“The combination British Airways + Heathrow is criminal: over the last 4 years we have had more than 20 BA flights going through Heathrow between myself, friends and colleagues, and not a single flight has arrived at the final destination within the same calendar day it was meant to - not only connecting flights get regularly cancelled with no same day alternative offered by British Airways, but what's even worse every single time:
1. There is no simple process provided by BA to obtain an overnight hotel and meal vouchers: the only option is to get those from a kiosk with usually about 4 operators serving hundreds of customers in line at any one time, meaning a queue no shorter than 3+ hours.
2. If you need to connect your bag from the first flight, this does not get released automatically: again the only option is a separate 2+ hours queue to get the bag released (note even if you went through the queue from 1., you still need to get through this additional queue to get your bag released), and then wait another 1-2 hours for the bag to reach the belt.
3. Passport control is between the kiosks for 1. and 2. - if you cross that, either by accident or to do 2., then you can no longer go back to the kiosk for 1. and get your overnight accommodation and meal voucher.
Meaning that not only one gets 1+ days delayed to their destination, but also has to spend the entire time until then fighting their way through procedures clearly made to push people to give up on receiving any of what they are due.
But that's not all: regularly when submitting claims for compensation, as normal for flights delayed for more than 3 hours, one eventually finds that even in situations where the responsibility for the delay/cancellation is clearly on British Airways (for instance, we've been on a flight where the BA pilot announced midnight that they forgot to add enough fuel for a short flight between Edinburgh and London, and hence decided to land in an airport away from Heathrow...), there is a fake report from Heathrow staff claiming some kind of force majeure like inclement weather (even when I'm truth there wasn't any) in order to relieve British Airways from their compensation duties.
I have travelled all continents and in no other airport or airway line there is a situation as appalling as the British Airways + Heathrow one.”
“During our move to UK from Canada as a military family with a 4 month old baby, I had my entire months breast milk supply frozen in my cooler bag. I was refused the ability to check the cooler as it was stated we had "too many checked bags" and was told to carry it on. While going through security, they refused to let me bring my milk. We tired tirelessly to resolve the issue with no help offerd. Then I had to stand there in tears, to see ALL of my milk being thrown out.
I was not offered to have it checked or offered to "de thraw", it wasn't until another person mentioned they had that station, NO Staff offered until after it was all thrown out and at that point we'd have missed our flight. To de thraw all the milk would also make it spoil after 24hours. I was left with one bottle to feed my baby. They then took my cleaning spray to be able to clean any of my breast feeding supplies or bottle while traveling. I have never felt more violated of my human rights. The amount of time and money ( supplements to increase my supply, hours and hours of pumping, the supplies to pump and feed, the expensive cooler we got JUST for this trip and my milk) ALL GONE.
I do understand that it was the airline who faulted by not allowing us to check the bag in the beginning, however, education to staff of the airport needs to be provided.
I filed this complaint, they said not their issue, no education needed, have a nice day...
Unbelievably disheartening.”
“The most horrid security check experience I have ever had. A bunch of rude boys/girls that didn’t try hard at school now in a job where they take it out on everyone else. A truly ugly experience. Bring on Elon Musks robots!”
“Going through security my bag gets checked and out of 3 perfumes and other liquids the SOB picks the most expensive 3.4 oz. Of INITIO $400 usd worth. He got upset because I complained and threat me with calling the police and having me arrested. Of course I walked away, the power trip he had would have landed my in jail. That POS MDRFKR. Is worth $400.00 he thinks he can humiliate people by threats of arrest. Avoid Heathrow Airport if you can.”
“The worst ever airport experience !!! This is happening everytime we land London !! Where are these govts focussed on !!
Hours long queue just to pass immigration after long hrs flights !!! Stupids needs to learn how to manage airports from gulf or atleast any asian countries …!! Crappy creapy fu**in sh1ts”
“Terminal 3 Security staff are rude
Train them in customer service they have the attitude they are above the law and do as they say Open your bag and do not touch it
I travel all over the world and can safely say they all have the worst attitudes when having to go through airport security”
“My husband 88years,me 75 had very bad experience at Heathrow as we requested for wheel chair assistance after reaching London from Hyderabad by flight no.BA276 in the afternoon.We had to walk to buggy,then dropped at Building A of terminal 5 where Very rude behaviour of the desk providing wheel chair. We were made to wait for long.Then wheel chairs were given for clearing security then buggy to B gates. Gates were announced 15 mins before boarding.Worst part is we were made to walk long distance with hand luggage for boarding flight BA189 5th July to board the bus ourselves.They don't serve luggage they only serve humans the person said at BA189 gate.We travelled standing in bus.Climbed very steep stairs. Could not carry hand luggage up the stairs.Requested some passerby.Horrible service, worst eexperience no wheel chairs in sight,very rude behaviour of wheel chair handling staff.The flight hostesses and steward were excellent. Except for this rude behaviour of the staff.The aircraft staff said they are not responsible and the Heathrow Airport staff providing wheel chairs are responsible.No wheel chairs were in sight near Boarding gate 189 B43.”
