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feature
feature
I
t’s morning peak hour at London’s Heathrow
Airport, and every elevator to the departures level
is out of order –
all
of them, all at once. If the word
“pandemonium” springs to mind, you get the picture.
This was the “shocking” scene that greeted KONE
service technician
Nigel Stride
on arrival at work
one Monday morning. All four priority elevators in
Terminal 1 were not responding because contractors
working overnight had interrupted the controls.
Crowds arriving on the Heathrow Express train link
built up quickly. Beads of perspiration trickled down
Stride’s forehead as hundreds of nail-biting travelers jostled
around him.
“It was a quick fix in the end, but that was the most
stressful quarter hour I’ve ever experienced,” says Stride.
He and 41 other engineers and technicians look after the
airport’s 1,035 elevators, escalators and autowalks, keeping
Heathrow running like clockwork around the clock.
UNDERCOVER POLICE
With 191,000 people passing through Heathrow daily,
there’s rarely a dull moment. “Every breakdown has
immediate impact. If something goes wrong, it’s all hands
at the pump to get the unit up and running as quickly as
possible,” says Stride.
He describes the equipment in the airport as the “critical
link” connecting the city to the departure gates and the
world beyond. “Without that key part in the middle, the
whole jigsaw falls to pieces.”
A minor disturbance can have a major domino effect.
“Airlines don’t wait for late passengers these days. If
someone misses a flight due to faulty equipment, it impacts
many lives.”
Though safety is an absolute priority for KONE crews, this
goes double at the airport. “We can’t leave sharp tools lying
around because of the security risks. We’re even required to
look out for unattended items and people behaving suspi-
ciously. We’re an extra pair of eyes for security personnel.”
Even with barriers placed around the worksite, Stride
takes special precautions when working amid large crowds
in confined spaces. “With luggage everywhere and excited
children running around, things can turn nasty quickly.”
Doors account for a large percentage of repairs, he
reveals. Damage is typically caused by customers who crash
into elevators with luggage trolleys or disabled buggies.
“Once there was a man – who had perhaps enjoyed too
much inflight entertainment – who drove his car into the
elevator in front of the lobby. We managed to repair the
elevator, but the car was pretty much a wreck.”
KEEPING DELHI ON TRACK
If a delay at Heathrow can wreak havoc in London, the
same applies exponentially in the Delhi Metro, which is
used by 26 million commuters daily. Keeping this artery
unclogged is the job of Technical Support Engineer
Bhagwati Prasad Bhatt
, who answers for the smooth
operation of 264 elevators and 75 escalators.
“Many differently abled persons and senior citizens are
totally dependent on us to reach their destinations. In the
worst-case scenario, they would have to be carried out in
wheelchairs via ramps,” he says.
The safety and comfort of Delhi’s millions of commuters
are ensured by KONE’s efficient preventive maintenance.
Technicians perform regular maintenance checks at
specified intervals, following a rigorous checklist.
“We constantly update our technical know-how and
carefully analyze every callout to plan improvement actions.
Audits and continuous training are also a big part of our
safety culture.”
To minimize inconvenience to commuters, maintenance
is always carried out at night. “Providing the necessary
resources for night work is our biggest challenge,” says
Bhatt, who makes himself available 24/7.
Due to the nonstop torrent of commuters, speed is of the
essence on daytime callouts. A broken escalator handrail at
Chandni Chowk station was one of Bhatt’s most memorable
“fast fixes.” “Replacing a handrail quickly is always a big
challenge. It normally takes about 12 hours, but thanks to
efficient planning, we finished the job in 10.”
BANGKOK NEVER STOPS
The Thai metropolis is reliant on elevators to maintain
its nonstop momentum. “My role is very important in
keeping our megacity’s wheels greased,” says KONE Service
Supervisor
Sutee Sopajaree
.
He and his team take care of 182 units for 15 major
customers around Bangkok, one of which is The River, an
exclusive 868-apartment riverfront residential complex on
the Chao Phraya River, where 1,500 residents are served
by 15 elevators. A lengthy breakdown would meet with an
instant outcry from these quality-conscious homeowners.
“Before things turn bad, we get in and solve the problem
“Replacing a
handrail quickly
normally takes about
12 hours, but thanks
to efficient planning,
we finished
the job in 10.”
Bhagwati Prasad
Bhatt at work at
Delhi Metro station.
Nigel Stride
at London’s
Heathrow Airport.
PHOTO
JEREMY O’DONNELL
PHOTO
MANPREET ROMANA
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