BA'S bosses partied as as Heathrow Terminal Five crashed

sundaymirror.co.uk 30/03/2008

As chaos broke out at Heathrow Terminal Five, BA bosses were throwing a party to congratulate themselves on a job well done.

A free buffet, doughnuts and soft drinks were laid on at the T5 Celebration Party as BA managers enjoyed music from a string quartet. Staff were also given boxes of chocolates and commemorative T5 pens.

Willie Walsh in terminal before it opened (Pic: Eyevine)

Meanwhile the new terminal was in meltdown with flights cancelled, bags lost and staff unable to find parking spaces.

And as thousands of passengers faced misery, BA Chief Executive Officer Willie Walsh gave a speech at the party thanking his team for their good work.

Last night an airport source said: "It was a bit like the Titanic - as the ship went down the band kept on playing. It's extraordinary that managers felt they should have a party at a time when front-line staff were being screamed at by the public.

"Turmoil was breaking out in the terminal, and staff were complaining they could not get in touch with some of the managers. It was difficult to raise them because they were at the party."

Yesterday the mayhem continued for the third day at the sparkling new terminal - with 67 flights cancelled. Alongside more luggage delays and snaking queues, basic facilities such as airport lifts and public telephones were out of order.

One Heathrow worker revealed: "There are 18 lifts and only one is working - how can you have an international airport like that? The airport looks a bit like Asda when they are in the middle of restocking - trollies everywhere."

News of the party will heap further embarrassment on the airline, which has exclusive use of T5. It was held on Thursday at the BA headquarters in Waterside, Middlesex, 11 miles from the terminal.

It began at 10am - six hours after the first sign that things were going terribly wrong inside the new £4.3billion terminal.

At 4am passengers were arriving to find no check-in desks open. By 4.45am the first plane had landed from Hong Kong but passengers were being warned they would have to wait at least an hour for their baggage.

At 5.20am some passengers arriving from Johannesburg were told their baggage could not be found.

The problems were being caused by a huge shortage of baggage handlers who had arrived late for work because they couldn't find parking spaces. Others were left queuing at staff entrances because of a lack of security officers to let them in.

At 6.20am Willie Walsh arrived to see off the first flight - to Paris. He announced triumphantly: "I think it's great and it's going to get better. This is a hundred times better than anything else at Heathrow."

Soon afterwards the baggage system went into meltdown but some BA managers and other staff still went off to the party. The theatre at Waterside had been booked and a string quartet was playing songs as over 200 staff began to filter in, slapping each other on the backs as they feasted on a free buffet.

At 11.30am Willie Walsh arrived and made his second speech of the day when he thanked staff for their efforts. Boxes of chocolates and T5 souvenir pens were later handed out.

Meanwhile harassed airport staff reported to union reps that they were unable to contact managers for around an hour on Thursday morning.

Things became so bad that at 11.45am union officials were forced to issue a statement pleading for the public not to abuse staff.

A source said: "Workers were getting terrible abuse from passengers who were rightly very frustrated. Staff were trying to raise managers but they had gone off radar and couldn't be reached."

As the party finished at midday, managers started to pick up on news that the terminal was in total chaos. Just 30 minutes later BA were forced to issue a humiliating statement which hugely underestimated the problems going on.

It said: "We have had a few minor problems with our first day of operation in Terminal 5. These issues are being resolved. Overall, customers have given us a very positive reaction to Terminal 5, which we know will be a resounding success."

But with each passing hour further chaos ensued. Sixty-eight flights were cancelled, 17 out of 18 passenger lifts broke and thousands of passengers were forced to find hotels to stay in for the night. Others were forced to sleep on the terminal floor.

Eventually terminal boss Gareth Kirkwood went in front of TV cameras to publicly apologise to passengers. But when reporters tried to quiz him he ran back into his office. The terminal's opening has been described as a PR disaster, and experts say BA are facing a £2million compensation bill. But last night BA defended holding the party.

A spokeswoman said: "It was not a party - it was a staff communication event. There was a string quartet, doughnuts and food but we would not describe that as a party. Free gifts were given out but they were the same items passengers received on the plane.

"Willie Walsh did make a short speech but the whole event was designed to update staff on the new terminal. The event did not impact in any way on the problems experienced at the terminal."

Yesterday one fifth of flights to Europe were cancelled. One plane filled with passengers flying to Cyprus was held on the tarmac for four hours. Staff were still dealing with a backlog of 15,000 stranded bags.

Many who did manage to board a flight were told their luggage would not be travelling with them. A further 37 flights are expected to be cancelled today.

DATE WITH DISASTER

Thursday 4am T5 opens but check-in desks are closed.

4.42am Passengers on first flight from Hong Kong wait an hour for bags.

6.20am BA boss Willie Walsh announces everything is brilliant as he sees off first Paris flight. Staff can't find parking spaces.

9.30am World's media see chaos - staff shortages, thousands of suitcases piled up, flights delayed.

10am Party at Waterside celebrates "successful" opening.

12.30pm: BA announce "teething problems".

5pm Hand luggage check-in suspended.

6pm BA regrets...68 flights cancelled, thousands of passengers book into hotels or sleep at the terminal. BA boss Gareth Kirkwood flees from TV crew.

'Bosses scoffed free buffet as the passengers stewed'

'Souvenir pens handed out to beaming workers'