The Wartime Olympics

Not content with turning London into an armed encampment for the duration of the Olympics, the authorities are also keen to control the airspace above the capital.

The Telegraph reports that the MOD will take control of most of the airspace over the South East, in an area from Brighton to locations 15 miles north of Stansted and Luton airports together with the Thames estuary in the east and to the west of Reading.

RAF jets will be stationed at Northolt, close to Heathrow, for the duration of the Games.

 

This will be first time that airspace above London has been controlled by the MOD since the Second World War.

 

Is hosting the Olympic Games really worth all of this? 

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Heathrow's Temporary Terminal Six

Heathrow has unveiled its temporary terminal (Terminal Six) designed to cater solely for athletes and officials involved with London 2012.

Terminal Six will be used for the three days after the closing ceremony on 12 August, when over 10,000 athletes and 37,000 bags will be diverted away from the other terminals during the period.

The terminal is approximately the size of three Olympic swimming pools. No flights will leave from the terminal, therefore athletes will be bussed to departure lounges.

What can possibly go wrong?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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There Won't Be Chaos At Heathrow!

As citizens of, and regular travellers to, the UK know our airports (especially London airport) are operating at overcapaicity, shambolic and prone to descend into chaos at the merest hint of a snowflake or ash cloud. Therefore it should come as no surprise at all to learn that four major airlines (British Airways, BMI, Virgin Atlantic and Easyjet) have warned about the congestion and chaos likely at our airports (especially Heathrow) during the forthcoming Olympics.

Despite the fact that airlines know something (one would have thought) about the business in which they operate, Sebastian Coe is having none of it and is insisting that the airports will operate well during the games.

He is quoted by the BBC:

"There won't be chaos.

Heathrow Airport operates at full capacity all the time....we have a very good operational plan...", with Heathrow "operating a very effective service".

Hmmm, that's all very well in theory. However, he neglected to point out that Heathrow, because it operates at full capacity, often descends into chaos when the slightest little thing (eg one snowflake) goes wrong.

A temporary terminal (Terminal 6) is being constructed at Heathrow, to ease congestion.

British Airways, BMI, Virgin Atlantic and Easyjet remain unimpressed:


"As the situation currently stands the industry believes that there is a significant risk of severe delay and disruption at all of London's major airports unless urgent action is taken

Time is running out to ensure that any changes to procedures and the appropriate training are in place prior to the Games."

The proof of the pudding will be in the eating!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Olympics Dampen Demand

Willie Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group (IAG), which owns BA (the official airline of the Olympic Games) has warned that the Games will "dampen" demand for its flights, especially business class flights.

This is hardly surprising, given that the Olympics will be hugely disruptive to London's already overstretched and poorly performing third world transport infrastructure, anyone with any sense will pro-actively do all they can to avoid flying to or being in London during the Games.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Heathrow Lets The Country Down Again

The gateway to Britain should, in theory, provide those entering the country with a positive first impression of the country and its people.

Unfortunately many people use Heathrow as the gateway, and its performance has been far from "stellar".

The T5 debacle earlier this year brought home to many quite how decrepit and badly run Heathrow really is.

Having humiliated the nation once, one would have thought that those running Heathrow (BAA) would be pulling all the stops out to ensure that performance improves; and that by the time the London 2012 Olympics come round, Heathrow is running smoothly like a well oiled machine.

Unfortunately BAA don't seem to be capable of doing that.

BAA have let the cat out of the bag, and owned up to the fact that "at best" only part of Heathrow East (the replacement for Terminals 1 and 2) will be open on time for the 2012 games.

Seemingly several major building contractors will not start work until next year.

China managed to build and open a spectacular new airport terminal in Beijing (shaped like a dragon) on time for their games, yet BAA cannot.

I would not trust those running BAA to sit the right way on a lavatory, let alone run an airport terminal. Their monopoly, most especially Heathrow, must be taken away from them asap.

Olympic Medals Won

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World's Largest Airport

Light years away from the misery and shabbiness of Heathrow, Beijing has opened the world's largest airport in time for the 2008 Olympics.

Beijing's new airport has a floor space of 986,000 square metres, double the total area of the first two terminals.

The building is formed in the shape of a dragon, and was designed by British architect Lord Foster. It will handle 76 million passengers a year.

Maybe Heathrow will be given a similar upgrade, and makeover, in time for the 2012 Games?

Fat chance!