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Heathrow Airport Customer Service Phone, Email, Contacts

Heathrow Airport
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1.2 109 Reviews

Heathrow Airport Complaints Summary

5 Resolved
104 Unresolved
Our verdict: If considering services from Heathrow Airport with a critical resolution rate, extra caution is advised. Examine detailed customer feedback to understand the severity and nature of unresolved issues. Be prepared for the possibility of unsatisfactory responses and have contingency plans, including seeking assistance from consumer advocacy groups if necessary.
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Heathrow Airport reviews & complaints 109

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3:33 am EDT
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Heathrow Airport lost luggage

Re: Baggage Number BKKEW10545
Casey Noble - Flight Number EW461 - URGENT

I am emailing regarding my nephew above who arrived in Bangkok this morning at 08.45.

I believe four of them travelled together and out of the four, three lots of baggage managed to dissapear. You have now located Pearce and Patterson. Can you please call me urgently on [protected] as the website states 5-7 days which it totally unacceptable.

My nephew is a University Student and saved and worked very hard for this trip and your Company have managed to ruin it on day one!

Please call no later than miday today.

Kind Regards
Jacqueline Patel

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2:28 pm EDT
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Heathrow Airport security officers

I'm writing in to complain about 2 of your security officers (Mrs. Denise Murphy and Mr Paul James robinson) after there sexual affair at your airport in 2012 where it was common knowledge of them having intercourse in the public toilets in till there affair was exposed by me and Paul Robinson's wife Vicky robinson ( also a employee) and splitting up x2 family's I'm stupidly we had forgiven them but they are doing it again while on duty I'm very glad that Heathrow airport let this go on between colleges and yet again ruined x2 family's life's I will be doing my very best to make it common knowledge to the media that this was reported by me before and nothing was done so it carried on .in the Times we live with security at a very high and the airport being a family environment this is disgusting please ask there work colleges it's common knowledge I will leave any further action to the media for x14 days of this email for a reply if I have not received acknowledgement by then the media will be notified your officers are ruining lifes when they should be protecting the airport .my email for response. ( [protected]@aol.com.)
Regards Lee Murphy ( husband of Denise Murphy her d.o.b. 13/07/1965

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5:28 am EDT

Heathrow Airport baggage loss

The first time my dad flew through London on his way to Serbia his flight was delayed by a day and he barely got a hotel room for the night. When he finally arrived his luggage was lost for 3 days. A few months later, we went through London again and they lost all 4 of our suitcases. It's been 5 days and they have given us no information. How they managed to lose 4 out of 4 suitcases and are unable to locate them is beyond me. I will never fly into this airport again.

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Naomij
, GB
Feb 02, 2020 1:57 pm EST

I arrived at terminal 3 to pick up lost luggage. I asked an airport worker for the lost luggage dept and he didn’t seem to understand English and couldn’t help. I then asked another worker who was most helpful and directed me outside terminal 3 and down the lift to the underground. After arriving there I could see no lost luggage signs and a passenger told me it would be back in the main building. I returned and asked the same attendant again who assured me it would be where I had been and after a 5-7 minute walk towards the underground, I would find it. I returned, walked for 5 minutes and checked out the signs in 3 different directions. There in small print under the sign for Heathrow Express was ‘lost luggage’. I then proceeded along this tunnel and couldn’t get through the barriers. I asked a worker who then gave me a ticket to enter then I went down an escalator and then saw in front of me another sign for lost luggage.
On your website to show where lost luggage is located it states: on the mezzanine level of the Heathrow Express station, underneath terminal 3 arrivals hall. There is no mention of having to use a lift and it is not located on the mezzanine level. At terminal 5 a map is provided to locate lost luggage dept. How about a map at terminal 3 at the entrance?
I am so pleased I am fit and well and got there in the end. At the very least it would be most helpful to place large signs at the lifts to the underground, not just the small sign at the end of the long passage. Or better still how about locating this to a more user friendly site.

