Airport operator BAA said international flights passengers still have to wait in long queues despite the Home Office promise last month that all Border Force desks at Heathrow will be adequately manned to prevent congestion during peak Olympic arrival times.
Delays of up to two-and-a-half hours persisted at the airport’s immigration office desks last week were an ominous indication that an estimated flow of 300,000 athletes, their families, media representatives and fans during the Games will effectively paralyze the airport and deface London when in the world spotlight.
This is while The Daily Telegraph said queues at passport check booths at Heathrow’s Terminal 4 were half a mile last Friday with immigration desks literally empty.
“Immigration is a matter for the Home Office. The Home Office has said that from July 15 all Border Force desks at Heathrow will be open during peak arrival periods,” BAA said.
“Immigration waiting times for passengers during peak periods at Heathrow in the last few days have been unacceptably long and the Home Office should be delivering a good experience for regular passengers as well as Olympic visitors,” it added.
This comes as the Border Force has claimed passengers had their passports checked in “less than an hour” at Heathrow over the past weeks and that they will have no problem during the Olympics.
Yet, House of Commons Home Affairs Committee chairman Keith Vaz said “I am extremely concerned that, despite repeated promises from the Home Secretary and the Immigration Minister, passengers arriving at Heathrow continue to wait an inexcusable amount of time to clear immigration.”
AMR/HE
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