heathrow airport

16 January 2024: How do we keep plane passengers safe from fire? We asked the experts

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It’s been 35 years since the tragic aircraft bombing on December 21, 1988. In this episode of Inside the FBI, we’ll look back on one of the largest and most complex acts of international terrorism ever investigated by the FBI. For a full transcript and additional resources, visit fbi.gov/news/podcasts/. 

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On 17 January 2008, flight BAW38 crash landed short of the runway at Heathrow Airport following a total loss of power to both engines. Remarkably there were no fatalities, but it remains the most serious commercial aircraft accident in the UK in recent years.

The fact that it did not end in tragedy is testament both to how incredibly safe modern aviation has become, and to the training and professionalism of all the individuals involved. 

But what is it really like to be faced with an unfolding emergency? Can any amount of training equip someone with the skill, confidence, and courage to do what’s needed in the midst of a potential disaster?  

Hear from two of the controllers in the tower that day about what would be the most memorable, pressurised and emotionally charged few minutes of their lives. Find out how events unfolded and the legacy the incident has had on their lives, careers and wider industry.

You can also watch an on demand version of the livestream on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NatsAero

Corneel Koster, chief customer and operating officer at Virgin Atlantic, discusses how the airline's return 'home' to Heathrow Airport's Terminal 3 marks an upturn for international travel some 450 days after its closure.

The carrier – which operated 11 passenger flights and eight cargo flights on its first day back at T3 – is tripling its schedule to the Caribbean this summer but desperately awaits the lifting of travel restrictions to the United States, says Koster, who also talks about new Covid-related safety protocols at the airport, in lounges and onboard, and addresses concerns around security and immigration queues at Heathrow as international travel volumes return.

Alex Cruz admits that his career has been centered around people "betting on me" as a leader of businesses.

During the course of over 30 years, Cruz worked for American Airlines and Sabre in the 1990s before a brief stint in the world of management consultancy at Accenture.

But it was the lure of creating a brand new airline in the guise of low-cost carrier Clickair in 2006 that brought it back to aviation.

It was this frenetic period running what was essentially a startup that raised his profile to the extent that he came CEO of fellow Spanish airline Vueling when the pair merged in July 2009.

By April 2016 he was chairman and CEO of British Airways, the flagship brand in the International Airlines Group portfolio that included Vueling and Iberia.

The next five or so years were marked with the introduction of some major strategic developments but also industrial disputes with staff unions and the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020.

Cruz left his role as CEO and chairman in October last and remained as chairman of the board until March 2021.

He joins us as the latest guest on How I Got Here.

HIGH is a weekly show produced by PhocusWire and Mozio, aimed at getting the inside stories behind startups and innovation in travel and transportation.

It's hosted by our editor in chief, Kevin May, and Mozio co-founder and CEO David Litwak.

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With climate change taking over the political and cultural agendas, we discuss two cases in which the courts got involved in the debate. The first is the recent UK decision which found that the British Government had broken the law in its plans for Heathrow's third runway. The second case, relating to Dublin Airport's new runway, discovered a constitutional right to an environment. Alex, Pierce and Gavin mused the power of judges and whether it is appropriate for them to have input into political questions such as the response to global warming.

This episode is brought to you in association with LawSchool.ie. LawSchool.ie is Ireland’s leading provider of tuition for the FE1 or King’s Inns Entrance exams. Each course is delivered live online with a specific exam focus and supported by the latest manuals. Shorter pre-recorded workshops are also available. Courses commence June and November. Register anytime at LawSchool.ie. For a 10% discount on any course, use the discount code 'legallyfond'.