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Naomij
, GB
Feb 02, 2020 1:54 pm EST

Heathrow Airport terminal 3 lost luggage

I arrived at terminal 3 to pick up lost luggage. I asked an airport worker for the lost luggage dept and he didn’t seem to understand English and couldn’t help. I then asked another worker who was most helpful and directed me outside terminal 3 and down the lift to the underground. After arriving there I could see no lost luggage signs and a passenger told me it would be back in the main building. I returned and asked the same attendant again who assured me it would be where I had been and after a 5-7 minute walk towards the underground, I would find it. I returned, walked for 5 minutes and checked out the signs in 3 different directions. There in small print under the sign for Heathrow Express was ‘lost luggage’. I then proceeded along this tunnel and couldn’t get through the barriers. I asked a worker who then gave me a ticket to enter then I went down an escalator and then saw in front of me another sign for lost luggage.
On your website to show where lost luggage is located it states: on the mezzanine level of the Heathrow Express station, underneath terminal 3 arrivals hall. There is no mention of having to use a lift and it is not located on the mezzanine level. At terminal 5 a map is provided to locate lost luggage dept. How about a map at terminal 3 at the entrance?
I am so pleased I am fit and well and got there in the end. At the very least it would be most helpful to place large signs at the lifts to the underground, not just the small sign at the end of the long passage. Or better still how about locating this to a more user friendly site.

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10:13 am EDT
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Heathrow Airport lost luggage from heathrow to cairo

My name is Yasmin El gafy
I travelled on Saturday from heathrow to cairo and lost my bad which was not loaded to cairo this bad had medication ( diabetic injections ) they told me it's Heathrow fult
I need a reply and full compensation or I will raise this issue to the court, i need to know where is my bag.

My contact details:
Ms. Yasmin ElGafy
Email: [protected]@hotmail.com
Mobile: +[protected]

EL GAFY/YASMIN MRS 17JUL CAI LHR

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This document is automatically generated.
Please do not respond to this mail.

ELECTRONIC TICKET
PASSENGER ITINERARY RECEIPT

NASRCITY KARNAK DATE: 03 JUL 2018
3ABOUELATAHIA ST.END ELAKK AGENT: 7509
NASR CITY KARNAK OFFICE NAME: EL GAFY/YASMIN MRS
CAIRO FQTV: [protected]
IATA : 904 92345
TELEPHONE : 02 [protected]

ISSUING AIRLINE : EGYPTAIR
TICKET NUMBER : ETKT 077 [protected]
BOOKING REF : AMADEUS: SVH5EV, AIRLINE: MS/SVH5EV

FROM /TO FLIGHT CL DATE DEP FARE BASIS NVB NVA BAG ST

CAIRO CAIRO MS 779 L 17JUL 1650 LHRIEG 17JUL 17JUL 2PC OK
INTL
TERMINAL:3
LONDON HEATHROW SEAT: 33C ARRIVAL TIME: 2105 ARRIVAL DATE: 17JUL
TERMINAL:2

LONDON HEATHROW MS 778 Y 28JUL 1500 YHRSEG 28JUL 28JUL 2PC OK
TERMINAL:2
CAIRO CAIRO SEAT: 35H ARRIVAL TIME: 2040 ARRIVAL DATE: 28JUL
INTL
TERMINAL:3

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5:55 am EDT

Heathrow Airport security check

My parents in law are elderly, and my father-in-law is 77 years old. He is almost totally deaf, and wears an obvious hearing aid. He has a pacemaker.

They were flying from Johannesburg, via Heathrow Terminal 5, to Belgium on 24 May 2018, and returned again on 4 July 2018. On both dates he was subjected to degrading treatment by security checkpoint staff.

1. He informed them he has a pacemaker before entering the metal detector.
2. They insisted he pass through the detector.
3. When he set off the alarm, they responded by insisting he be searched.
4. Staff were abusive to him when he could not understand their instructions, and when my mother-in-law tried to intervene, telling them he is deaf and cannot understand, she too was rudely told to step back and not to interfere.

While I cannot speak for the British people at large, I do not believe this is an acceptable way to treat elderly passengers, and it is distasteful in the extreme.

I and my family, will avoid traveling to or through Britain in future.

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2:58 am EDT
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Heathrow Airport service assistance wchr

I bought a business ticket to be weel treated a nd use the lounge. Unfortunately after waiting 25 mn after the checkin in the ugly assistance roomnthat a staff want to bring me to pass security and immigration. They put me 20more minute in the special area neat corridor to gate B31 to B 49.
The people are no friendly and refuse to bring me to the lounge.
It s a real pity...
In CDG the service is better! And they are not known for that!

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12:15 pm EDT

Heathrow Airport transfer security check.

