[RichHI1]

I think the idea of an austerity Olympics is a good one. Anyone who says anything about the Olympics and money being spent when the country is in recession is deemd unpatriotic and damaging Britains’s interests- hello Border Farce!

[Binman62]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17880415

One word sums this up.

Delusional!

The lunatics have clearly taken over the asylum…

[iflytoomuch]

Steve — also with you on this …. sad it has to come to this though …
Also seems to blow a bit of a hole in VK’s and HK Lady’s non-sensical posts that all is well …

Lets hope it is sorted as soon as it can be …. for all the poor souls who are suffering this daily … through no fault of their own , apart from visiting the UK …

[HarryMonk]

Does anyone think the chaos will descend to such a level where passengers become so irate at the situation they take matters in to their own hands and march on through border controls en masse?
I can certainly see public order issues ahead, for example, arguements and fights when people try to queue jump, when it becomes uncomfortably hot, when people start to to have medical issues etc.

[FormerlyDoS]

My last three experiences of the UK border

Sunday 22/4 – 30 seconds (LGW S – 1100)

Wednesday 18/4 – 1 hour (LHR T3 – 0830)

Thursday 5/4 – 50 minutes (Luton – 1415)

The LGW experience was bizarre, the immigration areas was virtually empty, but the baggage hall was absolutely heaving – the baggage must have taken longer than the immigration.

[Binman62]

I tend to agree, public order issues must be a concern however as posted on another forum the area is being patrolled by machine gun toting storm troopers look alikes. Would not wish to give them the opportunity to justify using those weapons.

The better option is to get to another terminal and clear from there, After 2000 T4 is probably the best option as there is too many long haul arrivals into T3 at that time.

Access to the T5 baggage hall to collect bags is possible but difficult and of course the issue of car parks. But a trip to another terminal then a journey on a train may reduce the inconvenience by about 2/3rds.

I am so pleased I am not traveling for another 5 weeks when hopefully things will have improved.

[RichHI1]

I strongly advise agianst any resort to any form of public order offence in these circumstances. Whilst it is regrettable that the UK Government does not have this situation under control and the head of the Border Farce is claiming the delays are untrue on several TV interviews,despite video evidence to the conttrary, there can never be an excuse for taking the law into one’s own hands. The Police and the Secuirty Forces have a hard enough job to do and no one should make it harder.
We must be grateful that the media have finally paid attention and trust that they will rise to their role to keep the spotlight on Damian Green, Theresa May and the Border Farce to get this fixed and not swept under the carpet as usual.

[JonathanM8]

Until this gets sorted I am looking to come into LCY where possible as an alternative to LHR – never had to wait longer than 15 minutes

[BABenji]

Granted it’s saturday night but stepped off the plane at t5 at 8.30 and i’m now in the pod en route to business parking. 4 on duty for eu tonight. Not bad.

[RichHI1]

I would think it most unlikely that anyone will publicly admit there is a problem but I regard it as a victory if we can shame them into making behind the secnes changes to fix it. Sounds like you had a good experience BA Benji, I am glad.
As a matter of interest were the IRIS and EU-PASS gates working, do you remember?

[BABenji]

It wasn’t bad. I neglected to mention that we arrived at B gates and i had checked luggage. It certainly wasnt peak hour by any stretch of the imagintion but a few flights arrived within a short spce of time.

Iris was working, EU Pass gates were not. I saw one person use Iris while i was in the queue.

Radio 5 Live was debating the matter tonight….not that radio phone ins ever achieve anything anyway.

[VintageKrug]

The union has engineered a change in rostering patters.

That’s why the issue comes and goes.

Whereas before they used to take account of the schedule of likely arriving passengers numbers, now they don’t.

Add into this mix several people “off sick” in the run up to the 10 May attempt at a strike, a “go slow” and sticking to mandatory breaks rigidly, ensuring everyone is off on every possible training course, as well as the often routine closure of the IRIS and e-gates for no apparent reason, and you have this mess. Almost all of it of the Union’s making.

It’s absolutely right that the Border Force needs to sort itself out, but you don’t see the Tesco CEO popping into his local Tesco Extra to sort out the long waiting times at check out; it is managed locally. Similarly, this is squarely an issue for the UK Border Force Management and its Union (if indeed those are separate).

It is not acceptable for Mark Serwotka’s PCS Union to blackmail this country, especially over the coming weeks.

It’s selfish, underhand and could do long term damage to the country; it will undoubtedly lead to increased and more rapid automation of the border where possible, ultimately losing his members’ jobs to a greater level than might otherwise be the case.

If it’s only through engineering artificial “chaos” that more militant Unions can hope to make their point, then the bankruptcy of their argument is apparent for all to see.

[RichHI1]

Please stop looking for apologies. Damain Green is not the CEO of Tesco’s, though his performance is closer to Tesco UK than other stores.
If a Tesco store consistently fails to make target the management is held accountable. The current administration has good and bad ministers but right from the top there is no concept of respnosibility or accountability. This is Not a glorious game for bored public schoolboys, it is serious and they have to grow up and take responsibility. One only has to compare the performance of Ministers like Ken Clarke who have experience and know what they are doing. Blaming Nanny or the Groundsman will not wash any more. Enough excuses, fix it. And please No more of the bizarre “el Generalisimo” Brian Moore whose grip on reality seems tenuous. We thought we had seen Spin as an art form but it is being taken to new heights by this lot.

[Binman62]

but you don’t see the Tesco CEO popping into his local Tesco……..this is simply wrong.

current CEO interviewed just this week on radio 4 …he and all members of the board have spent the last year in stores across the country, consequently the strategy has been changed to increase staff in all stores and bring tesco staffing levels per square metre of sales space up to and beyond that of the competition.

what has the home secretary done…..nothing she went to a party with celebs for the photo op it provided! And who is Damian Green would anyone recognise him….?

It is clear that there are people in the country and in this country’s government today who would re introduce child labour if they could in order for millionaires to make another buck. They blame unions for everything and accept responsibility for nothing. They are morally and ethically bankrupt.

Trades unions are not to blame for a home secretary who does not know what day of the week it is or for the incompetence and miss management that she and her cronies have brought to running the home office, education, health and culture……and don’t get me started on Hunt…… (spelling checked due iPad use….do not want a Jim Naughtie moment.)

The Sunday Times also reported that passengers have taken things into their own hands with mass breakouts at BHX and some at LHR.

If people actually woke up to the fact the the system is a basket case and admitted it rather than blaming unions then we might be able to move on.

I suppose I should take some hope from the fact that union bashing is taking place as it represents a move away from the ostrich like denial of the problem even existing.

[SimonS1]

Bit of a change of tune VK, you are always telling us there is no problem and moaning at anyone who dared start a new thread.

[Author]

Posts