Heathrow Airport

London

2.92

13 reviews

Review this place

chronicallydems

31 Jan 2020

Special Assistance

1.5

Date of visit: January 2020

I have experience of challenges around: moving around

Overall Rating

Poor

I felt the assistance could have been better and it could have been made clearer what assistance options I had in place for that day. I have now travelled through Aberdeen airport and their assistance team were absolutely amazing and has set the bar for other airports. In Aberdeen, they gave me the option to have a look around duty free and get some food (given I was early and had plenty of time). In Heathrow, I needed to go to a shop to buy a few bits so I tried to ask the team if I was allowed to stop in duty free (bearing in mind again I was on time by a couple of hours). They weren't very clear and didn't try to listen to me and they said I couldn't. In Aberdeen, they gave me an option to meet them at a specific time in a spot whereby they could pick me up from there and take me to the gate. This was great as I felt independent. I can walk but not very long distances. As I desperately needed to get a few items, I had no choice but to be left at the shop and walk the long way to the mobility lounge. It would have been handy if Heathrow used manual wheelchairs which would enable me the freedom to easily and comfortably manoeuvre around the shops and then to the assistance lounge. Alternatively, it would have been great if Heathrow too could have given me the option to meet at a specified time and spot. After being taken to the gate the member asked me if I am happy to be left at the gate and would make my way down to the plane. I didn't quite understand this question as he did not explain my options as to how I am to reach the plane. Usually I am wheelchair assisted to the plane. I believe he just assumed I would be able to walk down to the plane. It would have been easier if he just gave me my options. I feel that this experience left me quite confused. Overall, I feel it was a very stressful experience and made me feel not as independent as I would have liked to of been. The toilets in the arrivals terminal were very dirty and needed to be cleaned.