Heathrow: Britain's Busiest Airport - S2 E1 | Our Stories

I said well to do it oh no no you look at all these tools, okay, they should be in your big bag, okay, um, no, no, no, no, no, in your carry-on, you can't take this one, oh my god , okay, look at this, you can't carry this, okay, sure you can. everything will go away, yes, the tools will go in the trash, but it seems that the passenger has other, more serious concerns. He doesn't leave. He will be forced to leave. He has received a deportation order from the UK border agency. He has been here illegally for 10 years.

For 10 years he has been working illegally as a carpenter and bricklayer and recently he fell from the roof where he is working, broke his leg and at the hospital they saw that he was actually a legal immigrant. He just needs to go to immigration and get possible clearance from him. People come here under the pretext that, oh yeah, let's go to England. Find, we'll find work here, you know, we'll make a lot of money, but I think when you're here it's another harsh reality when you find someone to live with and you're here illegally and you're trying. to pay your bills, um, but yeah, no, I feel for him and you know, I wish him the best.

Nearly 30,000 people will leave Departure Terminal 3 today, but a handful won't make it past the gate, so "We're just in time, Heathrow police officers Claire and Steve are searching for a new Target, a passenger who missed his court date so this time we have a 23 year old man who didn't show up to court when he had his drink he heard the driving so now we wait for him like we did before while they keep an eye on the price, there is someone unexpected, familiar, who has this, a familiar face among the hundreds of other passengers. Hello friend, do you have your passport, please, yes, regards, thank you very much the suspect who had eluded them that same day.

Okay, you are wanted for serious assault, mate, serious results. Yes, friend, you are arrested. Okay, you don't have to say anything, but it can damage your defense. Don't mention anything then trust the court and if you say we will give a evidence where are you going for how long come here with me a minute pick up your bag give them your boarding passes buddy I know this is very unfortunate foreigner I would get angry yes the other suspect was also arrested. He was later charged and found guilty of drink driving offences. Steve's prisoner was released without charge.

It's the start of the October half-term holidays. One of the

busiest

periods of the year at Heathrow. Is one of? This week a new manager is taking over terminals two and three Callum, 22, thank you very much. I will let him know. I joined the team. Three weeks ago. I just received training and then did a shift. last week and today is my second day and it is very busy, very busy, you will be helped by Demi, a terminal veteran with 20 years of experience, there is only one person in the team who has a nickname, Callum, Harry Potter, I See, I can see it.

I think it has more to do with the magic I work with on a daily basis than what I look like, so Callum, like all terminal managers, will be assessed on how well he can keep the

airport

running smoothly, whatever that may be. that comes your way, is one of the

busiest

. For several weeks of the year, dense fog descends on the south-east of England, but at Heathrow, dense fog has reduced visibility to less than 100 metres, slowing all operations at the airfield and the already packed afternoon pushed a breakpoint if it has not already been reset. a flight to Dublin tomorrow you won't get out of here basically the queue of about 150 passengers who aren't going to get on a flight tonight and most likely aren't going to get on a flight tomorrow the situation is so bad that Callum must We continually update to senior managers at Heathrow.

We have added that the Aer Lingus flight has just been cancelled. It's through um, so they're landing them now and told them to check in to rebook the Air China flight. I think the return flight was diverted to Brussels, which is why the passengers are. All of us on your side are trying to figure out if that's going to happen tonight or not. Dense fog has a knock-on effect on every Heathrow operating area. We just need to be in the fog for maybe an hour, hour and a half and that's it. it already had a massive effect, massive impact, we can't see anything out the window so we need to give more space, so instead of three miles, for example, between two planes, we need to leave six miles, then the delays start to increase on departing planes and that is where airlines have to start canceling flights because it is simply not possible for us to take those planes out at 4 pm.

Slow lines of passengers on the ground are filling Terminal Two. Spirits are wearing thin. We've been standing here for hours like they treat dogs. better than we have been treated when everything works works well when something broke everything broke too she told me is it that bad? I told her to look around the corner and she will see, so she needs to do it, I hope not. I don't think 100. All they have here is 100. Would you mind having a network of that scene? What are our plans? So I need to move on with so many frustrated passengers.

Copenhagen Are you looking for Sir Callum? Trust Demi's experience. and crowd management charm oh okay but even Demi is struggling to keep order in the terminal this guy here right in front on the right is coming from the other queue at our desk sorry gentlemen but do you know What have these people been waiting for before you? You need to be at the back of this line, guys, yeah, sure, okay, no, that's something you need to take up with your old master. I'm sorry, he skipped the line and went straight there, and I mean, that's not cool because we want to have service. for one person it starts, then you have to do something about it and people are frustrated enough for someone to take their reference space.

