Heathrow Airport Shutdown: What’s the Real Cause? – The Daily Beast.
Clive Irving has a point. I am fortunate that I can avoid travel through any of London’s airports when going abroad, and I feel sorry for those who cannot.
Author: coldwaterjohn
CWJ travelled extensively with his family, having worked in eleven countries over thirty years. A keen photographer, holding a Private Pilot's Licence, he focuses mainly on landscape and aerial imagery. Having worked in the Middle East extensively he follows developments in that region with particular interest, and views with growing concern, the radicalisation flowing from Islamic fundamentalism, and the intolerance for opposing views, stemming from it.
View all posts by coldwaterjohn
Boadicea's Chariot 
I thought ‘people’ had learned from the Ash fallout that airports sometimes come second best in jousts with weather, but no…… 😦
Good link CWJ,
I especially liked the part about terrorists being overjoyed at causing such a level of utter chaos.
If BAA want to reap the profits the rest of the year round, the least they can do is invest in equipment and training to cope with such a tiny amount of snow. Hell, every RAF base in the land is equipped with enough antique hardware to cope with far worse. Coupled with a goodly dollop of ol’ fashioned man power we kept our runways and dispersals clear through much more than this.
For the non-aviation peeps, grit and salt are a complete no-no around aircraft, they will rot through the metals and abrade engines in a heartbeat. We used to use Urea (pigs wee) it gave off ammonia when wet that stunk to high hell but got the job done.
A few of those jumbos towed around the dispersal on idle would clear most of it. Just sitting on the pan they have several huge hair driers. Of course someone would have to pay for the fuel and the techies to run the engines, and that might just nibble in to the marketing CEOs Xmas bonus. Once you have the surfaces clear, the best way to keep em that way is to do what Heathrow does the rest of the year round, make airplanes move about. This would mean the lifting of the ban on air operations through the night, no biggie since that was the first thing they did when the backlog started.
Yeah call in the military to help, they will cost nothing and after all, they don’t want to spend their R&R from being blown up by towel heads having christmas with their families do they? They’d much rather come and drag your profiteering, greedy arse out of deep shit BAA. Grrrr.
Helsinki doesn’t close. They get more snow every month than Columbia exports in a year. It’s just a matter of money – as usual.
Ash fall-out and a snowfall of five inches which can be managed perfectly adequately in several of the world’s airports are entirely different weather phenomena – one being a regular occurrence, whilst the other is mercifully infrequent. This comes down to totally ineffective Disaster Planning. Its name itself indicates that it is not necessarily something which happens every month, or even year, but you need to have the plans in place to deal with it when it does.
Check out how few snowploughs Heathrow has in use compared with its competitors in size, and subject to similar climatic conditions. This is all to do with a reluctance by its private sector owner to spend money on what may be a once-every-few-years’ occurrence. Given the chaos which ensues, it is inexcusable that BAA do not have adequate provision to deal with such an occurrence. Had it been in Government control, transport ministers’ heads would be rolling down the runway. The two day closure of the Edinburgh Glasgow motorway resulted in the dismissal of the Scottish Transport Minister, for example. Even compared with Gatwick, the spend by Heathrow on snow-clearing equipment was markedly less.
Helsinki airport had 188cm (6ft) of snow last winter but the last time it was forced to close because of the weather was in 2003. They have 250 vehicles to cope with keeping their three runways operating, where temperatures can drop to -25C. They have 600 aircraft movements a day, as against Heathrow’s 1,200, on two runways, and Heathrow has five times as many passengers. But the principles involved in keeping both airports open are broadly similar. There doesn’t seem to be any disciplinary action which the UK Government can take against Spanish-owned BAA, and even the CAA can impose no sanctions for their ill-preparedness to deal efficiently with snow conditions.
Ferret, Harriers used to do a very effective job at clearing snow off runways, but of course they have now been scrapped. Perhaps they could be sold to Heathrow to assist? 🙂
You beet me to it CWJ, I was just about to mention a couple of GR9s on a slow hover would have the whole place open inside of 1 hour.
