wrote in message

On 23 May, 12:28, "Recliner" wrote:
"Michael Hoffman" wrote in message




Doesn't matter even one little bit who they work for. The point is
that flying into New York or Washington is a pretty nasty
experience, and over time that's going to have an impact - just as
the nightmare that is Heathrow is putting Londons's economy at
risk.

I hate to say it, but it's not that nasty for U.S. citizens.
Heathrow is nasty for everyone.

Good point -- the immigration queues for EU arrivals at Heathrow are
now as long as non-EU arrivals. Not so long ago, EU arrivals had
almost no queues. Of course, it doesn't make much difference
overall, as baggage comes through so slowly at Heathrow, that you
just waste the time in the immigration queue, instead of in the
baggage hall.


Biggest thing they could do, I suspect, would be to break up BAA. The
idea that a monopoly was fine as long as it was a private monopoly has
turned out to be just as ludicrous as it sounds.

Absolutely, BAA should be broken up, to create at least two owners of
the three major London airports (of course, Luton and City airport
already have different owners), and also to split the ownership of
Edinburgh and Glasgow airports. I assume that the reason that BAA was
privatised in one piece (by the Tories) was purely to maximise the sale
proceeds.

But, to be fair, the long immigration queues aren't BAA's fault --
that's down to the government. BAA has at least created halls large
enough to accommodate them in some of the terminals. And Heathrow does
offer fast track departure and arrival lines, unlike most US airports.