LHR clearly has lost its place as the #1 point of entry into the U.K. for me.
This is due to a number of reasons:
1. Less flights from
HAJ to
LHR (BA pulled out completely,
BD reduced to E145's max 3pd) driving prices high.
2. T1 and
T2 are in less than optimal condition (others might use the word "dump") in Baggage Claim and landside (with "Departures" being the worst of it)..
3. Also owing to the fact that Greater London has lost its attractiveness that it did spell onto me a decade or so ago, has gone (read: I meanwhile prefer to visit the countryside) and with the emerge of alternative flights to airports outside London becoming available, I meanwhile usually fly nonstop into
STN (okay, officially this is a "London" airport) or places further north.
I sometimes book a oneway flight into
LHR, but for the return I definitely perfer
STN (but only in the evening when it is a bit less crowded).
LCY is another favourite for me but this mandates connecting flights somewhere else.
BTW,
LHR has never played any rôle in my plannings regarding transferring between a shorthaul and a longhaul flight. All my connections at
LHR have been shorthaul to shorthaul (one of them on 15-SEP-2001 when 4 days after 9/11 no check-thru (pax and luggage) was possible.
While I agree with the voices saying that
LHR lacks many things, I hope the overall situation for pax will improve once
T5 has become operational. Then give it another couple of years until T1 /
T2 have been replaced by Heathrow East and
LHR might be playing more in the top of the league again. ... unless BAA manages to ruin the new structures
T5 and East within a short time
From an operational point of view, I see no siginificant change happening in the next decade.
Read: Definitely no new runway. But introduction of "mixed mode" operations still looming ...
Overall,
LHR will remain in a status where five drops of rain will lead to delays and where two snowflakes will bring the airport to a standstill. {exaggeration off}.
With this personal outlook,
LHR will not move any higher on my list of "first" destinations.
Regarding Spotting:
I think,
LHR hardly is "Spotter's heaven" these days with the rooftop terrace closed, spotting from the center garages discouraged and police moving on people standing at the perimeter fence.
Traffic onto
LHR indeed is diverse and interesting, but chances to enjoy it under good conditions and for longer periods are just too bad.
As comparision what a "spotter-friendly" environment can be like, people should check out
AMS or
ZRH or even
MAN.
-HT
[Edited 2007-08-21 18:42:23]
Carpe diem ! Life is too short to waste your time ! Keep in mind, that today is the first day of the rest of your life !