The journey was going just fine until we pulled up to Terminal 5 - "welcome to our new home!" purred the BA hostess as we parked up at the gate. Tired and crumpled as I was after the long flight I didn't readily pick up the hint of menace in her tone.
The new building is in truth quite beautiful, and compared to the instant heart sink that was arriving at Terminal 4, a huge improvement. It's light, airy, I've even read reviews describing it as "cathedral like", which I guess is fanciful but is an adjective on nodding terms with the reality.
Aside from the soaring roof, imposing structure and other architectural features used to emphasise the smallness of man and his part in the greater scheme of life, the other way in which T5 could be liken to a cathedral struck me as the manner in which the services conducted within it are serving the needs of higher "powers that be" rather than the punters at ground floor level.
I was left to develop this somewhat complex metaphor whilst waiting for my bag. The arrival of all the luggage was slow, compared to any other modern airline terminal, but mine had the distinction of being the very last out. As I watched the rest circle gracefully, nay almost meditatively around the carousel, I pondered whether this was BA's way of commenting on the absurd pace of modern life, and encouraging us to slow down and enjoy our brief, fleeting sojurn by taking time out to enjoy the mundane and the everyday?
It was only when caught in second queue, this time for one of two lifts that take people to the car park (some bright spark had decided to dispense with stairs or escalators) that I realised I might be being too generous to the "planning" arm of BA...........and applauded my decision not to share my half baked theories with my fellow passengers on the BA28 this cold, drizzly and windy am. Welcome, indeed.
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4 comments:
Sounds like 'Terminal 5' is one more reason to add to the 'why I avoid Heathrow airport at all costs' list!
Enjoy Blighty!
The economist this week has 3 letters (written in response to an article about Heatrow last week) from people actually at terminals. Ah, the wonder of Blackberries
I know how this makes me look, but I had cause this week to respond to an internal memo about mobile phone use with the remark that "Blackberry's" is not a plural...
I suggested Blackberrys, on the basis that it's clearly not a fruit and therefore may not be subjected to a proper plural rule; but I see here there is a quite natural alternative option. Living language! Call me a nerd...
Why no dispatches from London, GP?
I have been thinking about your green versus lots of flying dilemma. Have you tried 'offsetting'?
When I used to be sent all over the world for 10 minute meetings, I used to carbon offset by sponsoring tree planting programs in Brazil and Indonesia.
I am not sure how much it actually helps and whether you can compensate too much flying with trees. But it made me feel better and I like to think that there are a few more trees out of there now because of my humble contribution!
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