News: Performance Management
T5: Better training would have prevented "national embarrassment"
03 November 2008
The "national embarrassment" of Heathrow's Terminal 5 (T5) could have been avoided through more adequate training, a report from MPs has concluded.
According to the Transport Select Committee, poor communication between the terminal's owner BAA and British Airways - its operator - was also behind the March debacle which saw 23,000 bags lost and 500 flights cancelled.
"Problems were experienced with the baggage system, car parking, security searches and aspects of the building itself," states the report.
Most of these were caused by one of two main factors - "insufficient communication between owner and operator and poor staff training and system testing", it continues.
Earlier this year, bosses at British Airways apologised for the T5 hassle and admitted that a lack of training was to blame.
Speaking at the Forrester IT Forum in Lisbon, chief information officer Paul Coby also revealed that his firm's focus on "people training" would be renewed for future projects.
BAA has since claimed that it now works in closer cooperation with the airline and passenger satisfaction has been boosted as a result.
