Heathrow...

It doesn't take a genius to realize one of the keys to a smooth trip to London - avoid Heathrow. However, unless you live in France and can take the train or can take advantage of one of the "other London" airports (try City - LCY), you are stuck with this airport. Over the Christmas holiday an article highlighted a recent survey by European business travelers which ranked Heathrow the worst airport in Europe. After spending the better part of Friday night in the confines of this airport the survey and article was spot on accurate!

If you have Heathrow on your itinerary take some useful advice: stock up on patience, bring plenty of reading material and be ready to move at a moments notice.

If you have a connection at a different terminal in Heathrow just forget about making it. You could argue that transferring from JFK to LGA, ORD to MDW or IAD to DCA might be easier then the system here. Upon arrival you are given options to follow for exit/baggage reclaim or transfer to another terminal. Instead of using trains, walkways, or underground tunnels to allow passengers to make connections you are required to use a bus for terminal transfer. This process is painfully slow (worse then a terminal transfer at Dulles) and is only amplified by the fact you need to go through security again at your next terminal. London is the host of the 2012 Olympic games - this system will not enhance the Olympic spirit to those traveling to and from Heathrow...

This evenings flight was scheduled for 7pm. London to Zurich isn't the most common route throughout Europe, but given the importance both cities have to the global financial scene you'd think there would be multiple flight options on a Friday. Not from British Airways. The 7pm was the only flight offered. Strike 1. No problem - just check your bag and make your way through security. Strike 2. Heathrow has a new policy that you cannot check a bag into the airlines too EARLY???... This was shocking. There were no lines at the baggage drop, but British Air insisted that we wait another 30 minutes before checking bags.

Now we had plenty of time to kill in the airport and fortunately we were in Terminal 4, which had different food/shopping options to take your mind off idle time in the airport. Rather then take an obscenely early meal we opted to find an empty bench (not easy) and read for a bit. A realitively sparse (2 other couples) gate area was found and reading ensued. There comes a point in reading/watching tv where one is so focused, you lose a sense of your surroundings. At that point, both of us were there. Then strike 3 to Friday night came and came quickly.

About 6 feet away from us sat one of the couples. As both of read our books, a very painful yet distinct sound interrupted the reading, causing our heads to immediately spin toward this couple. Strike 3. The couple was no longer seated next to each other. The man had sprung out of his seat, but not quicker then his wife's head which had disappeared into a shopping bag (think osterich in the sand). Again, it did not take a genius to realize what the noise was stopping our reading. We packed up our things and scurried out of the gate area never looking back... It was going to be a long night...

About 6 hours later we made it home.