The man who oversaw the launch of Terminal 5 at London Heathrow Airport is to quit his job.
Mark Bullock has “chosen to leave” his position as the chief executive of BAA Heathrow following a restructuring of management roles, the airport regulator said.
The launch of T5 was blighted by flight cancellations and a breakdown of the baggage handling system – problems which BAA chairman Sir Nigel Rudd described as a “huge embarrassment”.
Just last week, the chief executive of the UK’s largest airport regulator, Colin Matthews, told the Transport Select Committee that he had not been made aware of key failings in the terminal.
Analysts interpreted that as an attempt to pass the buck to other officials within BAA, but Matthews remained cordial when commenting on his subordinate’s departure yesterday (May 13).
“Mark Bullock has made a significant contribution to BAA and to Heathrow Airport in particular and has led the airport through a particularly challenging period,” he said. “I am grateful for his efforts.”
Last month, two senior executives in British Airways also resigned from their posts following the bungled launch of T5.