I flew from Oslo to LHR on 20 June. I had a short connection to Boston. The security person selected my carry-on for extra scrutiny. Stared at me while slowly pulling my belongings out of the bag. I informed him that I had a short connection which seemed to make him go slower. Boarding was closing. He was an Arab looking man. I was blond and blue eyed and wearing a cross. He pulled apart my belongings slowly and unprofessionally, tossing containers casually aside. I had six prescription medications and he said I could only take what could fit in a zip lock bag. I told him it had already been processed througb airport security in oslo. He said it didn't matter and that U.K. rules were different. I re-explained that these were medications. He was slow, unprofessional, and probably selected me for my appearance. I was only able to make my flight because it was delayed. I've never seen such disrespect and incompetence in my many travels. That medicine, which I was given in Russia, cost about $200. I'm not sure it is available in the United States. Disgraceful conduct.

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9:46 pm EDT

Heathrow Airport security terminal 3

Not a good experience whatsoever ever.. The staff were rude and incomprehensible. I swore under my breath and
a male security told me that swearing "at him"was against the law in the airport and I could be arrested. I explained that I was not whatso ever swearing at him and he then insisted I did and told me he was calling the police. He went and got a manager and she basically made me a apologize. I was humiliated, shamed and in tears as I had been up for 24 hour traveling on holiday. The irrational behavior and lack of empathy's was nothing but cruelty on the part of of Heathrow airport. The treatment I experience is not isolated. This was unexceptable.

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6:51 am EDT
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Heathrow Airport security staff

Got randomly selected for a secondary search after checking in at the gate. I somehow ALWAYS get "randomly selected". Staff extremely aggressive and rude. Was screamed at by two staff. Was asked to empty my laptop bag. They kept asking me to switch my phone on even though I showed them it was on. I asked them why I always get selected for a search and they just screamed saying it was law and I could not complain to them and had to go and make an official complaint.

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Diane Jones1
, US
May 23, 2018 8:37 am EDT
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Pull your big boy pants up, Airport security is required, I have been stopped and searched without problems and am confident to fly worldwide.

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3:50 pm EDT
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Heathrow Airport heathrow airport security services

Today in the morning I had to be late and missed my flight just because of irresponsibility and the discrimination of the staff working there in Heathrow airport! They served me so slowly just because I asked them to be faster. They are so rude that I had to cry because no one on earth had ever been so rude to me. Actually I was 45 mins before the flight but because of their indifference I have to wait the woman before me with 3 hardbacks full of milk products which was checked one by one. Moreover, her flight was 2 hours later than mine but they kept me just to show their principals. I wander would they do the same thing if I were a British or American. Of course no! They let me down both physically and mentally. I had a heart problem and panic. On top of that no one took the responsibility for my missed flight . The flight was at 6:15 and I was right by the door of the plain ( running all the way) at 6:13 but the stuff didn't let me in. They would have let me in if I were British! I had to repay my flight and still feeling awful because of their attitude to me because I was so much nervous I am vomiting and headache is killing me. But those " pretty organized " staff were talking about their hair and nails when I was crying and asking them to be a bit faster... I want to be compensated! For all I have overcame today! The worst service I have ever seen!

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Update by Dilafruz
Mar 20, 2018 4:07 pm EDT

I have already written my complaints and I do require all the compensation. If the issue is not worked on here, I want to get it into a wider scale so that the people who work there know how to talk to the customers and the customers get a better service avoiding using Heathrow Airport because they might miss the flight and be shouted at by so called "professional staff" and they might be blamed instead of them! I want an answer from related organizations!

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RemoveWithReason
, US
Mar 20, 2018 5:33 pm EDT
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What compensation are you hoping to get? You were inconvenienced by security that is in place to prevent mass murder?

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Dilafruz
, UZ
Mar 22, 2018 5:53 am EDT
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Sorry I didnt understand you! I want my money for double paying my ticket!

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Dilafruz
, UZ
Mar 22, 2018 5:57 am EDT
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Replying to comment of Dilafruz

Can you please write my email? dilyarose84@yahoo.com and we can talk there

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5:24 pm EST
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Heathrow Airport taiwanese airline, kevin, jerry, air stewardess, and taiwanese girls

Please, I am making a serious complaint form for Taiwan airplane and everything all at once. Including Taiwan girls and boys.

I travels frequently. I feel I got cheated difficult and easily. I feel suspicious.
I feel ... too much...things...
I feel too little...
I feel Taiwanese airline or anyone or Kevin or Jerry or Air stewardess trespasses me or I've been naughty or good destroy my personality and passes information... and trick me and trickery...easily or difficult...

