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The Airport: Back in the Skies

Documentaries

Factual

Factual: Travel

Jeremy Spake looks at whether Heathrow can keep Britain flying during the pandemic.

Get ready for takeoff. Docusoap star Jeremy Spake is back at Heathrow during the strangest and most challenging time in its history. Just what does it take to keep Britain flying?

Series 1

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

BBC One London

London

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South HD

BBC One Yorkshire HD

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria HD

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

BBC One South West HD

BBC One Yorkshire

BBC One Oxfordshire

BBC One West Midlands

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East HD

BBC One South East

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

BBC One Channel Islands HD

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One Channel Islands

BBC One North West HD

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East HD

BBC One West HD

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region. Separated as BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One London HD

BBC One Yorks & Lincs HD

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

BBC One East

BBC One West Midlands HD

BBC One Oxfordshire HD

BBC One North West

BBC One Cambridgeshire HD

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One South

BBC One East Midlands HD

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

BBC One Northern Ireland HD

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

Simulcast of BBC One Scotland in high definition. From 14/01/2013

BBC One Scotland HD

BBC One Wales

Wales

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

BBC Two England

England

Simulcast of BBC Two Northern Ireland in high definition

BBC Two Northern Ireland HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Wales in high definition

BBC Two Wales HD

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

Jeremy Spake

Ashley Jensen

Aidan Woodward

Izzy Fonesca

Catherine Stefanini

James Dickinson

Joe Ward

Samantha Anstiss

Emma Lorenz

Rebecca Templar

The Airport: Back in the Skies: Series 1: Episode 5

Episode 5

BBC One - The Airport: Back in the Skies, Series 1, Episode 5

Jeremy discovers which airlines have emerged from the pandemic as success stories. 

Jeremy discovers that while most airlines were grounded by Covid, some have emerged from the pandemic as success stories. He also looks at attempts to reduce aircraft emissions.

It’s a new year. While Omicron has been raging across Europe, the UK has resisted lockdown and relaxed rules for arrivals. As the airport looks ahead to the future, a few airlines have emerged from the pandemic challenges as success stories. Jeremy meets an Ethiopian Airlines passenger plane from Addis Ababa - carrying surprising cargo - and learns from their CEO how they pivoted their operations swiftly to survive.  
 
When most Heathrow airlines suspended flights, transatlantic carrier JetBlue pounced on the opportunity to grab temporary vacant take-off and landing slots. Their challenge is to prove they are distinctive enough to keep hold of the slots, so Jeremy checks out a flight to New York to see if they stand out across classes. Business custom is the holy grail for airlines, and senior manager Audrey from Virgin Atlantic tests a new premium menu, both on the ground and on a flight, and gets feedback from passengers to inform future plotting.  
 
Jeremy visits NATS, responsible for UK air traffic, to see how they are modernising airspace and trying to reduce aircraft emissions. As February half-term hits and Jeremy’s time at Heathrow comes to an end, he catches up with Heathrow’s CEO, John Holland-Kaye, to see what lessons have been learned and what the future might hold.  And it’s not long before another hurdle emerges.

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