Heathrow Gets Its Own 'Writer in Residence'

LONDON, August 20, 2009 — -- The hectic vacation season for London's Heathrow airport just got a little busier as it welcomed its first "writer in residence."

As part of a marketing campaign for the airport, Alain de Botton, a world-renowned author whose books include "The Art of Travel," has taken up a week-long residence in Heathrow's Terminal 5. During his stay -- which includes housing at the adjacent Sofitel London Heathrow -- de Botton will have access to the whole airport.

After his unusual stay, de Botton writing a 20,000-word book entitled "A Week at the Airport: A Heathrow Diary". The book will be published in September by Profile Books and will be distributed free to 10,000 passengers as they pass through the airport, and after that it will be available on Amazon.com.

De Botton is currently stationed behind a desk in the check-in hall where his writing is being shown on a plasma screen behind him. Travelers, staff and anyone else who is intrigued can read the work as it is typed. While at his desk, he is frequently visited by curious tourists and airport staff more than happy to share their travel stories and anecdotes.

In addition to these interactions, while researching for the week de Botton will have unprecedented access to all other areas of the airport. He has so far visited Gate Gourmet to learn about how the meals are prepared, and he will also visit the runway once flights stop for the day, the control tower and baggage claim. He'll have access to senior officials from British Airways, including CEO Willie Walsh, whom he is meeting today.

With all this going on around him while trying to focus on his writing, de Botton stays busy all day and is only briefly able to answer a reporter's questions while others came up to share stories and watch him work.

Despite hopes that de Botton's work would debunk or confirm rumors about the airport, he has said that he is "not looking for scoops but novelistic details." That goal disappointed many who had hoped to learn the truth behind the press the infamous terminal has received, particularly after Terminal 5's disastrous March 2008 opening, which included troubled by baggage delays, canceled flights and even a suspension of check-in.