Gatwick Airport

Gatwick Airport’s baggage woes

Airports, Baggage,

Blackpool SuitcaseArrives

London’s Gatwick Airport is promising to help unload and move luggage and deliver checked baggage to homes for free in hopes of avoiding a re-run of last weekend, when a shortage of handlers reportedly left some passengers waiting four hours to be re-united with their bags during one of Britain’s busiest air travel periods.

Airport officials blame the bag delays on Swissport UK, which provides baggage handling services for many airlines.

In a statement, Gatwick said Swissport failed to meet service standards set by the airport and “[a]lthough bags are being delivered on time for 95% of flights, this is not good enough.”

In its apology statement, Swissport said it hopes to minimize inconvenience that might occur “during any times of future schedule disruption.”

 

(My ‘quick bit’ on Gatwick Airport’s baggage woes first appeared on NBC News Travel in a slightly different form.)

Giant mosaic of Queen Elizabeth II lands at Gatwick Airport

Art, ,

Gatwick art

What’s in a face? Well, in the case of “The People’s Monarch” mosaic photo at London’s Gatwick Airport, 5,500 photos of people from nearby communities.

The work – which is size of a double-decker bus – was created by artist Helen Marshall and depicts Queen Elizabeth II at the time of her coronation in 1953 and at her Diamond Jubilee in 2012. The photos that make up the larger image were sent in by BBC viewers and listeners.

Here’s a short video about the mosaic and about some of the people whose photographs are in the larger image, which was in several other places in London before landing at Gatwick.

Gatwick treats old and young travelers; Dulles doles out cake

Contests, family travel, Kids, Kids travel, Travel tips, , ,

The search for the UK’s oldest traveler is winding down at Gatwick Airport.

Citing researching that shows 56% of O.A.Ts (Old Age Travelers) over 70 are traveling more often than they did when they were younger and a “staggering” 61% of those aged 85 and over are out on the road more as well, Gatwick airport has been trying to find the oldest “holidaymaker” and give them a trip for two to Las Vegas on British Airways and three nights at the 5-star Vdara Hotel and Spa.

The deadline is June 29, 2012. Rules and details here.

Gatwick Airport also has something for very young travelers.

As part of its free audiobook download program, the airport is offering recordings of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the Three Little Pigs, the Ugly Ducking, Sleeping Beauty, the Three Billy Goats Gruff, the Princess and the Pea, Rumpelstiltskin, the Tortoise and the Hare, Puss in Boots and Little Red Riding Hood. You can download the stories at the airport or give a listen on SoundCloud here.

They do it at theme parks so why not at airports?

Earlier this month the 500 millionth passenger at Washington’s Dulles International Airport was surprised with soda, cake and cupcakes and given a Dulles Airport swagbag with a $50 gift card from Shop Dulles Airport.