I leave voluntarily... I speak to so many people...

I feel I'm Examples of unacceptable behaviour
I feel Drug/alcohol intoxication
I feel Refusal to allow security checks in Taiwan
I feel obeying and Disobeying safety or security instructions
I feel Threatening, abusive or insulting words
I feel Endangering the safety of aircraft or other person
I feel Acting in a disruptive manner disruptive passengers
I feel cold heart
I feel broken
I lost and found myself I hope
I feel I got locked chain by Taiwan government and people.

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2:37 pm EDT

Heathrow Airport custom tax refund heathrow terminal 3

I've recently graduated from university of exeter and Iam leaving UK to go back to my home country Singapore to start a new job. I want to feedback on a bad customer experience I had to went through while getting a Vat refund custom stamp from Heathrow Terminal 3. Apparently the head of custom made me feel really uncomfortable by asking me to produce my graduation certificate followed by asking me to show my student visa as well as asking why I am here, and if I've bought a return ticket, why am I coming back here in December, etc . Being in a Russell league university, i am honoured to graduate with an honours in my degree and i know the rules and regulation with foreign students and not intend to breach it or come back illegally. I told him that I am coming back around Christmas to spend a week with my boyfriend (British) and his family and to think that the border sercurity at the custom think that I am planning to come back in December to stay illegally is so racist, disappointing and hurts my integrity. I just want to say that my parents paid high tuition fees as I am being classed as international student and I am a law abiding singapore citizen. What the custom border sercurity made me went through just to get a custom stamp for vat refund is humiliating and degrading when he said that he will give me the benefit of the doubt. I hope something will be done to this racism because it makes me feel unwelcome despite UK having many other friendly people. I like the fact that the security is strict but I've been here for 3 years throughout my education in Exeter and I have to say this is the worst experience I've ever encountered at any airport. Please do something about it as I am sure there are many people who probably feels the same.

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9:37 pm EDT

Heathrow Airport security staff

This morning at 8.20am (5th july) at heathrow airport terminal 2, my mum and I were about to embark on our holiday to vancouver. whilst we were clearing security, the buzzer sound went off as my mum walked through and she was told by a very aggressive security guard to go through the scanner. as if it wasn't traumatising enough for my mum, being shouted at like she was a criminal, yet the way the security guard continued to yell angrily to put her hands up and stand with her feet on the relevant marks of the floor as my mum stood in the scanner, not having a clue what to do and started to feel panicky. my mum is over 70 years old with arthritis, and her english isn't great, therefore she couldn't even understand what this security guard was shouting and couldn't get her hands up fast enough due to her condition. clearly this security officer was annoyed that my mum needed attention and this inconvenienced her as it dragged her away mid conversation with a fellow co-worker about her social life. my mum is still really upset at the tone which was communicated towards her. surely airport staff are too aware that people travel from all over the world and don't necessarily speak perfect english. shouting and assaulting passengers doesn't make them comprehend any better or get the best out of them. this behaviour and rude attitude towards passengers is totally unacceptable!

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6:28 am EDT
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Heathrow Airport airport assistance

We requested assistance on the 31st May when travelling on flight OU491 with Croatia Airlines from Terminal 2 departure time 11.50 hrs. This was the first time we had used Heathrow and the level of Assistance and the organisation was dreadful. None of the staff manning Assistance seemed to know what they were doing and even though we were at the airport two hours before departure, we were last to board and this was only managed because my wife kept chasing the staff. We returned on flight OU490 at 11.00 hrs on the 7th June and the Assistance provided was almost as bad. We normally fly from Gatwick where the Assistance organisation is so much more efficient and makes travelling so less stressful. It would be a good idea if the Heathrow Assistance staff had the same level of training plus a better command of the English language.
If we have to fly from Heathrow in the future, I do hope this problem will have been rectified. Your comments will be appreciated.

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9:55 pm EST

Heathrow Airport heathrow airport terminal 2 check in desk staff abuse power maliciously causing a elderly missed flight

I am writing to make an official complaint against Marimar and Veronica working at Terminal 2 on 7th December 2016 from 3pm onwards. Sorry I only managed to get their first name - Marimar refused to provide her surname and Veronica refused to give her name at all. When I asked to see her badge, she covered the badge up and started to be abusive and rude - I caught her name by a glimpse before the cover up - I hope this is correct.

