Thomas Woldbye has stepped in as the new chief executive of Heathrow, vowing to enhance the airport experience for customers and contribute more effectively to the British economy.
Formerly heading Copenhagen Airport, Mr Woldbye succeeds John Holland-Kaye, who led the London airport for over nine years.
On his first day, Mr Woldbye focused on engaging with colleagues and identifying potential improvements.
The chief executive will oversee multibillion-pound enhancements, including the introduction of advanced baggage systems in Terminals 2 and 3 and the installation of 3D security scanners.
Mr Woldbye inherits significant debt and will be tasked with resolving disputes with airlines over landing fees.
His appointment follows Heathrow's struggle to maintain profitability amid soaring debts, which currently hover around £16 billion.
Repairing strained relations with airlines, due to disagreements over landing strip charges, is also on his agenda.
There are expectations for Mr Woldbye to rejuvenate the airport's customer service and overall appeal.
Industry experts highlight that, despite high traffic, Heathrow's service quality lags behind global competitors, suggesting a refreshed approach to meet international traveller expectations may be required.
Mr Woldbye will also contemplate the future of Heathrow's proposed third runway, balancing evolving cost considerations and environmental regulations.
He said: “The UK already has a hub airport that is the envy of much of the world.
“As I spend my first days getting to know the colleagues and team Heathrow partners who make it a success, I'm looking for how we can make Heathrow even better for our customers and the British economy.
“It's humbling to have the opportunity to take on the challenge and I'm excited to get started.”
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Country-size land deals
US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:
Louisiana Purchase
If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.
Florida Purchase Treaty
The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty.
Alaska purchase
America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".
The Philippines
At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million.
US Virgin Islands
It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
Gwadar
The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
