British Airways not happy with BAA

Today's Observer claims that, while BAA has been making sure that Terminal 5 has lots of expensive shops and Gordon Ramsay cooking pork chops, they've forgotten the airporty bit:

In documents seen by Channel 4's Dispatches programme, BA states: 'Only 34 of the 61 gates in T5 will enjoy pier service when T5 opens ... This is the lowest share of pier-served stands at any terminal at Heathrow. Two to two-and-a-half million BA passengers per annum will not enjoy pier service. That will require, at Heathrow's newest terminal, a coaching operation for BA that will transport more than the entire passenger load of all but a handful of the other airlines at Heathrow.'

BA also attacks the lack of aircraft parking stands, saying: 'On a typical day, BA will have to tow 13 aircraft several miles from one end of Heathrow to the other, then back again, at significant cost to BA. BA is also having to build the parking stands for these aircraft at its own expense of £30m to £35m. No other airline will have to move any aircraft away from the terminal in which it operates.'

BA complains that, because of cost-cutting by BAA, Terminal 5 will not be big enough for all its Heathrow flights. Around 8 per cent of flights will have to depart from Terminal 3, already the most overcrowded terminal at Heathrow, adding significantly to its load.

It's a compelling argument against trusting BAA with anything, much less a third runway.

Going long haul? Don't take bags, says BA

Suggesting ever more strongly that British Airways has ceased to be an airline and turned itself into an experimental theatre group, it's broken its baggage system at Terminal 4 and so has come up with a brilliant solution: if you want to take luggage on the plane, you can't travel:

The following passengers flying from London Heathrow Terminal 4 on Wednesday 20 February should not bring luggage to be checked in.

Longhaul passengers in the following cabins
· World Traveller (economy)
· World Traveller Plus (premier economy)
As well as all transfer passengers

Passengers who do bring baggage to be checked in will not be able to travel.

Now, if you're going longhaul - and have paid for an upgrade to premier economy - you might think you'd like to arrive at your destination with a change of clothes or two. Perhaps some spare shoes. A razor, and maybe nailclippers.

Tough.

Actually, BA does have a separate solution. If you really MUST take suitcases for a trip abroad:

"passengers due to fly from T4 are eligible for a refund, can re-book to a different destination or travel on a later date".

If you're planning a trip home, and have to be back at work in the next couple of days, it seems you're being given a choice of not turning up or dumping your stuff.

Can we stop them being the flag-carrier? It's really embarrassing now, isn't it?