Heathrow baggage handling condemned in passenger poll
Passengers have condemned Heathrow for its baggage handling and is rated as the international airport most likely to damage luggage.
An online survey of more than 2,250 travellers about passport control, baggage handling, customs and security issues at the world’s major international airports also found that the London hub had the longest passport queues and the longest wait for luggage.
However, London’s main airport was considered to be one of the best for security.
Heathrow was considered to be the worst major international airport for long passport control queues by all travellers followed by JFK New York and Los Angeles which were second and third respectively.
British travellers also think that Heathrow is worst for waiting with almost a quarter (23%) saying that the London airport had the longest passport control queues.
The poll by online travel community WAYN.com (Where Are You Now?) discovered that 23% of British travellers also said Heathrow was most likely to damage bags.
JFK and Heathrow were also voted the major international airports where you were most likely to be frisked and have your bags searched.
But Bangkok, followed by Amsterdam and Rome international airports, have the least thorough security, according to the survey.
US immigrations’ reputation for being less than welcoming was confirmed with 22% of all travellers putting the country top of the list of rudest passport control officials. India and Russia had the second and third rudest officials respectively.
UK travellers had an even lower opinion of US passport control with 31% saying that they were the rudest.
Australia passport control was voted most friendly by all travellers with the UK second and Canada third.
Among UK respondents, British passport control officials were voted the most friendly with 30% of the national vote.
Amsterdam Schiphol was deemed to have the shortest passport control queues.
WAYNE joint founder and joint CEO Jerome Touze said: “The results of this survey may be pretty damning in terms of Heathrow’s reputation for passenger service but I guess all travellers would agree security is much more important. In this respect Heathrow can be proud to be considered among the best in the world.
“Meanwhile competition among countries to attract tourists is becoming increasingly fierce. Our survey would suggest that the US customs and immigration need address their attitude towards visitors, simplify the form filling, generally be a lot more welcoming and better reflect the personality of the American people.”
WAYN Border Control Survey 2009 Results
Major International Airport with longest wait for bags:
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