Attendees
Farah Ali (HAL)
Mark Hicks (WJ)
Janki Valand (HAL)
Abi Oakley (HAL)
Catherine Smith (HAL)
Danny Hall (HAL)
Chris Woods (HAAG)
Jennifer Milner (CAA)
Elizabeth Hibbert (HAAG)
Tanvi Vyas (HAAG)
Heather Quddus (BA),
Catherine Broome (VA)
Geraldine Lundy (HAAG)
Ann Thorpe (HAAG)
Helen Dolphin – (HAAG CHAIR)
Keith Richards- (HAAG CHAIR)
David Angrave (HAAG)
Frank Broxup (HAL)
Jamie Pinney (HAL)
Welcome
Hello from Director of Services
KEITH: Thank you, welcome everybody to this HAAG. This is a good opportunity to meet and to go into the airport. Lots of new people here and we will do introductions after we’ve spoken to Tonia.
It’s a great opportunity to help the airport to get things right. Tonia, over to you.
TONIA: Thank you Keith, we’ve got a lot happening in the airport, were back to post pandemic levels and there for that creates some challenges. Looking at the agenda it seems exciting to be able to get out into the airport. I thought I’d give you some contact and how things look, our recovery plans. We only had 2 terminals in the pandemic and then a very steep ramp up. Its’ been a challenge not just in PRM but across the airport.
But were not starting to see stabilising and we can start to look at our future investment
Get your input and thought around some of the projects that are upcoming.
It’s taken the CAA a long time to settle our funding. Now we’ve got that we can start activating our plans.
We are starting to track at pre-2019 levels. We’re seeing an incredibly different mix of passengers; we’re seeing an increase of people traveling to see family and friends and those traveling for leisure. Pre pandemic we delt with premium and business pax. With the leisure and F&F is learning to understand the needs of those pax, the way finding and processes. This adds complexity to the landscape.
We’re starting the next gen security process that you will see the start off and space when you got to T3.
In terms of PRM, Nicola is now the dedicated head of PRS, adding Farah, and two operational managers, and Janki – strategy and improvements – forward thinking. Jamie is dedicated to data. Our COO has it as her flagship priority for this year
JHK leaving, 2-4 weeks to find out his replacement. Will bring in whoever up to date with PRM and how important it is.
I hope you enjoy this tome to connect and to see what we’ve been working on; we value your feedback, and we see you as such an important forum.
Any questions?
Keith: Nothing comes to mine, it’s a useful overview. We’re here to help you in the early stages of planning to help you make it better. It’s a lost opportunity to bring us in at the end, were here for you to use to help think more clearly and practically to see is things are going in the right direction.
We will look forward to the new expect.
Tonia: We’re looking for as much help as we possibly can, you’re a real asset and we need to make sure were involving you as much as we can.
Business updates and upcoming projects
FRANK: I’m here to talk about T2 L/S host area move. The existing T2A Landside Passenger with Reduced Mobility (PRM) host facility is experiencing peak-hour capacity issues due to increasing demand. The existing assistance area is unable to meet the increasing demand for its services. Currently the host area can seat 22 people, however, it was not designed to meet this number. The current location of the PRM host area causes significant disruption to the passenger flow/circulation on the departures concourse and the host area encroaches the adjacent Travelex unit during peak times. The design does not provide an integrated experience for PRM passengers. There is no dedicated storage area for equipment, and valuable seating area is used for storing wheelchairs. It causes issues during peak hour and people dwell outside. Benefits of new location are, adjacent to security/designated PRM ATP desks. Centrally located on the concourse and accessible from all check in zones. Next to the toilet facilities. Adjacent back of house office corridor will be converted to create direct route to toilets and back to the concourse. Area is away from the hustle and bustle of the terminal concourse. Allows for sufficient storage of wheelchairs within host area. Opportunity to provide different spaces/seating to meet different passenger needs/requirements. Opportunity for growth in future. New location would enable us to meet HAL accessibility standards. Host area is behind/post check in and will require wayfinding upgrade. However, to mitigate this we are proposing a PRM welcome desk close to terminal entrance to triage PRM passengers who require assistance checking in, those who can self-mobilise and those that can proceed directly to the host area.
Assistance Welcome desks, upon entry to the terminal, PRMs need help checking in or if they just need directions, we can provide both. Way finding upgrades, to show people to the correct security lane.
Next Steps. From the beginning of June, we will be starting the scheme design which will include the look and feel of the new space. During the scheme design we will consider the internal layout of the new host area (including entry/exit points), wayfinding, branding, internal finishes, and materiality. We will engage the HAAG throughout the scheme and detailed design process to gain feedback on our proposals. We will also continue to work with other key stakeholders.
Any questions?
KEITH: what’s the capacity?
FRANK: we’ve only just selected the space, we know we want to seat 60, but that’s working towards a 2030 capacity.
ANN: Did you see the report we did? We said the information desk was perfect for the welcome area.
We don’t want to sit landside; we want to sit airside. You could reduce your numbers if you got people to other side.
JAMIE: We have SLA for how long we expect pax to wait, we don’t want people to wait there but we understand there will be some wait.
ANN: There’s no magazines, no water, is there something can be done?
FRANK: In the current space we don’t have the ability to do that. It’s part of the standards and we will look at that in the new area.
