Faith on the fly: The airport chaplains

You can spend hours in an airport and never learn anything about the people around you. But follow the chaplains of London Heathrow, and you might start to see things - and people - differently.

Headed up by Reverend Ruth Bottoms, a team of 20 multi-faith chaplains offer sanctuary and support to passengers and staff in the unpredictable environment of a mega airport. Counselling nervous fliers, responding to crises, leading daily masses in Heathrow’s own chapel - these chaplains respond to whatever comes their way.

Jude Shapiro spends a week with the chaplains and those they encounter to see what happens when faith, flight and the stresses of Europe’s busiest airport combine.

With thanks to the Heathrow Multi-Faith Chaplaincy and Heathrow Airport.

Presenter/producer: Jude Shapiro
Executive producer: Jack Howson
Sound engineer: Arlie Adlington
A Peanut and Crumb production for BBC World Service

(Photo: Two airport chaplains wearing high-vis check flight updates in a departure hall at Heathrow Airport in London. Credit: Jude Shapiro)