I try to avoid travelling through Heathrow as far as I can – especially when travelling with colleagues from other climes!
It is remarkable how those who are entrusted with running the country have no common sense. It seems to be a requirement of their job!
Zen,
Apparently they outsource the common sense requirement, and the current move is to draw down on consultancy so guess what.
Honestly they are truly piggin’ useless. To take a single penny in pay is tantamount to fraud as far as I am concerned.
They all need a lead injection in the rear.
Rectum, not quite, but certainly hurts!
Eeek Zen,
Don’t go there buddy apparently the queens in the HOC are very touchy about that sort of thing.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12053127
It seems a certain pillow biting labour moron thought he was being immensly funny when he started calling Osborne a panto character or two, but threw a hissy fit when the same jibe was sent back over the net. He is now trying to play the gay card.
Kinnell – touchy or what? Thank God he won’t affect the health of the national gene pool!
Manchester airport has been open throughout, apart from a short glitch on Saturday afternoon. Incomng flights for London have been landing there. Having been caught out last year, the airport spent £2m on kit during the year.
I see the boss of Heathrow has declined his 2010 bonus. What a gesture.
Not quite the same gesture that thousands of would-be passengers are making in his direction, I think.
So sad about the Harriers. Did anyone blog about it? Link plse, if so. I remember seeing them at Fairford Air Show when they were a total sensation, especially the “nod” of the nose at the end of the display.
Re the total embarrassment that is the Heathrow closure… I just hope they invest in snow ploughs and de-icer for the future. As this is the economy we’re talking about and we’re part of Europe (for better or worse) isn’t there some European fund to pay for all this? It’s in everybody’s interests to keep European airports open, after all! And get the Army in. Sorted! 🙂
Jan,
Not when those airports are owned and run as a private profit making concern by Pedro.
I use Schipol and Brum, much more efficient and nearer Wales.
I have had too much luggage stolen from thiefrow over the years and will not use BA either and too many unsavoury wogs.
Needless to say Brum airport is owned by the city corporation!
This seems to be a depressingly repetitive happening these days, I really do wonder why people are so intent on getting away at Christmas. Had I been they I would have given it up years ago.
I know I think very laterally but here is my take on it all.
Paris and Madrid want to be the hub for all European traffic, so with Heathrow now being owned by a Spanish property company (with huge debts and no knowledge of airports) they can very quickly kill off the UK hub by closing it anytime they want to.
A bit like all the hysteria that is ruining our financial market and giving it to Europe.
Thanks Ferret, that explains why they don’t give much of a toss at Heathrow who is inconvenienced then. Your theory fits in nicely, Rick.
CO, “Needless to say Brum airport is owned by the city corporation!” And therefore financed by non-whites just like those you deplore at Heathrow.
Hugh,
Mrs Osborne is old school and not for turning I’m afraid.
You may as well try to stop the tide.
Look ‘ere, Furry! I’m a honorary (with an aitch) Viking. Remember Canute! 🙂
Having worked out of LHR for 17 years I avoid the place like the plague. In fact I avoid all airports and intend never to get on another aircraft ever!! (except maybe a glider if I get around to it).
Back to the snow: Ferret’s comparison with military airfields is not really fair. The military have very few movements compared with civil aviation and it is less difficult to clear a runway for short periods than keeping it open continuously. That said it is clear that the BAA were ill prepared for the snow. I don’t know why anybody should be surprised at this. The UK are world leaders at incompetant management. I put it down to a lack of practical experience. Giving someone an MBA doesn’t hide the fact that they’re really just a jumped clerk.
If and it’s a bloody big IF, Heathrow actually spend money on more cold weather kit, what’s the betting they will be unable to use it as ‘elf and safety deems it unsafe as icy conditions may cause staff to slip over and hurt themselves, think I’m joking?
Jazz,
As a diversion strip or a QRF (Quick Reaction Force) airfield, a base has to be operational at any time day or night. As I said, it is harder to maintain a clear runway when it is not in constant use.
Heathrow is a classic example of piss poor management and penny pinching to please the shareholders.