Airport Stories

Plonky Pilot Pulled at Heathrow

2008-12-23T16:05:00.000Z

A Heathrow pilot was prevented from taking to the air with 300 passengers because he reeked of alcohol.

Michael Harr, 62, was escorted from the aircraft by armed security police after having been breathalysed. The police had been tipped off by vigilant airport staff who smelt alcohol on the pilot as he boarded the aircraft.

The Jet Airways flight, bound for Mumbai in India, was delayed until a sober replacement pilot could take the controls.

Climate Campaigners Cause Travel Mayhem

2008-12-08T15:30:00.002Z

Eco-protesters from the climate action group Plane Stupid have broken into Stansted airport to stage a protest at the recently agreed plans for airport exapansion.

Over 50 of the protesters were arrested for aggravated trespass, conspiracy to commit a public nuisance and attempting to gain access to a restricted area.

One of the protesters said that they regretted the impact that their action was having on travellers but they wanted to do everything they could to lessen the amount of CO2 making getting released into the atmosphere.

Complaints Lead to Parking Charge Reductions

2008-11-24T10:07:00.000Z

Parking charges at Newcastle Airport have been reduced after complaints were received from airport visitors.

Vehicles that remain for more than five minutes will still be required to pay but airport officials have reduced the cost of airport parking to £1 for up to 20 minutes.

Travellers Unaware of Saving Opportunities

2008-11-10T12:24:00.001Z

Many travellers using the UK's airports are unaware of how they can save money on their airport hotel and parking charges.

While most regular traveller understand that they can receive significant discounts by booking their car parking space in advance most are unaware that, if they book a room at an airport hotel, their airport parking charge would be included.

In many cases this means that the hotel room will effectively cost almost nothing as the combined cost of a room with inclusive parking is often close to the cost for parking alone.

Booking a room in one of the many airport hotels provides a great way to relax before flying and if that room has cost little more than it would have cost to park it can feel like a free holiday.

The UKs Best Airport Lounge

2008-10-31T13:19:00.004Z

The hunt is on to find the UKs best airport lounge.

Airport lounges provide an excellent setting in which you can relax before your flight. Typically they provide complimentary refreshments, newspapers, magazines and comfortable, quiet surroundings away from the busy main terminal.

But not all airport lounges are the same. The level of service that each provides, the decor, furnishings etc. all vary. We want to hear about your experiences at any and all of the various UK airport lounges.

So drop us a note with some details of the lounge that you have used, when you were there and your experience of the service and facilities. We'd love to hear from you.

Pilot Arrested for Suspected Drunkenness

2008-10-20T12:22:00.000+01:00

A 44 year old United Airlines pilot was arrested by police at Heathrow airport on Sunday morning after failing a breath test.

He had been scheduled to pilot a Boeing 777 United Airlines aircraft to San Franscisco, a journey of 5,300 miles.

United Airlines were quick to point out that their alcohol policy is amongst the strictest in the industry. Safety is their number one priority and they do not tolerate any violation of their strict no-alcohol rules.

Passengers have said that they didn't have a clue what was taking place when the pilot was arrested. Several commented that they were horrified to think that they could have been flown across the Atlantic by a pilot who was the worse for drink.

Gatwick Car Park Fire Damages 19 Cars

2008-10-13T09:57:00.000+01:00

A fire in a car park used by travellers from Gatwick Airport has seriously damaged 19 cars.

Four appliances from West Sussex Fire and Rescue service attended the packed Gatwick Road open air car park in the early hours of Monday 13th October, called by a passer by.

The fire had initially only affected two of the parked cars but quickly spread to adjacent vehicles ultimately resulting in 19 cars becoming badly damaged. It is thought the most of the parked vehicles are owned by travellers who are now in for an unwelcome surprise when they return to retrieve their vehicles.

