at passport control! No leadership.

[@airlineplt]

It’s gotten so bad that I experienced an engine failure during overflight and declared a Pan Pan requesting Heathrow for my landing airport and they refused saying I didn’t have a slot at the airport.

[@Matmamtmamtmamtmamtm]

Nice fake story; everyone didn't clap.

[@kurtbitner6675]

I bet it’s ILLEGAL for an airport to refuse landing to a plane with an engine failure. Totally fake.

[@aads1001]

Flew out of terminal 5 on Friday and it was fine. Maybe that’s just terminal 5 or maybe they’re recovering.

[@ewantennant5847]

Terminal 3 is where the main issues are

[@carboneffect5182]

The brits were just playing it safe just in case they didn't meet their expectations to avoid looking bad.

[@stankythecat6735]

I have flown all over Europe … starting at JFK to Casablanca to Barcelona to Paris to Venice…. Not one issue. In fact Paris was almost empty , it was the 15th of July. I always fly first class and have AirTags in my luggage… no issues

[@Andrei8pa3]

It's probably because you take first class which isn't very busy and has a lot of premium stuff such as skipping queues, etc.

[@butteriest1634]

you must fly really expensive lol

[@ewantennant5847]

First class means you skip the queues and your bags take a priority route to the aircraft

[@stankythecat6735]

@@ewantennant5847 that’s why it’s worth it !

[@stankythecat6735]

@@butteriest1634 it’s not all that bad , royal air Marco was reasonable . We paid 3k on way for two of us in first, nyc to Casablanca , then Barcelona.

[@igorGriffiths]

Heathrow is an awful airport. From its misuse of technology, where the staff insist you use the automated check in kiosks, which of course you know from previous flights doesn’t work for your regular route and then getting misdirected by the same staff to the check in desk you were first heading to. Hopefully direct flights to Manchester will resume soon and I can get back to a properly run airport

[@michaeloreilly657]

Is the train any better?

[@tedyi8588]

Emotional Damage

[@BrunoACFernandes]

He ain't wrong...

[@ewantennant5847]

t3 security is just too small to handle the passenger numbers it needs to handle

[@bokhans]

Still the manager will be a lord some day if he isn’t already! the English love their titles and useless individuals with the right connection are the always the most likely recipients.

[@ElaborateTiger]

I just don't understand how this can happen. Don't they know how many planes come in and out of Heathrow a day? Surely it's common sense to not allow the maximum capacity of the aircraft to exceed the maximum capacity of the airport.

[@jean-lucblanc4605]

they saked so many people and now can't recruit enough. Karma

[@chrisslater2222]

He should go to Manchester. It makes Heathrow look like well oiled machine.

[@sdwelham]

Says the man who pulled most of BA out of Gatwick and gave up all the North Terminal……….. Mmmmmm lack of foresight was he complaining about?

[@PrezidentHughes]

Heathrow doesn't know how to run an airport yet BA based most of its flights there under his watch? 🤔

[@imldn8372]

Oh and the cuts people of his ilk running airlines operating out of LHR had no contribution?

[@DS-gm8en]

Sometimes is good to be poor. No problems like this at all.

[@marnig9185]

To claim the oposite of what realy is,is Brits passion ;D;D;D

[@Parastorm.]

flew from Heathrow T5 to DFW on the 8th of June and returned on the 23rd, zero problems as good if not better than normal service than before Covid. Media hype in my opinion.

[@chucklesome1]

in June it wasn't that bad

[@bennyattar8862]

After spending 1 hour 45 minutes in the queue for security theatre, I think it's more than media hype.

[@CinemaDemocratica]

Privatization always seems like a terrific idea before the fact, and very, very, *very* rarely afterward.

[@jamesread11]

Heathrow is a great airport if u are used to having to use stansted… now that is a total shower of s**t

[@FlyboyUS]

All by design

[@Paradoxical124]

A

[@jimvlahos1320]

Will trade Heathrow for Toronto Pearson airport ? Anyone ?

[@nurrizadjatmiko21]

LMAO

[@bradenwilson712]

Lol check out Toronto Pearson Int, there worse..

[@mickboakes7023]

Typical. Good old Britain. Once a world bench mark now laughing stock. Proud to be British? I was once not any more.

[@ryan_n05]

lhr really just needs to be publicly owned imo. it’s clearly failing under private ownership.

[@airlineplt]

Just kidding

[@epapa737]

Bri'ish moment

[@Vivek-zw3ex]

My flight through Heathrow was cancelled and I had to reschedule for a different date. Then the flight on this different date was cancelled again and I had to reschedule to a different date again. Let's hope third time is the charm! 🤞