Welcome To Britain, Now Get in the Que.

UK Border Force:- "We Welcome Your Feedback"
A Hapless Immigration Officer, is now looking for his lost notes
(which are in my hand luggage)

I am, not for the first time, ashamed and embarrassed to be British; I just arrived at Birmingham Airport (BHX) from Dubai (DXB) on an uneventful Emirates Boeing 777 300 (ER) flight.
So then the normal wait to deplane, nothing wrong with that, it takes a little while to get the jetway to the doors, but what there is something Very Wrong with, is the wait to pass through the illustrious UK Border.
This is the middle of the morning, not a particularly busy time for airport arrivals, and the 777 was not full, less than 300 passengers,
What a depressing sight, the entire passenger complement being held waiting, for what?
The Passport Police to finish there coffee break ?
It's like this every time!

They are Never ready ! It's as if they never expect An Aeroplane to land, with loads of people on board.
Considerately, the down escalator have been switched off - To Avoid Congestion (so the sign said), the Border Force Trainee stood at the top of the stairs trying to limit queuing on the stairs.
And then the most appalling thing was - after my passport had been inspected and I had been allowed past, I asked the officer for one of his Feedback Forms
("You Know Why" - I said, and he just looked uncomfortable, as well he should ) and he gave me a form.
So on the shuttle to the railway station I took a look at the form, and was amazed to find it was already written on, but not with another discontent traveller's comments, but by an immigration officer who had used it to make notes about another passenger!
I was looking at the name, in fact the names of several  people (what-suspects ?) along with dates and what look like passport numbers and dates of birth (PPT 50837991x - sounds like a passport number)
What happened to the Data Protection Act? What happened to Due Diligence? How educated are these officers that they can give out Highly Confidential Information, to any passing tourist ?
The times I have heard "Can't reveal that due to the Data Protection Act...." and here are these numbskulls handing out passport numbers, dates and names of what - Persons Of Interest ?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/9426914/Relax-checks-to-cut-unacceptable-three-hour-airport-queues-say-MPs.html

Gatwick Airport. Not fit for Humans.

I Love this soapbox.

So Gatwick Airport. You are the most useless, customer irresponsive, waste of space.
Yes, it is a real word - Irresponsive
You are staffed, largely in part, a significant part anyway,  by Liars, who really just want to enjoy the cache of working for Britain's second busiest airport, and not provide any real service to the poor pathetic cattle who have the misfortune to be travelling from here.

Feck the Customers - Let's Party.

They even rejoice in the fact that 'sorry we have no information at the present....'- and I swear, that's the only time they grin.
Ok, so what's behind this rant? Maybe, is the complete lack of consideration for Smokers: After foolishly checking in for my (delayed) Gambia Bird flight to Freetown, I find myself  'Out of The Country' as the useless staff like to tell me.
Now I've been thinking about this, and it occurs to me if I light a cigarette while I'm 'Out of The Country' who can prosecute me? So, the 'Official Procedure' is this: The useless airline desk CAN take any smokers back Into the Country if they feel like it, but they have to get the permission of Immigration, who can approve, or not approve of this action.
Also they have to be ars3d to do it , and as they have a busy day of chatting with each other about TV programs they have watched and the price of bread, and dissappearing - all six of them, at the same time to their staff room, (where no doubt, they Can Smoke), they are not inclined to try to get permission for just one slightly bolshy smoker.
Did I mention that my delay was initially Five Hours before a revised departure time would be released, and it ended up being an Eight Hour Delay. (see next post about Gambia Bird)
And the lies ? Well one of the Airline Desks woman had the nerve to tell me - down the phone, not to my face - that everyone had been told that if they check in early, they will not be able to smoke.
Total complete utter LIE. I definately was not given that information.
Why does Gatwick Airport have to be (almost) the only airport in the World where no consideration is given for smokers ?
I don't care if they give me a small smelly room with an ashtray - just give me somewhere so I don't have to break your rules and inconvenience others.