EasyBus Launch Cheap Fares Between Gatwick and London

2008-10-07T08:59:00.000+01:00

Easybus have launched a promotion lasting until December 15th which means passengers will only have to pay £2 for a one way ticket, when purchased online.

The £2 fare significantly undercuts the Gatwick Express fare from London to and from Gatwick. The new £2 service runs every 20 minutes to and from Fulham Broadwey underground station to the Gatwick North terminal arrivals.

EasyBus have stated that their new service is intended to help business and pleasure travellers save money. They have also stated that their new service is eco-friendly.

Chinese Airline Passengers Get Out and Push

2008-09-26T14:47:00.002+01:00

Passengers on a Chinese CRJ7 plane were asked to help push the 20 tone aircraft to the arrivals terminal after it broke on landing at Zhengzhou.

Initially only the airport staff were involved in trying to push the plane to its parking spot, but they couldn't get it to move. So the 69 passengers on board were asked for their help. Even with their assistance it still took nearly two hours to push the plane 1000 yards to the arrivals terminal.

UK Travel Industry in Meltdown

2008-09-15T10:58:00.000+01:00

After the collapse of the XL leisure group last week which left around 100,000 travellers stranded abroad and 1,700 employees facing an uncertain future a second tour operator, K&S Travel, ceased trading on Saturday 13th September.

The collapse of K7S travel leaves around 150 travellers stranded in Bodrum, Turkey. K&S travel also trade under the name Travel Turkey, specialising in Turkish holidays.

This latest casualty in the UK travel industry has led many to speculate that the industry is in serious decline as many UK holidaymakers are tightening their belts and choosing to 'staycation' rather than travel abroad.

Unhappy Passenger Complains Loudly at Manchester Airport

2008-09-08T10:00:00.000+01:00

A very unhappy holiday maker vented her frustration over delays experienced at Manchester Airport last week by taking control of the public address system and sharing her frustration with fellow travellers.

Her frustration was understandable as her flight to Cuba had initially taken off an hour late at 09:45 only to return to Manchester airport after developing a technical fault. Passengers were eventually disembarked and checked into an hotel at 16:00 but were then awoken at 03:00 to board a new flight. Then they were told that their flight was actually still in the hangar.

After passengers experienced difficulty in eliciting information from airline representatives the woman managed to take control of a microphone and began complaining about the dreadful treatment that they had received and requesting attention from a Thomas Cook representative. As she said in her announcement "We were dragged from our beds at 03:00 and the plane wasn't even ready. It's disgraceful".

Lucky Escape for Heathrow Hotel Customer

2008-09-03T15:46:00.003+01:00

A customer at a popular and well known Heathrow Airport Hotel recently escaped serious injury when a dog landed on his head as he was departing from the Hotel.

Luckily for the dog, the customer broke his fall and only suffered minor internal bruising. The customer, who was headed for the airport terminal for a flight to the middle east, was treated for shock and minor scratches. Unfortunately he missed his flight.

It was thought that the dog, a small mongrel about the size of a Jack Russell, had been smuggled into the hotel by guests. It appeared to have fallen from an open window on the second or third floors. Hotel security staff were investigating the incident.

Gosimply.com Puts Site Visitors First

2008-08-16T15:54:00.003+01:00

The new website from Gosimply.com has so clearly been designed and structured with the visitor in mind. They provide an exceptionally user friendly website for travellers looking for the best deal on airport parking, airport hotels and airport lounges.

Their approach is to go beyond the basic services provided by many other vendors. They present an easy way for people to not only compare prices but also every other aspect of their airport services.

There are numerous impartial customer reviews that give the site visitor confidence in what they are booking. They provide maps showing where all those airport car parks are in relation to their airports and even go so far as to make suggestions to help those in a hurry.

If you have not paid their site a visit I suggest you take a look. The site is an example exactly what a genuinely user-friendly website should look like and how it should perform. Excellent.