Due to the limited space, I shall keep it brief and will follow up with a detailed complaint letter.

We had a little misunderstanding about the luggage allowance with Veronica at her check-in desk. When we tried to explain to her our side of the story, she started to be extremely impatient and lectured us for daring to doubt her. She also made snobbish comments that we were holding an economy ticket and she shouldn't be serving us anyway. We apologised to her, yet due to her awful attitude we decided to seek other staff's assistance from the economy check-in desks.

Despite this we were about to talk to staff from the economy desk, Marimar pulled us away and redirected us back to the business check-in desk again. We lost the opportunity to seek a second opinion on the luggage allowance and back to square one again. Bearing in mind that we got a flight to catch, we did not want to dwell on any arguments; therefore, we took some luggage out of the suitcase in front of Marimar immediately - it literally took us 1 minute to finish. To my shock, now Marimar told me that we cannot get on the plane anymore because she just closed the flight chech-in.

We were speechless witnessing a staff member who is supposed to be helpful, instead, she was nothing but unhelpful and extremely awkward.

Now we realised that behind all those excuses, Marimar was actually enjoying the distress she putting us through. We honestly offered to simply get on board without the luggage. What Marimar did next can only be described as malicious and nasty: she took our boarding card away from us to ensure we will miss the flight! Veronica then gave a thumbs up with both hands to her colleagues with a big smile on her face, which can only be construed as victory for making us distressed, annoyed and their contempt in making sure our mum missed her flight.

When I requested the boarding card back from Marimar and demanded a reason why she stole my property without my permission, she refused to talk to me.

We had to purchase a new ticket for a much later flight and our six year old daughter had to wait in the airport from 3:30pm to 9:30pm with her grandmother with all of us distressed, extremely unhappy and totally flabbergasted over this disgraceful behaviour. How could you do this to an old age pensioner who is leaving her only family behind and only granddaughter.

I am still in shock while I am writing this complaint and I am determined to take this further!

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7:47 am EDT

Heathrow Airport hygiene issues

On returning to Heathrow on Sat 5 September I was disgusted to find only two out of six toilets in working order, dirty floors and the soap dispensers not working. I was unable to wash my hands properly despite the two containers being full and can only imagine how many other people went unwashed that morning. I tried to report this but the automatic survey machine wasn't working either. No one around to tell, no cleaner in sight

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4:33 pm EDT

Heathrow Airport heathrow airport made their customer lose their flight

My mother is currently stuck at Heathrow Airport because she lost her flight due to the incompetence of the Airport personnel. She was leaving london to arrive at JFK Airport Friday, August 28. After giving her the run around of which terminal she should be at, it wasted over and hour of her time resulting in losing her flight. Instead of compensating her for their mistake and placing her in a hotel until her next flight which leaves at 5 am., they tell her they cannot offer her anything since there will be nobody available to pick her up at such an early hour to make her flight in the morning. My mother is a 78 year old senior citizen with bad knees and she is now sitting in Heathrow Airport, alone and stressed out! I am appalled at the service of the Airport and something should be done to compensate her!

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8:15 am EDT
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The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Heathrow Airport security officer

It was a rather quiet and orderly check in process and security screening at the Heathrow Terminal 1 airport. A family of three (including a small toddler in a buggy) headed towards the gate as soon as the gate number was given. We had about 15mins till the supposed boarding time so we hurried our way towards the gate. As we headed down to the gate number 20, we realised that there was a small hold up. Glass doors were temporarily locked as the passengers who just landed had the right of way. Thinking it will be a 5min wait at the maximum, I asked my tired toddler to wait a little while. Then the chaos started. Behind us were rows of new passengers going to gate 18, 19, 20 and 21. We were all left stranded in the middle of a glass corridor without any air, seat, lighting, air conditioning and most importantly access to drinks. There were two security guards opening and closing doors (there were three glass corridors and six or seven different gate doors to open) and laughing away whilst tired and wary passengers started to get agitated. Then it was 10mins, 15mins, 20mins and at last 25mins. My toddler son in the meanwhile was crying and asking why the gate doors were still closed. In the meanwhile, they let a small group of passengers who landed through the gated corridors, and my assumption is that there were at least 4 group of flight passengers who were passing us by and looking at us in bewilderment. We were felt to feel like cattles. Just waiting without any announcement of what was going on and how long we had to wait. In the meanwhile, the boarding time had passed and it was very certain that our flight would be delayed due to this unfortunate incident. Then finally the gate door was opened. There were about 200 people dashing forward to their gates. The airport security were taking the longest time to open the gates. As some of us passed, one complained "30mins!" and other complaints were heard. We had waited 30mins in the middle of three glass doored corridor in the dark without being told what on earth was going on. In the meanwhile, my toddler son was exhausted and thirsty. but there was no water was there. this is the worst. How could Heathrow be a leading airport, if they treat their passengers in this cattle like matter. The airport security guy even threatened to disallow the passengers who complained to him for the wait. This is a third world country, with a third world airport and third world security. What on earth is going on? Someone should sue the airport for such mismanagement of passenger safety.

