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Winter operations: A clear defence

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Posted: 14 August 2013 | Richard Oakes, Winter Operations Manager, Heathrow Airport | No comments yet

From Paris to Stockholm and Russia to the U.S., the winter season causes problems at airports throughout the northern hemisphere, says Richard Oakes, Winter Operations Manager at Heathrow Airport

We can’t stop the snow falling and we need to be realistic that poor visibility and icy conditions will always have an impact at airports; just as they do on road and rail networks. Our aim is to find ways to deal with the snow so that we can get as many passengers flying as possible.

At Heathrow Airport, we have invested £36 million over the past two years, strengthening our Winter Resilience Programme and ensuring that we have fit-for-purpose plans, technologies, machinery and intelligence as well as fully trained and prepared staff to minimise disruption during these often short-lived, but extremely disruptive events.

From Paris to Stockholm and Russia to the U.S., the winter season causes problems at airports throughout the northern hemisphere, says Richard Oakes, Winter Operations Manager at Heathrow Airport

We can’t stop the snow falling and we need to be realistic that poor visibility and icy conditions will always have an impact at airports; just as they do on road and rail networks. Our aim is to find ways to deal with the snow so that we can get as many passengers flying as possible.

At Heathrow Airport, we have invested £36 million over the past two years, strengthening our Winter Resilience Programme and ensuring that we have fit-for-purpose plans, technologies, machinery and intelligence as well as fully trained and prepared staff to minimise disruption during these often short-lived, but extremely disruptive events.

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