Buy Belfast City Airport for £100 Million

2008-05-27T15:23:00.001+01:00

It has just been announced by Grupo Ferrovial, the Spanish owners of George Best Belfast City Airport, that it is to be sold. It is expected to fetch in excess of £100 million (125 million Euros) after having been purchased in 2003 for £35 million.

The sale is expected to be completed in the final quarter of this year after strong initial interest in the sale.

The busy airport has been enjoying continued growth with an increase in passenger figures of 29% last month over previous month's figures. It is expected that over 2.7 million passengers will use the airport this year.

Aberdeen Airport Security Delays

2008-05-27T10:17:00.004+01:00

A failure of the check in facility at Aberdeen Airport meant that passengers ended up being checked in manually on Friday 23rd. Further delays were caused when the pilot refused to take off due to uncertainty over the number of passengers and bags on board.

The BMIBaby flight from Aberdeen to Birmingham was delayed by more than three hours while passengers disembarked in order to identify their bags on the tarmac. The manual check was required for security reasons and this resulted in the three hour delay in taking off which finally took place at 22:30

Book your Aberdeen Airport Parking space in advance for savings of up to 60%

UFOs Spotted Somewhere Near You

2008-05-19T14:13:00.001+01:00

The Ministry of Defence has released a number of files providing details of UFO sightings throughout the British Isles, along with the government’s response to the reports.

A number of documents can be downloaded from the National Archives website detailing numerous reports of UFOs seen between 1978 and 2002. These documents are just part of an archive of around 200 such documents that are to be made available over the forthcoming four years.

No matter what your personal views are regarding the existence of UFOs and extraterrestrial life the reported sightings make for some interesting reading.

Daily Mail UFO Reports.

Heathrow Boss Quits

2008-05-13T17:00:00.001+01:00

Mark Bullock, managing director of Heathrow Airport has resigned in the aftermath of the Terminal 5 chaos.

Heathrow’s third boss this year will be Mike Brown, the current managing director of London Underground. He will take up the new position at the end of the busy summer season. Terry Morgan, BAA’s airport services director, will take the helm temporarily while Mike Brown serves out his notice period.

Prestwick Airport Wins Top Industry Cargo Award

2008-05-12T14:30:00.003+01:00

Prestwick airport, just 32 miles from Glasgow, has just been awarded the prestigious Air Cargo News award for the Best Cargo Airport at a ceremony in London.

The awards ceremony, at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, was attended by over 500 of the air cargo industries top executives. Prestwick airport handles up to 100,000 tonnes of air freight per year.

The volume of freight handled at the busy airport has seen a consistent year on year increase and their focus upon freight development is clearly paying dividends.

Nico Le Roux, Group Manager Freight Development, has said that “Cargo operators are attracted by the airport’s perfect geographical location, fast turnaround times and our team’s ability to easily handle large and unusual items.”

Prestwick airport are immensely pleased to have received the award which required that they meet a number of stringent criteria as well as being recognised by various industry experts.

Don't forget to book your Prestwick Airport Parking Space in advance for massive savings.

Prestwick Airport to Host Elite Business Circle

2008-05-12T14:30:00.001+01:00

Prestwick Airport is to host the next meeting of the Elite Ayrshire Business Circle on the 30th of May when they will launch their website.

The Elite Ayrshire Business Circle is a newly formed association involving some of the foremost companies in Ayrshire. The function of the organisation is to celebrate and promote the rich diversity of business services, industries and commercial enterprises within Ayrshire.

Member companies are involved in a range of enterprises from building to finance, golf, marketing, web design and travel. They include the Clydesdale Bank, Ayre Racecourse and Brunston Castle Golf Club.

Prestwick airport, located just 32 miles south of Glasgow provides a crucial service to the Ayrshire economy. Passenger and freight transported through the airport has been enjoying a steady increase as more routes are added to the links already serviced by the popular Scottish airport.

