The Old Hack

Some months ago I wrote somewhat sceptically about the trial runs for Heathrow's much vaunted Terminal Five.  Little was I to know that my scepticism woud turn out to be so justified!  Hard to believe that having gone through all the trouble of inviting members of the public to queue for imaginary flights, collect virtual luggage and presumably sample a couple of virtual overpriced souvenirs, the 'live' opening yesterday should have been quite so disastrous.

An ITV reporter locked in a lift - the spectacle of staff running from journalists to avoid being interviewed under what must have been insufferable stress - another hack reporting on evening television how his bags had failed to arrive in Paris and his return flight delayed (due to baggage handling problems at Terminal 5) - the list goes on and on.

No doubt there will be a full enquiry.  How did the lifts fail?  The luggage handling system break down?  The gangways fail to connect with the aircraft doors?  The airport is operated by BAA, whose website this-morning gives no indication of the current chaos, merely inviting the visitor to explore the wonderful new facilities on offer.

British Airways site, by contrast publishes a profuse apology for the disruption to its flights, together with detailed information on how to obtain compensation for missed and cancelled flights.

Whereas BA has not employed its "Fly the Flag" strapline in advertising for many years, the airline is still in some minds synonymous with cool, British efficiency and carries the respect of travellers worldwide.  How will this current fiasco affect BA?  And how much of the can must be carried by the confusingly named BAA?

At a time when the British economy needs a real boost internationally, along comes a disaster of the kind that will be remembered by cynics with more influence than The Old Hack for some time to come.

It's not often that my sympathies lie with large conglomerates such as British Airways - but on this occasion I can't help thinking they are the unwitting scapegoats for BAA.  British Airports Authority, in spite of its name now part of the Spanish Ferovial corporation, was recently reported to be in debt to the tune of nine billion pounds.  Airport International has been reporting BAA could be forced to sell off airports including Heathrow in order to return to liquidity.  Looks like that could happen sooner rather than later.  Could Heathrow and other airports return to British ownership and control?  Could we once more "Fly the Flag" with some regained pride?  Or will BA be the one to suffer and end up the way of KLM, taken over by another country's flagship airline.  Air France/KLM/BA just sounds too unwieldy!