CHRIS: will we be included in this and not after?
FRANK: Absolutely, were just getting contractors and design team. Once we’ve got them, we will be coming back to you.
CHRIS: Can we do that on sight?
FRANK: We can yes.
TANVI: Have you thought about modular seating?
FRANK: Everything is on the table at the moment.
JEN: Priority lanes for boarding pass, not security?
FRANK: You’ll go through the exception desk.
JAMIE: There’s a workstream underway to look at designated/dedicate for security, being discussed with other members of the CAA. Looking at physical and hidden disabilities.
FRANK: While this is being designed, we can let that catch up.
JEN: Most other airports have this, id the pax are changing it’s something we need to look at.
HEATHER: What were the other locations?
FRANK: The only other real locations we looked at, was the VAT refund – Danny will talk through later. We didn’t feel that was right on a permanent basis as were moving the area away from the next step – security.
HELEN: Could you not knock though to Travelex?
FRANK: We felt that didn’t have enough space to meet 2030 capacity, or the storage.
TANVI: Compared to the current distance are there any plans for seating?
FRANK: People can get assistance from the door at the welcome desk.
TANVI: Ensure that people know they can
FRANK: That’s something Catherine S is working on with WJ.
JAMIE: With the welcome desk, we will ensure that there governed in the same/similar way as the help point. It’s something were looking at in T2 and can possibly roll out to other terminals.
TANVI: What about the other door?
FRANK: If we pick one place, we will upgrade the way finding pre-entrance to the building.
At good point the new area will have a visual connection to security. People know where they are on the journey.
ANN: Most complaints you get is pax feeling there being abandoned and tucked into a corner?
FRANK: We got feedback and took that into account with the new area.
DAVID: What level of accessibility will the new toilets have?
FRANK: The change of the toilets isn’t in this scope, just changing from back of house to front of house so they can have quick access to existing toilets.
CATHERINE S: Once space surveys have been done were hoping to have enough space for a Changing Places.
HELEN D: When I went to Stansted, I just followed a line on the floor, I didn’t need guidance
ANN: I can’t look up, so something on the floor works really well.
CHRIS: They’ve used this in hospitals for years and now football stadiums.
ANN: My wheelchair is bigger than the government guidelines
JAMIE: Our Heathrow standards were designed in 2019 and we used multiple groups and organisations of disabled people.
One Stop Security Update
MAJA: Morning, I am leading One Stop Security, to deliver the proof of concept.The One Stop Security (OSS) is a concept that principally aims to expedite the flow of transfer passengers to their onward destinations by eliminating the unnecessary duplication of security controls during transfer.OSS has been a key objective of the joint UK/US Transatlantic Aviation Industry Roundtable (TAIR) initiative. The President signed the full package of legislation, that included OSS at the end of 2022. Agreed in principle, in order to proceed with the trial final ministerial approval is requiredThe key benefits for airlines and the airport are, improved passenger experience and reduced connection time. The green light is not expected to be issued pre-Summer ’23. The government have indicated earliest would be Autumn. Heathrow Security and Comms team continues all lobbying activities to ensure the Go Ahead to be granted by the end of Summer ’23.The next steps. Work with American and LHR Marketing and Design agencies on OSS Logo. Process mapping, operating model, and trial preparations, wayfinding plan, design and cost.
CHRIS: This is brilliant, especially for people like my mum, it keeps those people flying
MAJA: We will be collecting feedback and collecting data once we get the green light.
LIBBY: It would be good to set a metric.
FARAH: MAJA, can we ensure we collect as much data as possible.
HAND Network Update
JENNY: As the lead for the disability network, I look after the colleague voices for those who work for us with disabilities. We look at what colleagues are aware of, what they want to know and what impairs them and how do we support them.
We look at policy documents. Were currently working on the reasonable working policy update.
We work with several partners such as Autisms Awareness.
Diabetes is becoming one of the most prevalent disabilities in the UK.
Parallel Windsor, put on a completely inclusive festival, fully accessible. The HAND network is volunteering there. I can share all the details.
We attended an event at Microsoft Innovation to look at technology we can bring in.
KEITH: What’s the scale of the network, how many colleagues?
JENNY: We have over 100 active member who do events and collaborations, the network is around 300, including those who have disabilities or are allies.
DANNY: I’m here to talk on the back of what Frank was talking about, and what we’re doing to be ready for the summer.
Ready for summer were looking to move to the VAT area in Zone A, with a capacity of 60. It will have a storage area and seating area, this helps mitigate the health and safety issues within the current area being used, will update wayfinding from the forecourt to the new area. Including the welcome host area.
Agent will be in existing area to show/take people to the new area.
All host areas in all terminals will be being revamped.
T5 we’ve acquired a new area near A4
TANVI: Will there be 2 places, this will trigger my anxiety, how will I know where to go, how will they know where I am?
JAMIE: The system will be updated by WJ where you are,
HEATHER: There will be some framework done to what area you go to if being assisted, if you self-mobilise there’s no such thing as the wrong one it’s just your preference.
General conversation about making sure that PRMs can go and spend their money in the shops, or technology to have shopping/beverages brought to them
FRANK: It’s something we will be looking into for the long-term permanent solutions.