Ex-Police Officer Farina Arrested on Gun Charges

2008-05-12T12:11:00.002+01:00

Actor Dennis Farina, perhaps best known for his part as New York detective Joe Fontana in the popular television series 'Law and Order' was arrested at Los Angeles international airport yesterday for carrying a concealed weapon as he boarded an aircraft.

The 64 year old ex-Chicago Police officers told the arresting officers that he had simply forgotten that he was carrying the loaded .22 caliber hand gun which was found in his hand luggage.

His new film, 'What Happens in Vegas' opened in cinemas this weekend.

Delta Airlines Launches Service to New York from Edinburgh

2008-05-06T17:15:00.001+01:00

I have just returned from New York on a direct flight to Edinburgh after flying to JFK on Friday 3rd. Delta Airlines have just launched this new service to JFK which is set to become as popular as there existing services to Newark and New Jersey.

My journey ended at JFK but the new service means that travellers will be able to take advantage of the range of onward connections available from the popular New York airport. For this flight I took full advantage of the airport parking facilities at Edinburgh. The service continues to be exemplary with attentive and helpful staff and clear directions to the car parks.

The flight itself was very comfortable, as was the return journey. I routinely need to visit New York, and Edinburgh is my local airport, so I shall definitely be using this excellent service again, soon. Highly recommended.

Five Inch Bullet Passes Heathrows Security Checks

2008-05-02T08:43:00.003+01:00

Security checks at Heathrow's terminal 5 failed to detect a five inch bullet in a boys luggage.

The inept airport security staff confiscated Ben Thetfords milkshake but, amazingly, failed to detect a five inch shell that was inside his school bag. Ben, and friends from Parkside School, passed through Heathrow on a their way to Bulgaria for a skiing trip. The bullet had been in his school bag since Ben had completed a school project on World War two. It wasn't until Ben was on his return journey that the more vigilant security staff at Sofia airport in Bulgaria found the shell and confiscated it.

The bullet was not live. The shell and the bullet had been found by Bens father with a metal detector near his home. The bullet and shell had been put together to resemble a live cartridge which is thought to have come from a spitfire.

The incident raises serious questions regarding security procedures at Heathrow'w troubled terminal 5 where security staff had required a man in the same security queue as ben to drink some of his baby's milk to prove that it wasn't liquid explosives. It would appear that security are so focussed upon concealed explosives that it has become possible for a passenger to overtly carry potentially live ammunition onto an aircraft.

Scottish Airport Car Park Staff are Most Polite

2008-04-30T06:18:00.004+01:00

In a recent survey of passengers using airport parking facilities throughout the UK, staff at Scottish Airport Car Parks came top for politeness, courteousness and helpfulness.

Those who regularly travel through Scottish airports are no doubt aware of how helpful staff at these facilities can be. This survey focussed upon airport car parks in particular and the staff who work in them, including transit bus drivers and office personnel.

Edinburgh airport car parking staff came in for particular praiss and staff at all of the Scottish airport car parks scored highly for politeness, courteousness and overall willingness to help passengers when requested.

Ryanair Want Hand Luggage Only

2008-04-30T06:14:00.002+01:00

In a bid to encourage passengers to bring only hand luggage Ryanair announced that they would be increasing baggage check in charges this week.

In a statement Ryanair said: "Ryanair encourages passengers to avoid these charges altogether by travelling with our 10 kg hand luggage allowance and checking in online".

From May 5 all passengers who pre-book baggage they want to check in will be charged 10 euros.

Rising Cost of Oil Forces BA to Increase Fuel Surcharges

2008-04-30T06:05:00.002+01:00

The continued rise in the cost of a barrel of oil is forcing British Airways to increase their fuel surcharges.

All tickets issued from Friday 2nd of May will be subject to the new charges. On short haul flights this means an increase of £3 on a single ticket, raising the surcharge to £13, and £6 on a return ticket, making the surcharge £26.

On long haul flights of less than nine hours the surcharge will rise by £10 to £63 and on flights longer than nine hours it will rise by £15 to a staggering £79.