[Anonymous]

[MarcusUK]

Apart from the usual inability to land aircraft through fog this morning at City Airport resulting in 2-4 hr flight delays, quite a worrying mess when the terminal was evacuated at 10.45am.

With approx 600 people stuck in the airport, flights from 7.30am not having departed, sirens sounded and the terminal was “Evacuated”!

Everyone was pushed out to the side under a building by gate 1, then ushered onto a plane stand. The scene was dis-organised mayhem, no one taking charge, no communications audible, and raises serious concerns about Policy and procedures when such an event takes place.

One airport staff standing on a plan steps, trying to use a megaphone that did not work, is hardly impressive or safe for such a busy airport at the peak time. Security was compromised, requests for us all to divide into “Arrivals or departures” and lead to one door or another after 20 minutes…

No clear directions, No guidance, no reasons for the emergency, and confused unsure customers standing next to arriving planes with engines on full waiting right at the side of them.

In the event of a real emergency, fire or security, no one would be protected, guided, and no one taking charge of the situation. Many were quite shocked at the chaos, let alone the repeated impact of flights delayed and some cancellations (Mostly BA) this morning.

Perhaps someone from LCY, could outline the Policy, and Procedures that should be followed, and what communication systems are available…because none of them were know, used or useful today?!

[BusinessTraveller]

Hello MarcusUK,

We are trying to get a comment from LCY with regards to their policy and procedures in such instances of emergency, and will post it here as soon as possible.

Many thanks

[BusinessTraveller]

A spokesperson for LCY has just told us that the evacuation and the actions of its staff yesterday morning were in line with established procedures.

London City Airport is currently preparing a response to your post, MarcusUK, which we can expect tomorrow.

[StewartKidd1]

As a fire protection consultant currently on my way to LCY I am horrified to read the 15 March post. If the facts are as reported then LCY management are in breach of at least two articles of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and one section of the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999. I’ll await LCY’s response before passing the original post on to the enforcement unit at London Fire Brigade and the HSE

[GeriLCY]

Dear MarcusUK

Thank you for providing feedback on your experience during the Terminal Evacuation on Monday 14th March.

As a business we have to deal with many situations that require an emergency response and we would like to assure you that we have robust procedures and training in place to deal with all such events. As with all things there is always room for improvement and we continuously work towards this through training exercises, workshops, table top scenarios and passenger feedback.

Our use of megaphones is imperative to ensure we get messages out to the number of people congregated over a large area. We can assure you the megaphone used during Monday’s evacuation was working but we do appreciate some passengers may have had difficulties hearing what was said due to the large area.

Passengers that evacuate onto the airfield do so using airside fire exit routes. Departing and arriving passengers are separated to ensure we process any arriving passenger through immigration and departing passengers are returned to the lounge. This process ensures security is not compromised.

As with every event of this nature we highlight points of operational learning, upon which we review our procedures and training. We would like to thank you for feedback.

[MartynSinclair]

Describing MarcusUK’s posting as mere “FEEDBACK” is a little light!

Pity the Geri from LCY didnt take the opportunity to provide a stronger response other then the typical, wet, soggy handed and non responsive “let me sit on the fence” approach.

[MarcusUK]

Thank you for the responses.

The description is accurate, I am sorry LCY Management think otherwise.
The “One handheld megaphone”, was NOT working, as the member using it showed her frustration by banging it, in front of the 500 + people standing next to gate one, as she mounted the steps of the rear opf the aircraft.
Having an arriving BA jet just behind us, only just pulled off the runway with nowhere to go, engines remaining on, would have meant regardless of the One megaphone working no one would hear.

Felt tip pens and plastic Boards were the only effective communication method used, indicating either “Departing” or “Arriving”.

Perhaps we could have a whip round to produce several megaphones that have batteries that work, or LCY should invest in a tannoy system that can protect and inform customers evacuated onto the Plane stands in future?
Better still, how about an investment in a system attached to the top of the buildings for emergency use, as in every other airport in the world i have ever used?

Passengers were not separated, we were moved from under the building to the plan stand, then grouped together with arriving passengers. It was a voluntary measure of self-declaration as to where you chose to go after.