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5:30 am EDT
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Heathrow Airport name change on ticket and baggage delay

I am posting a complaint on the subject of the change of names on flight tickets, in the hope that someone will not experience the ordeal I went through last week. A few months ago I had booked a flight from Newcastle to London, then London to Seoul with British Airways on their online website. When creating an account I gave my English name, which I have used on examination certificates, school and university entry forms, but which is not the name on my Korean passport. On the passport details section on the British Airways website however I gave my Korean name, assuming that this was the name that the ticket would read, not the one with which I signed up to the British Airways website. The day before my flight, I checked in online with the website, and all seemed to be going smoothly. I did not print out my boarding pass, as the website mentioned that I could get it printed at the airport. So last week I arrived at the airport and handed my passport to the assistant at the British Airways baggage check-in counter. After asking me the flight I intended to go on, the assistant informed me that I was not on the list of passengers. I asked her if perhaps they had me on the list by my English name. She replied in the affirmative, but shocked me by telling me that I would not be able to board the flight, as the name on my ticket did not match the name on my passport. This was the first time I had ever encountered this problem, as I usually used Korean Air, a Korean Airline with which I had given my Korean name. I was panicking, but at the same time I realised that this was my fault, and asked the assistant what I could do. She replied that I should phone British Airways, but she was quite firm that the airline, would not let me on the flight unless I was able to change my name on the ticket. She then asked me if I had any form of ID on me that had my English name on, and unfortunately I didn't. The assistant then rolled her eyes, and returned my passport, and told me that there was nothing she could do, but that I should contact British Airways. It was 1hr and a half, before I had to board my flight, so I quickly tried to phone British Airways. After 20 minutes of listening to a voice-recording telling me to wait, I decided I had to try to go online and print out a boarding pass if the assistant at the counter could not help me out, nor British Airways. Looking back, I should have tried to change my name on the my details section on the website, but I was desperate to get on the flight. After paying 2 pounds for a 10 minute Internet session plus a page of printing out my boarding pass, I went back to the desk, and tried to plead with the assistant. She told me that this did not change anything and that I still could not board the flight, I tried to explain to her that British Airways wasn't responding at the end of the line. So she began to make some phone calls, and whilst she did this, rolled her eyes to the other British Airways assistants. I was by now on the verge of tears, thinking that I could not board the flight. After ten minutes the British Airways assistant, who appeared to have spoken to another member of the British Airways team again told me that there was no way that I could board the flight without my passport name on the ticket. I asked her again if there was anything I could do, and she told me I could try speaking to the assistant on the counter next to her, but that there was nothing else to be done. I realised that there was no point in speaking further to this assistant and moved on to the next counter, where without realising the assistant there seemed to have been aware of my situation and simply told me that I had to pay 40 pounds for a change of name on my ticket. I was put off by the amount of money that I was wasting due to my carelessness, but couldn't complain, and told her I would pay it. The thing that struck me however was that the first assistant did not once mention this fee, which I would have paid from the first had she told me from the beginning. The impression I had got was that there was no way that I could get on this flight, and that I had to somehow contact British Airways for special assistance. I was quite bewildered, because after paying this fee I was able to check-in my luggage and board my flight swiftly. Had the first assistant been more willing to explain to me the options available to me in the situation, I am sure I would not have had to undergo the fear of having to book a new ticket. It also occurred to me that the assistant wasn't entirely courteous or polite in her manner of addressing me as a customer. I know that I made the mistake of booking a ticket with my non-passport name, which may seem careless and naive, but I wish that British Airways, both in terms of their assistants at Newcastle Airport, and their phone line could have been more helpful and sympathetic.
The second complaint I would like to make concerns both British Airways and Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 baggage transfer system. Having landed safely in Seoul on the 28th (from the flight on the 27th) I waited half an hour at the baggage claim area, finally hearing from other passengers and assistants at Incheon Airport that half the baggage of passengers did not board the flight. Many passengers were obviously outraged, especially British passengers, who had no other baggage than their hand luggage and had nothing to work with, travel around in Seoul with, basically to survive on in a foreign country. I was fortunate as I am not a foreigner and was able to survive on things I had at my parents' home, but still some items for work and daily needs gave me inconvenience. After five days of waiting I have just received my suitcase, without a delivery charge, but also without a single apology, notification, anything from neither British Airways nor Heathrow Terminal 5. The cause of the delay is due to IT systems they say on their website. They have a track your baggage system as well as a claim for compensation system, but all which is for the passenger's responsibility to find out for themselves. My family have made a phone call to Incheon Airport to ask about my luggage every day since my arrival, and thought the assistants haven't been able to give us a clear indication of the time my luggage as well as the other passengers' luggage may arrive, this is not entirely their fault as they could only give what information they had from Heathrow Airport. The thing that I am most angered by is not only British Airways' and Heathrow's complete lack of interest in contacting their customers to inform them of the situation, the cause of the problem, the possible solutions, and an apology, but in the fact that the Airport, even with a faulty IT system, as well as the airline would allow passengers to board a flight, without informing them of the faulty IT system and that the passengers may or may not see their luggage land with them. It is questionable as to what kind of trust and relationship both want to build with their customers when they allow passengers to board their flights, knowing they have a faulty IT system, knowing that customers may not be flying with their luggage, knowing that they may panic after waiting patiently at the baggage reclaim and finding that their luggage is in another country to them. It appears from an article in the Guardian on the 4th of June that similar faults in IT systems have occurred, leading to delayed baggage, and from the British Airways website, that delays in baggage have occurred over 4 days: "We are very sorry for the difficulties caused by four days of intermittent IT-related faults with Heathrow Airport’s baggage system in Terminal 5 at the end of June. The faults meant that some flights on each of the four days left with lower than expected numbers of baggage." The fact that no one informed customers of the faulty IT systems and checked in their luggage in their ignorance, is certainly a cause for customers to doubt the reliability of the services that Heathrow and British Airways supply. If either were "very sorry" and had any idea of what the "difficulties" of arriving in a foreign or even one's home country without essentials, without files and equipment for business, without anything but one's passport, then I would suspect that they would have been quicker to apologise, to accommodate and assist customers. It is one way to advertise their achievements and readiness to assist before customers make the decision to rely on them and pay them, and then shake their hands of any sense of sympathy or responsibility towards them when they are actually in need of assistance. Thank you to British Airways for my baggage, after a delay of 5 days, but I wonder whether I will be flying with you again, and I will be sure to inform other international students and my travel agency so that at least they can make more of an informed decision before simply flying with you based on what you say on your website.

