This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/7704846.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| T5 was 'national embarrassment' | T5 was 'national embarrassment' |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The chaotic opening of Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 showed "serious failings" by British Airways and airport operator BAA, MPs have said. | The chaotic opening of Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 showed "serious failings" by British Airways and airport operator BAA, MPs have said. |
| The event in March was a source of "national embarrassment", the House of Commons Transport Committee said. | The event in March was a source of "national embarrassment", the House of Commons Transport Committee said. |
| It said the problems, which included cancelled flights and thousands of bags going missing, "could and should" have been avoided with better planning. | It said the problems, which included cancelled flights and thousands of bags going missing, "could and should" have been avoided with better planning. |
| The companies have apologised and said the situation had improved since then. | The companies have apologised and said the situation had improved since then. |
| 'Long queues' | 'Long queues' |
| Committee chairwoman Louise Ellman MP, said: "What should have been an occasion of national pride was in fact an occasion of national embarrassment." | Committee chairwoman Louise Ellman MP, said: "What should have been an occasion of national pride was in fact an occasion of national embarrassment." |
| When the £4.3bn terminal opened on 27 March, most of the problems were down to "insufficient communication" between British Airways (BA) and BAA, the report found. | When the £4.3bn terminal opened on 27 March, most of the problems were down to "insufficient communication" between British Airways (BA) and BAA, the report found. |
| It also criticised poor staff-training and system-testing by the airline company. | It also criticised poor staff-training and system-testing by the airline company. |
| The 36,584 passengers who turned up on the first day faced long queues and had little idea about what was happening. | The 36,584 passengers who turned up on the first day faced long queues and had little idea about what was happening. |
| "When the baggage system failed, luggage piled up to such an extent that it was transported by road to be sorted off-site. | "When the baggage system failed, luggage piled up to such an extent that it was transported by road to be sorted off-site. |
| "According to BA, 23,205 bags required manual sorting before being returned to their owners," the report said. | "According to BA, 23,205 bags required manual sorting before being returned to their owners," the report said. |
| Hundreds of flights were cancelled when the terminal opened | Hundreds of flights were cancelled when the terminal opened |
| MPs said they were "astonished" BAA and BA only decided to organise joint meetings once things started going wrong. | MPs said they were "astonished" BAA and BA only decided to organise joint meetings once things started going wrong. |
| It was "deeply regrettable" these meetings had not taken place before the T5 opening, the report said. | It was "deeply regrettable" these meetings had not taken place before the T5 opening, the report said. |
| Mrs Ellman said: "We were struck by how much 'hoping for the best' BAA had engaged in prior to the opening of T5". | Mrs Ellman said: "We were struck by how much 'hoping for the best' BAA had engaged in prior to the opening of T5". |
| MPs spoke to the Unite union and the companies. | MPs spoke to the Unite union and the companies. |
| BAA's chairman Sir Nigel Rudd and chief executive Colin Matthews, who appeared before the committee, were criticised for being "unhelpful and ill-prepared" and not being able to provide any "satisfactory explanation" about why the chaos had happened. | BAA's chairman Sir Nigel Rudd and chief executive Colin Matthews, who appeared before the committee, were criticised for being "unhelpful and ill-prepared" and not being able to provide any "satisfactory explanation" about why the chaos had happened. |
| "The opening of T5 revealed serious failings on the part of both BAA and BA. | "The opening of T5 revealed serious failings on the part of both BAA and BA. |
| "Like both organisations, we acknowledge the inevitability of 'teething problems' but deeply regret that so many were allowed to bring the operation of Heathrow's newest terminal to a halt," the report concluded. | "Like both organisations, we acknowledge the inevitability of 'teething problems' but deeply regret that so many were allowed to bring the operation of Heathrow's newest terminal to a halt," the report concluded. |
| T5's opening is history. Its present is a great success. We are resolutely committed to keeping it so British Airways spokesman | T5's opening is history. Its present is a great success. We are resolutely committed to keeping it so British Airways spokesman |
| The Competition Commission's provisional report on UK airport ownership, recommended the sale of some of BAA's seven UK airports, including Gatwick, Heathrow, Edinburgh and Glasgow. | The Competition Commission's provisional report on UK airport ownership, recommended the sale of some of BAA's seven UK airports, including Gatwick, Heathrow, Edinburgh and Glasgow. |
| The MPs said: "This reinforces the view we have previously expressed, that BAA is a monopoly that needs to be broken up." | The MPs said: "This reinforces the view we have previously expressed, that BAA is a monopoly that needs to be broken up." |
| A BAA spokesman said the company had noted the findings and re-apologised. He said lessons had been learned and changes made. | A BAA spokesman said the company had noted the findings and re-apologised. He said lessons had been learned and changes made. |
| He claimed the airport was now exceeding many performance targets and was rated highly in satisfaction polls by many of the 11.5m passengers had already passed through. | He claimed the airport was now exceeding many performance targets and was rated highly in satisfaction polls by many of the 11.5m passengers had already passed through. |
| He said: "We acknowledge that the committee did not get all the answers it wanted at the first hearing. | He said: "We acknowledge that the committee did not get all the answers it wanted at the first hearing. |
| "We focused on fixing the problems at T5 and not investigating until those problems were resolved once and for all. | "We focused on fixing the problems at T5 and not investigating until those problems were resolved once and for all. |
| "Had we diverted our resources to investigating rather than solving the problems, we could not have fixed them as quickly as we did." | "Had we diverted our resources to investigating rather than solving the problems, we could not have fixed them as quickly as we did." |
| Advertisement | |
| Heathrow T5: Before and After | |
| Targets | Targets |
| A BA spokesman accepted the opening days were "disappointing" and said the company had apologised many times for the disruption. | A BA spokesman accepted the opening days were "disappointing" and said the company had apologised many times for the disruption. |
| He said: "T5's opening is history. Its present is a great success. We are resolutely committed to keeping it so." | He said: "T5's opening is history. Its present is a great success. We are resolutely committed to keeping it so." |
| He also pointed out the airline had improved its performance, customer satisfaction, and punctuality targets during the past seven months. | He also pointed out the airline had improved its performance, customer satisfaction, and punctuality targets during the past seven months. |
| Conservative shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers called the report "damning" with passengers badly let down. | Conservative shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers called the report "damning" with passengers badly let down. |
| Liberal Democrat shadow transport Secretary, Norman Baker, said the findings proved BAA was a "complacent organisation" which had put profit ahead of its passengers. | Liberal Democrat shadow transport Secretary, Norman Baker, said the findings proved BAA was a "complacent organisation" which had put profit ahead of its passengers. |