I think so, it does get challenging, but I'll do exactly the same thing. I think it's the Beast Within. Us, while Callum's team was trying to keep the peace in the terminal outside the airfield, the airfield security team is on high alert. We have to make sure that, from an air traffic controls perspective, everything on the ground we can do everything we can to maintain it. so that it runs smoothly and whatever is causing the problem we can go out and try to resolve it as quickly as possible with visibility below 50 meters. Chris has been sent to patrol the Phoenix 4-1-1 north runway terrain for a Marshal Roger, the fog makes even basic maneuvers like parking at the stand impossible for the pilots, yes, he's probably within about 10 meters from the stop bar.

Excellent, thank you very much, the booth entrance guidance system, which is the box there, basically it's just it's just a guidance system for the aircraft and it will give you the instructions of your arrival, so it will tell you to turn to the left to the parking spot, it will tell you to move forward, so if you need to move to the left, if you need to move to the right, that's right. Because of the fog it doesn't recognize the plane so every time it fails we take control of the plane and control it ourselves with the fog playing Havoc with technology.

It's up to Chris and the team to manually park each plane, but this takes time. now it's been delayed so everything will continue, it's a little later and obviously a busy

airport

like Heathrow where every second counts has massive knock-on effects. Airlines just canceled, passengers are coming back here, it's time to come together. party buddy it's 9:30 p.m. m. and in less than two hours it launches the runways will be closed all the remaining passengers will be stranded for the night precious thank you very much the airlines no longer offer hotel rooms for delayed passengers and Lake cameras have to make do on their own themselves for information, the flight had been postponed, so tomorrow it leaves at 9:30.

The good news is that we don't have rooms to give them, many hotel rooms are full, I would say around 140 150, yes, but no one seems to be leaving. We're all asking questions, but it's probably going to get pretty heated here because he's kind of surrounded. If you can find a room, please find a room and then try to claim your expenses if the passengers cannot. They do not organize their own accommodation. Callum faces the prospect of hundreds of people sleeping rough in Terminal 2. Roll Matt is here, so yes, we have them, so there are 14 pieces. We're all doormats at this time of night.

You are quite vulnerable when you have public transport stopping in the area. Hotel buses stopped in the area. The hotels were sold out. That's when you had no choice but to give people blankets and a map. We have free Internet on the ground floor. Goes there. Heathrow hotels. Write down as many numbers as you can. you can and then start calling when there are 60 minutes left until closing. Demi intensifies her efforts to get each passenger accommodations for the night. There you have it tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. I have a flight here to Toronto, yeah, okay, okay, so what?

I told you what you have to do now I don't like going to the hotel you don't want to go I'm not alone I'm afraid I can't stay here no problem why don't you go to a hotel Yes, why am I afraid that you want to set the airport to show you? Okay, come with me, boy. I would be more afraid to listen to the other airport on my own. Do you know what people would do to get a hotel room now? there is your hotel Granada Hotel H4 yes, ok, see you tomorrow, ok, ok, be careful, you can't have that if it were my mother, I wouldn't want to sleep at the airport, so I would appreciate if someone would take her and Yes, probably Now he appreciates when he lies in bed thinking charmingly why he could be up here.

No, I'll get a hotel and come back. I'll look for a hotel. I will get plenty of sleep as a difficult day comes to an end. Callum Demi and the team have managed to persuade most of the passengers to sleep in hotels, so we still have the passengers with the idea aside that we are all fine, good things, good things, so we look good now, so the terminal is also ready for the morning, so You're okay, I think we're in a good place, thanks buddy, this is the first time in this position that I've handled any type of weather disruption, so, but I think that everything has gone very well.

The Animal Reception Center or Arch of Perimeter Road Heathrow processes thousands of creatures that arrive from all over the world, that is very fun, from dogs and cats, if we go to see their owner, they approach lizards, frogs, fish and turtles, staff are tasked with keeping diseases like rabies at bay. Animal Health Officer Vicky is responsible for registering the new arrivals today. Each pet must comply with strict regulations. Quite a journey for these guys, a little change in the weather, plus the dog's owner Hella is moving back to the UK to live closer to us. mouth, I have a new job and I have a new house and I have to start all over again, so I will feel more at home if I have my pets with me.

Max turning in like this. I'm very excited to see it. My dogs and I were a little worried about them, so I feel guilty because, you know, I was worried about the flight last night. Yes, that's my babies looking at Molly and Max. Yes. There is just a small problem with the paperwork. "Sit down, there is a small discrepancy with the vaccination so we just need to confirm that what they were given was a rabies vaccine because this is their ticket, yes, unless Vicky gets the correct form certifying that the dogs are free of rage." We're facing a long quarantine, so I'll call this number and let you know what they say.

