Books suffer from T5 fallout

Passengers and would-be passengers were not the only people to suffer in the chaos that is Heathrow Terminal 5, it seems. According to the Bookseller news, "Hughes & Hughes' two new branches at Heathrow Terminal Five have experienced a shaky start to trading after the problematic opening of the airport's fifth terminal. Sales were down 70% on budget, after dozens of flights had to be cancelled owing to a combination of security, staffing and IT problems." Not only is the lack of passengers affecting the number of potential sales, but the shops are having to process credit-card transactions manually. "Around 70% of the concessions don't have the lines for using credit cards," one of the bookshops' assistant managers said. "BAA has been saying it's our machines but the company that provides them say they are fine. Everyone is blaming each other and we're caught in the middle.Considering the shops that are here it's quite funny that people are having to use these stone age machines to pay for something from Gucci."
If I were stranded at an airport for many hours with no flight, I'd head straight to the nearest bookshop (assuming I'd finished the two books -- one current and one next -- that I invariably carry about my person). But admittedly I might not be prepared to stand waiting in yet another queue to be able to buy anything. I suppose the obvious option faced with all of this is to move to the bar instead and order a stiff drink - paid for in cash.

Comments

[Susan Balée]

What the heck happened to British Air's new terminal at Heathrow? It's so screwed up there, one suspects someone sabotaged them!