杏吧原创

Plane sailing at Heathrow?

A total of 拢13 million is being invested by the British Airports Authority at Heathrow airport in readiness for the growth in traffic that is expected from the arrival of 鈥渏umbo jets鈥�. There will now be two terminal buildings for long-haul business, and there will be a pier with stands for seven of the big liners and a moving walkway to the two terminals.

From each airliner stand three jetties will link up with the doors of the jumbo jet so that three streams of people can flow simultaneously out of the liner. While passengers are going to the terminal, their baggage will travel in containers, having being previously labelled, and then placed on a conveyor belt to be taken to claim unit A, B or C where passengers have been told to look for it. Here suitcases will orbit on a circular belt to be picked off by their owners as they recognise them. Trolleys will be provided for heavy cases. Estimates show that the load of an incoming jumbo can be cleared through the terminal in just 30 minutes.

Unhappily, outside the terminal ground communications have not been developed to the same level. A jumbo load of passengers would require 10 coaches to take them into London, a journey of at least 45 minutes in favourable traffic.

There is still a plan to extend the tube to Heathrow, but the most hopeful forecast is that it will be completed in 1973. Last year 12.6 million people used Heathrow. This will double by 1975. It is a shame that once outside the efficient new terminals, passengers will encounter a traffic congestion nightmare.

From New 杏吧原创, 26 September 1968