“Poor scanning of hand luggage; slow and v inefficient.
Ridiculous zoned boarding process. It didn't seem to work at all. Boarding of a narrow bodied jet took over 30 mins”
“More concerned with commerce than travel. Poor directions, idiocy rules. Paranoid & slow TSA. No posting of flight gate, delayed flight. No staff. Do you hate Americans?”
“This is the 2nd time in a month PMRassistance failed to me but in this occassion was gross as I was left abandoned. I was told the company is called Wilson James. I have heart problems, and recent history of bleeding from gastric ulcers for which I was admitt d. It long ago at hospital. Those 2ry to stress and anxiety. I am also diabetic asthmatic and suffer of chronic pain syndrome. If I could i would prefer to go in my own but I had 7 Orthopedic surgeries. I ended calling 999 and asked for the police. I was actually not feeling very well because the lady who was goi g to take me in the wheelchair asked me to stay d up to give the chair to another passenger who came for a companion. Poor suppor from Iberia too.Rhey didn’t consider my background medical history. Just only after I phone 👮♀️ police someone came for me. I met the lady who took other passengers and left me . She was told I phoned police and it was a nightmare as she was trying to justify because she was claiming g we were 6 passengers who require PMR and she was left to do all the job. I was terrified as i knew the trains with the strike starting next day were expecting to be overcrowded and I was right. At least in this occassion my suitcases were in the luggage platform becuase in a recent journey in November my suitcases disappeared as the aircraft arrived ages ago and my flight didn’t appear in the screen. I met another passenger who was in my flight and she said her suitcases were missing but someone put mine somewhere else. So wine needs to do something as someone will die there as I said I was not feeling well ….”
“Worst accessibility company ever! Courtersy of Wilson James as that is who runs the accessibility.
Honestly really the worst I have had and it is like this EVERY TIME.
Check this out if you are disabled. Seriously.
Brief as possible as there is a lot they did wrong!
I booked a wheelchair to gate and was told I could be taken between terminals. I checked this in advance TWICE with Heathrow.
I got to the airport 3 hours early and told to wait for my wheelchair.
I waited about a hour. The guy comes and said the bus is going to take 45 mins so we have to walk.
I said I can't walk, I booked a wheelchair and assistance with luggage.
He said I can pay for a cab myself OR we have to talk to the underground then between terminals!
I said I will end up in hospital and bedbound and he said that is the only option! Walk or taxi!
I had no money for a taxi plus, at this point checkin was going to close in 30 mins!
We were now rushing too as they dragged this out so bad!
Oh that is just a bit of the issue.
All staff say different things.
Lie if they don't know. They just make something up. I tested this on 10 staff and all said different things.
On the return I was told they couldn't wheel me to the underground and they couldn't help with luggage!!
This is a airport and they knew I had luggage!
So I was lied to many times as apparently they are not allowed to make people walk but they did.
They lied about not being able to help with luggage.
They lied about paying for a cab
They FORCED me to walk miles in total, leaving me bedbound and I had to go to hospital because of it.
I complained to Heathrow and just got a "Wilson James apologies". No real apology. Felt very fake.
Especially when these aren't minor things! These are BIG issues!
FORCING someone to walk miles when they will be hospitalised from it (and I told them that many times) is NOT OK!
Saying pay for a taxi whilst at Heathrow under YOUR care, is not ok!
Taking over 1 hour to get to a customer then nearly missing the flight because of it, is NOT OK!
Saying you can't help with luggage or wheel to underground is a lie and not ok.
As a side not, the other thing is that in Heathrow they were all Indian and Pakistani, but they would speak about you in their own language about you to their colleagues, right in front of you.
So you ask a question, they then speak to each other in their language and even sometimes laugh, then they answer.
You have no idea what they are saying and clearly there were times they WERE talking about me, but I couldn't understand.
I understand they speak two languages, but if you are with a customer and speaking to them and ABOUT them, it is a bit rude to speak about them to someone else in a different language when you know they can't understand.”
