The launch was fraught with problems, delays, lack of co-ordination, poor passenger information, baggage handling problems, mis-directed baggage, and so on. This would be regrettable anyway, but the problem is somewhat amplified by the fact that, bad as things are, no-one seemed to be that surprised by events
From a quality/project management position questions really need to be asked, and we wonder what the quality of the post implementation review, and consequent lessons learned, will be like. God knows there should be plenty of them. It is a sad state of affairs that the British public is becoming desensitised to the general cack-handed management of major projects, remembering the "New Wembly Stadium" debacle - a project that came in 2 years late, significantly over budget and yet penalty clauses were not enforced on the principle contractor, Multiplex. What was that all about?
There are teething problems and glitches, and then there is just plain bad management. Initially the delay to the Wembly Stadium project, for example, was blamed on a 2 week period of unexpectedly high winds (which did actually happen). But then it was delivered two years late??? Similarly the initial problems with T5 were described as "teething problems", but it now transpires that BA is delaying its move to the terminal by two months at least, so this again is starting to sound like more general and substantial bad management. More than this, if this is how an organisation with inside information is reacting, how much confidence should that give the travelling public that their journey via T5 is likely to be an uneventful one?
Those of us that have been mercifully clear of Heathrow over the last few weeks can afford to shake our heads in mild despair over events, or even have a little chuckle, but we must remember that the T5 problems are causing major inconvenience and stress to thousands of travellers - customers, people. Being stranded for any length of time at Heathrow is no fun at all at the best of times, and arriving at your destination minus your bags is worse still
It would be good to see a thorough review as a result of all of this. Personally we'd feel better if we could see some sort of learning to come out of all of this, maybe (we can only hope) the lessons learned may even be carried forward. However we do not hold our breath. The smart money remains on the familiar fall-back of the incompetent manager, of blame and excuses
Updated 15th April
For those of you interested in the emerging whys and wherefores, here's an update. It's an early inquest from an external view point. Hopefully the internal perspectives will come out in the fullness of time
... and finally a "Hah! Told you!" here's where the blame fell ... good old blame ... that will certainly make sure there'll be no repetition (from those individuals at least). If only everything in life was so predictable
