Holiday accident news
22/08/2007
BAA warned to shape up
There have been a number of complaints made about the inadequate quality of service and facilities at airports run by BAA (British Airports Authority). But could this lead to an influx of holiday accidents?
BAA operates a number of airports in the UK including our busiest London airports - Heathrow, Gatwick and Stanstead as well as Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. The most common complaints in relation to these airports are of long security queues and passenger delays.
Most will agree that having to arrive at the airport two hours before departure time is tedious enough but then being stuck waiting in line with tiresome travellers, screaming kids and bolshy businessmen to have yourself frisked by a stern looking security guard isn't exactly a day out at a theme park.
Airports are hot, airless and can be extremely stressful. The last thing you want when preparing to jet off or arriving home after a long flight, apart from having to seek out a personal injury solicitor to represent you in a holiday accident claim, is queues and delays.
Competition Commission chairman Christopher Clarke has commented, "We are well aware of the concerns expressed in the media and elsewhere over the operations of BAA's airports, especially Heathrow, Stanstead and Gatwick.
"These include delays experienced by passengers going through security or immigration, as well as availability of facilities such as lifts, escalators and travelators, and other aspects which may affect passengers' experience passing through airports, such as overcrowding, signage and cleanliness."
Such inefficiencies could lead to holiday accidents, personal injuries and illnesses. For example, if lifts, escalators and travelators are not working holidaymakers may struggle with their heavy luggage and sustain sprains and muscle strains. Overcrowding could also cause passengers to have panic attacks and lead to slip, trips and falls, just as a lack of cleanliness could allow diseases such as MRSA to breed.
In their defence, BAA's Chief Executive said, "BAA accepts that the experience of too many passengers using London airports is unsatisfactory. But the problems of congestion and delay which affect passengers have their roots in lack of terminal and runway capacity, not the ownership structure of BAA.