Total confusion, inaudible communications, and no apologies or explanations were made to anyone.
This after several flights cancelled, and average 3 hr delays, as LCY cannot operate properly in morning fog or mist!

I remain and will voice, serious concerns in the event of an emergency or evacuation at LCY. 500+ others judging by their comments, would all agree!

[StewartKidd1]

The response from LCY appears to be as unsatisfactory as their fire procedures so I have forwarded the whole thread to a senior LFB officer and asked him to pass it to the appropriate territorial brigade manager.

MY attention is all the keener as I am just about to board BA 8735 to LCY – how lucky: My least favourite airline on my way to an airport which would seem to be in need of a reminder of its safety obligations !

[LuganoPirate]

I’ve been following this thread with interest, not that I was there on the day this happened but as a user of LCY.

I know sometimes recollections after an event can change, and sometimes we think things are worse than they actually are, but MarcusUK’s account seems very clear and succinct, whilst the reply from LCY does indeed sound very weak and looks like they know they messed up but do not want to admit it.

I imagine StewartKidd1’s reply also spooked them but I do wish companies who are in the wrong would just admit it, explain how they will correct things and we can all move on.

The trouble is in today’s litigious world where someone is always to blame, others are looking for compensation and governments for revenue from fines, it is understandable that LCY go on the back-foot and act in a very defensive manner. In fact we are lucky to get any response from them at all, and even though they were probably in the wrong I think it takes some courage to reply, so hats off to them for that.

Perhaps in the light of all this they will examine area’s where they could “improve” matters and let us know as they do so. This would reinforce my faith in LCY and their management for the future.

It is a great airport and the improvements they have made over the last six months concerning security lines, waiting space etc have been impressive, so let’s give them a chance and though it’s no excuse, no-one, thankfully, was hurt in any way.

[MartynSinclair]

The question is whether GeriLCY is monitoring the thread for responses, even though she should get an email update of a response and whether she is bold enough or has the permission of LCY to post a response.

Come on Geri, continue the dicsussion – we are a very safety concious bunch of people.

[VintageKrug]

It’s an interesting post.

But I wouldn’t advise GeriLCY to post further on the matter at this stage. At very worst, this post sets out:

– a faulty megaphone (resolved by purchase of a new one, or installation/access to a loudhailer system airside)

– the clear need for someone to identify themselves as in control *from the perspective of the passenger* and focus attention onto passengers (there may perhaps have been someone performing that control role, but they were perhaps sidetracked with other issues such as ensuring the terminal was not conflagrating with people inside)….

– the need to formalise the innovative used of whiteboards to instruct people how to re-enter the terminal should perhaps be refined and made a proper part of the procedure

– there should be protocols for arriving aircraft to taxi to the far end of the stands away from evacuated passengers

Apart from that it doesn’t sound all that bad to me, but we are all inured to MarkRoberts9/MarcusUKs usual hyperbole by now. Could the-man-in-the-know from the Fire Dept. please set out what concerns he has as part of the various Acts quoted…?

Sounds like a jolly good learning opportunity to me, and glad no-one was injured.

I echo others’ posts about the excellent improvements made to LCY in recent months (nearly a year now I suppose) and hope that once a thorough investigation has taken place, Geri will be authorised to post on here demonstrable proof that improvements have been made should this happen again.

[MartynSinclair]

VIntageKrug

I can just picture you walking up and down the decks of the Titanic, with your British stiff upper lip, giving the old Denis Norden “it’ll be all right on the night”!

How can you simply gloss over this as a mere “learning oppotunity”? Geri confirmed in her post

“we have robust procedures and training in place to deal with all such events”

Pax walking around tarmacs, with aircraft taxying in and no form of effective communication, to me implies a total failure of the so called “robust procedures”. All systems need back ups, where was the back up for LCY on this occassion?

This deserved more than a feeble and wet, thanks for feedback from LCY.

[CallMeIshmael]

… and when the Titanic pax realises his folly, will be shouting .. Women Children Firstclass and ex-BA employees first….with his faithful Dingo John yapping behind – don’t push else he’ll spill his poo ….. 😉

I sincerely hope VK is not promoting a Colin Matthews mentality… then the snow came.

[VintageKrug]

Anyone would think passengers were lining up to be ritually sliced in the blades of a Fokker…!

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