[lloydah]

Thanks for the link TheFlyingDolphin, I hadn’t seen that before. Have to say that I wasn’t sure if the Mormon Tabernacle Choir or the cast of Monty Python were about to walk slowly down the aisle in Business Class. Not seen an ad like that for some time.

[VintageKrug]

There are a number of inaccuracies in Inquisitive’s post which need to be corrected.

1. Skytrax IS biased. No ifs, ands or buts. It is a ratings service which relies on airlines to pay for “membership” which then usually correlates to winning awards. The only people who take Skytrax seriously are a few dodgy airlines who need such spin to maintain their reputation, and those gullible folks who don’t fly often.

It is a shame some of the most reputable airlines support Skytrax, as it does give Skytrax some credibility.

However, I am unable to establish the ownership of airlinequality.com/skytrax and so it is hard to understand the motivations for the reviews they publish.

There is a scale of charges depending on whether airlines want to win awards, simply be mentioned as “approved” or have reviews censored to ensure only positive comment is perpetuated.

2. I was in BKK just last month. It works well if you are in a premium cabin, largely because of the excellent premium only ground handling support offered by Thai and other Star Alliance carriers there. It is a mess otherwise, for those who travel in the back of the bus, and immigration is especially poor. On departure, I eschewed the usual cart as I wanted to browse the shops (which were pretty good); I cannot recall walking so far in a terminal EVER.

3. Heathrow has had its struggles in the recent past, but it is far from Third World. T2 has closed, T4 completely redesigned, T1 has been similarly remodelled and is much improved – and these are only the interim terminals for the next five years. T5 isn’t perfect – but it does have GREAT shops, terrific lounges and superb restaurants. It is architecturally impressive, and given the constraints of the small available footprint of the site (which is why there are so many escalators etc.) I think they have done OK. The transport integration for onward travel is similarly impressive.

It takes me exactly 2 minutes 10 seconds to walk from after security to the BA South Lounges, so I really cannot understand the problem once you have a good routing worked out (through Harrods is the quickest).

T3 (opened in 1961) is less good, unless you are flying Virgin’s Upper Class/Gold Card holder. But the general experience will also be revolutionised once the T1/T2 works are complete.

And with LHR you must remember that they did all this first, over 50 years ago, and it inevitably takes a while to adapt legacy infrastructure designed for 100 seater turboprops vs. brand new facilities on green field sites.

4. Mumbai is a hole on every level and isn’t even comparable with most credible international airports by anyone who is serious about a passenger focussed experience. BOM opened a new Domestic terminal in April and it is sorely needed. Enough said.

5. You stated that “all 747 and other large planes are parked at remote stands”. That is simply not true. About 20% of T5 flights are remote stands at present, when T5c opens in 2011 that will drop to just 5%; still not perfect, but not bad given the constraints of the site. There is still scope for T5D but that would require re-siting of the fuel farm between T5 and T3. 99% of T4 and 97% of T1 flights arrive directly into the terminal, 90% of T3 flights arrive directly into the terminal (behind the target which is 95%, largely due to construction).

6. I am sure even the least mentally agile BT forum posters can hypothesise the reason behind the removal of the petrol station adjacent to T3.

7. I think most of your gripes are about T3 which is indeed the least good of all LHR Terminals, and most are valid comments about that terminal’s third party suppliers, but it is not balanced to judge the whole of LHR by its oldest and least renovated terminal. On the whole, LHR is pretty good and has many positive features (such as the excellent signage which I am astonished you criticised).

There are plenty of world-beating new airports in the New World (HKG, PEK for instance) but LHR is still world class and while the competition is tougher than has been the case in the past, making the arbitrary “Top Ten” rather redundant, LHR does hold its own given its age, the constraints it faces, and the plans in place to improve the passenger experience over the next 5 years.

LHR is certainly streets ahead of BOM.

[SimonRowberry]

Excellent post, VK. Very well put.

Just one point to Inquisitive on signing – I am amazed by any criticism of the signing at LHR. Try airports like Vienna and Frankfurt for obscure directions and general signage clutter.

Oh, and Antwerp Centraal Railway Station too!

Simon

[Inquisitive]

VK and others – you missed my main point. The question was how BKK is in top 10 and LHR is not. And for LHR to be compared all its terminals need to show some consistency. There is no denial, LHR had its glory days – however now it does not have that, unless there is much improvement everywhere.

I used to hold BA gold and SQ PPS – and used to choose flight alternatively. Due to uncertainity in BA, I now travel Star alliance almost everytime and (now downgraded to BA silver but still use T5 time to time) have to use T3.

