United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
BAA accepts some blame for Terminal 5 fiasco
BAA chief executive Colin Matthews has accepted blame for some of the problems at the Heathrow Terminal 5 opening.
Appearing before the House of Commons Transport Committee, Matthews said he did not know T5 was not ready for business when it opened on March 27.
“We have not sought to blame others. Some of the problems were undoubtedly our fault and some were not,” he said.
Problems with baggage handling meant thousands of bags were delayed.
According to Press Association reports, Matthews claimed the baggage system had been tested at full load about 20 times.
He said the airports operator had not yet been able to investigate fully what went wrong because it has been too busy trying to correct the problems.
He admitted that 17 lifts were still not working at the new terminal, five weeks after the opening.
MPs accused Matthews of being “complacent” and said the disastrous opening had made a “fool out of this country”.
Matthews appeared in front of the Committee with BAA chairman Sir Nigel Rudd.
Rudd said he was “bitterly disappointed” about the opening. He said although there were some problems that might have been foreseen, none would have led to a delay in opening.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel