London Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye, on how well he and the airport are managing the summer travel surge.
The summer getaway has started well at Heathrow, thanks to early planning and keeping demand in line with airline ground-handler capacity.
Any issues, he says, are the fault of airlines failing to “recruit and train more ground handlers” and fault with the airport lies only in not having enough money for capital investment, but that’s the fault of the global pandemic not the airport itself, offering that:
airports need catch up on under investment during the Covid years – at Heathrow, that means replacing the T2 baggage system and new security lanes.
While cars and trucks are queuing at Dover, luggage is queuing at Heathrow too.
What a mess our country has become. pic.twitter.com/eZr524gYe0
— Wonko the Sane (@Kernowmad) July 23, 2022
Oh, and need I mention that the airport CEO also blames a viral travel tip TikTok for the airport’s woes, saying more people are requesting wheelchair assistance to navigate the airport?
Wolf Jenkins filmed himself pretending to have sprained his ankle at the Bodrum Airport. He walked around barefoot (inside the airport – yuck). He saw huge lines and was worried he’d miss his flight, and wound up pushed in a wheelchair through the airport and to his seat. He was even given his own row on board so he could stretch out.
After the flight – it was a miracle – he could walk!
Heathrow’s solution to its massive failures and meltdowns is to substantially limit the number of passengers it serves this summer. A great start indeed! And since the passenger cap came only after the meltdowns, a sure reflection of wise early planning, too.