I said in my posting that T5 is okay. However, T3 is definitely not up to world class now and I believe, my opinion will have many supports, although opposite views are posted immediately. When all construction is complete and other issues sorted out – LHR could compete. Bias or not – there is no question about Changi, Incheon, Hong Kong airports are league above LHR.

BKK is at the bottom of top 10 – it may be a shade higher or lower than LHR, but LHR can not be any higher than that.

[NTarrant]

Your main question Inquisitive about how did BKK get in the top 10 is quite simple, as VK and others including myself have alluded to, basically they paid for it! Where as LHR has chosen not to and is quite right not to advertise or pay for such awards which are meaningless and flawed.

No question about Changi being a league above LHR? Sorry, I could not see what all the fuss was about when I was there last year. Nothing special T5 much better.

Going back to the ranking, if you look on Skytrax website, there are many airports which have not been ranked or are awaiting ranking. I am suprised that Dubai only gets 3star. But even places like LGW are “under ranking” the whole thing is a complete joke.

I certainly hold it in no regard and would never suggest that anyone uses it as a tool to decide where to go!

[watersz]

or you could say
why do independent reports commissiond by the govt almost always find in favour of the govt?

you can get any survey to report in your favour if you commision them

[NTarrant]

That is not strictly true as it will depend on what you are trying to acheive. There is little point in commissioning a report to tell you what you want it to. Government surveys are strictly regulated not only from who does the work but also there has to be an audit trail to comply if there was a request under the freedom of information act.

What happens with reports commissioned by government is that they don’t see the light of day. But then that is no different to a retail company commissioning a customer satisfaction survey only to find that only 20% of customers are satisfied and 80% are not. Hardly likely to be shouting that from the roof tops!

[PsyDtoBe]

hey lloydah,

it was not an advert, it was just some collaboration of pictures by someone. this is the latest advert if you want to see it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmOE7L8n1us&feature=related

By the way, I wasn’t a fans of GA, but since I am based in SIngapore, inevitably i got to fly with them once in a while, and that time i was lucky enough to be on their latest A330-200 from Singapore to Jakarta in Business, I got to say, the seats and service are better compared to Thai and Malaysia Airline. It was a short flight (1,5 hours) so the small portion of food and 25 selection of movies were enough, but if it was a long haul, I don’t think i will survive. I still won’t fly them to Europe given their bad safety history, but I can say they are Improving a lot.

The JetQuy terminal in Singapore for their business class passenger is a top notch, they were the first to initiated the usage of the terminal before AF followed them. I personally think JQ Terminal is amazing, they makes Business class passenger fells like First! you don’t have to do anything from check in to your personal indoor terminal driver to your boarding gate. 🙂

peace out!

[Prof.Gupta]

JetQuay terminal (also known as CIP terminal) at Changi airport is truly world class and a unique experience. I have used it several times. But if I know it correctly, use of this terminal is a separate service (and separately paid for service) and not available to everyone flying Business Class or first class. Use of this terminal has to be booked in advance by paying additional money (for arrival and/or for departure use or for both). But it is certainly an experience by itself.

[PsyDtoBe]

Hi Prof, it is now available for free if you fly business class with Garuda Indonesia and Air France out of Singapore.

I have to agreed it was amazing! 🙂

[Prof.Gupta]

Thank you for clarification. I did not know about this arrangement that GA and AF have with Jet Quay. In that case, while it adds value to customers (for these two airlines) I think it defeats the basic purpose and strategy of a CIP terminal. For Business class and first class passengers, superior services should be provided (both by airlines and airports) through routine service routes. If an exclusive terminal is used for that then it dilutes the excclusivity of that terminal and the purpose for which it is created. But maybe Changi airport services have thought about this before working out this strategy.

[PsyDtoBe]

Hi Prof!

lol, nowadays, i don’t think they care about exclusivity anymore, no one really know about JetQuay in Changi, it was always quite right? not to mention the past year when changi is strike with Economic downturn and people stop paying for their comfort to save money. With GA and AF paying them for their Business customers, they have a better influx of money, because at the end of the day we lived in capitalist mode of society, making money is the top priority for all sort of businesses. you can see it from the cutbacks that the airline makes moreover with an exclusive terminal, how do they survive if they want to keep their exclusivity without no one paying anymore? :p

here is the news http://asia.businesstraveller.com/asia-pacific/news/garuda-offers-vip-clients-use-of-changi-airports-jetquay-terminal

[lloydah]

Thanks for the link TheFlyingDolphin, I watched the real advert. Like a lot of ads you barely see the article in question do you. The first link shows more of the aircraft. Think I’ll stick to my usual carriers for the mo. though.
Happy flying.

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