Okay, okay, no, there's no cat. We need the information about the rabies vaccine. Do you want me to call you. Where did they call you? turn around so they have to be quarantined for six months. I think I'll probably be scared because for most passengers air travel in the 21st century is not a luxurious experience, there are laptops, iPads to take out please, or liquids and toiletries, but in some discreet corners of the airport a exclusive group of travelers are getting ready to travel in style hello Parisa hello Jameson Bridges okay welcome back thank you more people leave Heathrow sitting in first class seats than any other airport in the world so how many cases of champagne? oh, you're 20.

Well, we haven't checked, we haven't counted 20. For me it's 10 a.m. m. and premium lounge manager Neelam is overseeing today's morning champagne delivery. Champagne is still very popular, we can go through six to eight bottles of champagne first thing in the morning because they have paid a lot of money their vacation starts as soon as they arrive at the airport. I mean, that's how I feel when I travel. I'm in vacation mode, so I don't think about When you know I want to have a glass of champagne with breakfast and enjoy, it's impossible to go on the economy.

I mean, my accountantsI always get criticized for that, but look, I'd probably spend 250,000 a year, maybe 300. We'll travel on trips, it doesn't include hotels. Yes, now we are ready for you. Mr. stage, thank you very much. First class returns to Dubai cost 14 times the price of economy tickets. Neelam cannot afford to be left with nothing. wow place, let's see, I think we just need to tell the chefs that the sausages need to be cooked a little longer, they are a little pale and that sometimes puts the passengers off, they are too pale. I hope the standards are 100.

I'm terrible when I go out. I expect the highest level of service. Anything the lounge spends lavishly to gain the loyalty of premium passengers. £350,000 a year on champagne and £20,000 on flowers. Look, they're really beautiful, so here we are. I'm going to put this in, how much do they cost per stem? Well, you'd pay between £15 and £20 a stem please. I think one has more of those twigs in that one has more twigs and then this one is okay, you can get it. beyond reception hello hello thank you so much oh my lovely Mr. Nishan yes I apologize you are a silver only gold member here on this earth I'm sorry darling I apologize have a lovely day thank you we understand all the time.

A lot of abuse if we say no, do they call you a platinum member? No, so this launch is for business and the modern first class Platinum members at this school protest and sit in front of the room and we will go if you have access. theBritishElvis, okay thanks, people work very hard for their money and want the best, and if they think spending a certain amount of money to travel first class is what they want to do, why shouldn't they? traveling like this, of course, but we can't move even a mile away from the luxury of terminal 3, like Heathrow, 22 cargo warehouses, grumpy cargo in the morning.

Handler Mick the Hat has 30 tons of cargo to back up, ready for the afternoon flight to Chicago. I've been doing it since I was 17 years old. Work like this I started here when I was 17 years old. Now I'm 64. Four big boxes of salmon are packed and ready to go. 50,000 tonnes are shipped each year, making it by far Heathrow's biggest export. kinds of things you've sent here all kinds of vegetables braids bodies body parts a pile of wood editing go through that door I'll tell you what you'll be I'm surprised what happens around here if you'd come yesterday I've seen the rabbits today.

An item requires a special mix. Special attention. Where is the sandwich palette? The car is here. Bay Tree. Now we go to door three. Well, this way, oh, here we go. I haven't seen one of them in a long time. It is long overdue that an anonymous American buyer last week bought this rare 1938 British racing car at auction for half a million pounds. We know it contains some fuel. Alright? It's a nice car. I would like to have it. There are some bottles. you know who's buying it someone with a lot of money a millionaire out there this is good we'll send it away so yeah let's go over spring cargo it's a big deal for airlines damaged cargo and a damaged reputation could be costly in this one moment we are going to have to tie it Wheel by wheel to the pallet so that it is safe to get on the plane.

Fortunately today they have an expert handler on the case, they just secured it a little better. Do the same with the back, this is one of the busiest sheds at the airport, they always overcrowd cargo and overcrowd it, but that's what getting it on the plane is all about, don't go on the plane, you don't get paid. The Heller Animal Reception Center has been waiting for an hour to find out if his dogs will be released or sent to quarantine. Yes, finally the vet in Kenya sends more documentation. Everything matches. Good news. Have a good trip.

Now I feel like I have my family back and can continue to enter into my life here in England a plane undergoes the most expensive nose surgery in the world one of our schools Causes chaos for everyone here and a maiden flight struggles to take off the answer arrived on the wrong plane