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Heathrow Airport damaged goods

I am a reasonable frequent International Air traveller.
Last January ( 2014) I passed thru T5 en route to Paris from Australia, when my carry on baggage was screened by security, and strangely was delayed.
The cause was a laptop computer and was handed to me rather sheepishly by security staff afterwards.
I later ( 30 minutes) discovered that the laptop CD drive had been damaged, and before leaving registered a complaint with a "service" team leader.
A copy was given to me with the assurance that "the matter would be dealt with."
I rushed then to my connecting flight.
Later I studied the report which said " "(laptop) got stuck as it was coming out - Side cover off laptop missing" and, "passenger did not know which lane he came through"(?)
I followed up on the issue after arriving home, and submitted a complaint via email with a question "How do I progress this issue?"
The silence since then has been deafening!
I realise that airports receive a lot of bogus claims each day. However, the proof is in the photos and with a security officer who caused the damage!
My checked bagged was also damaged ( the airline I presume).
I have travelled through most of the worlds international terminals and never had such shabby and ignorant treatment!
So ... my "grief" is this ... THIS IS NOW NOT A MATTER OF RECOUPING THE COST OF REPAIR, IT IS NOW A MATTER OF SEEKING A SATISFACTORY OUTCOME REGARDLESS OF TIME AND COST TO ME!
The news is ... I WILL BE BACK REPEATEDLY TO HEATHROW, AND WILL NOT DROP THIS ISSUE!
signed: Kevin Dorotich

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