NewbieRunner

Yes, I figured it out and walked back through the departure tunnel (no walkways going in the other direction). When I came to the end of the tunnel both escalators were for coming down only. I saw some lifts to the right of the escalators and found one with a call button which was not covered up but no sign of any lift operating. Eventually an airport employee with a couple of women with clipboards turned up and the man explained that the lifts were blocked off for security reasons but that one of them (the lift I was waiting for) should work.

I wanted to see T2B since I'd read the architectural style was very different from T2A. It sounds like I managed to get back before the fire alarm incident for my LH flight to Seeheim. I thought the tunnel was very warm but don't know if it was because they had turned air-conditioning off.

johnny5a

I was a little disappointed not been able to spend more time in the departures lounge.

As exilencfc pointed out the self-service check-in didn't go very well, it was not to do with the system, it was more to do with the test data. When we used the self-service kiosks - we thought we'll use the scan the passport to find your booking option, well turns out you couldn't use this option, as there was no PNR attached to the booking. Eventually the chap said you have to search for the booking using last name, first name and e-ticket number, I wish the script mentioned this. once check-in was successful we attached our baggage tags.

next the bag drop for me took ages, as they couldn't allocate my bag to my booking as the baggage tag number was allocated to 7 other passengers (turns out they were recycling the baggage tag number) - this delayed me further, took ages for the them to get my bag checked-in.

finally we went through security, this was very quick and smooth.

when we (Jr and I) got down to the departure lounge, we were faced with a very very long queue (at least 60+) for lunch! luckily a chap was handing out bags of lunch providing you liked the sandwich inside, I just took 2 of them. If I didn't I suspect I wouldn't have made my "flight"

I literally had 20 minutes to eat as well as feed Jr, before we had to go gate. I barely had time to take any photos.

After departing from gate, we were given arrival scripts, nothing exciting or interesting at all. Coillected bag, exited, got handed some Heathrow branded stuff, handed baggage and was done for the day. Finished at 13:50 ish.

Overall was disappointed didn't spend longer having a proper look at the terminal.

angeloedades

This was my second trial and found it to be very short and self tagging was a nightmare!

Saw a few FT'er out and about whilst spending most of the time in the lunch queue

Managed to snap a nice picture of the ANZ 77W parked near A17.

/AE

fredandgingermad

I didn't think today was as good as the other two trials i've been to apart from this time seeing a fair few people from FT

Self check-in took forever as it kept asking for a booking number, even with assistance it took 3 attempts just to get a tag for the luggage, it also issued a second boarding card which caused some issues
Then had a long queue to drop the bag off, when finally got to the counter the scanner wasn't working (the guy on the counter said 'Welcome to `Terminal 2' when this happened, hope it sorts it self out!) so he had to manually check the bag
Security was fine, then when got to departures, spent the entire time before the gate was called waiting in the queue for lunch, fortunately was at gate A20 so didn't have far to go, when went through was given an arrivals script originally but asked if it was possible to try connections instead, fortunately she had two scripts (for me and miss f&gmad) have never had a reason to connect at LHR so found the process interesting, most annoying was having to quickly drink the drinks we'd picked up at lunch as couldn't obviously take them through security..

Had a bit more time on this occasion to enjoy the departures area, although miss f&gmad was more interested in heading straight to the arts and craft area for kids, have to say was impressed with the activities on offer, and pretty much stayed there before heading for the gate (A21) then for some reason we ended up on a bus to wait for arrivals to clear, but enjoyed watching the BA planes landing

Didn't think so much of the gifts they were handing out today, although the bags for children are half decent (much more than the ones that came with the umbrellas) although i heard rumours about water bottles and planes which we missed out on

skye1

Absolute fun hanging out with "old" FT friends and meeting new ones. Sometimes, it's all about the company, and the company was fantastic.

Agree that the "trial" was MUCH shorter than anticipated. I think if it weren't for the wait to reclaim "my" bags, I would have finished around 1pm.

Agree that previous ones were a better experience.

The VAT return "landside", before check-in, was just weird....no signage, had to ask 3 times where to go, strange doorway at end of building, long narrow hallway, very quiet room - all the ambiance of being directed aside and detained by the UKBA (not that I would know what that's like).....but that's why it's a "trial."

The lunch queue was crazy.

I do really, really, really like how "Arrivals" at T-2 is all on one level, all in one area--no going up & down & up & down escalators/stairs/lifts, no going down one long hallway then another, etc.. Potential seems there for a very smooth arrivals process, just from the physical design and how people are "routed."

The "gifts"? I wish I had done what Bruno did, & insistently exchanged my umbrella for a water bottle.

They certainly did have gazillions of "staff" on hand to direct, re-direct, answer questions, smile & say hello, explain things, etc.

Glad to have done a there-&-back to Dublin Easily ate & drank half the cost of the ticket in food & drink at the lounges & on the flights. Views over Wales, the Irish Coast, etc. just stunning with today's sunny weather & clear skies.

mgiarc

So, was there actually a fire?! I thought it was part of the test scenario.

I agree about the hand dryers. Useless.

NewbieRunner

I entirely agree with skye1. ^ It was my first and only LHR T2 trial and a little disappointing as others have said but meeting a group of FTers before and after the trial made the long trip worthwhile. I didn't hang around with other FTers for the trial itself but bumped into some familiar faces a few times. A longer report with pics to follow.

LondonAndy

Good to meet the pair of you too! I'm glad I didn't spend too much time plane-spotting as I got there at about 12.20 and, judging by the comments above, I would have got turned away if I had got there 10 minutes later.

The trial was fine, except for the massive lunch queues, the fact that there weren't any boarding calls for my flight (so I was a bit disappointed that when I went up at T-20 I walked straight from departing to Toronto to arriving for Dublin) and the luggage trollies, which need quite a lot of effort to keep the brake off - fine for me, but not so good for the elderly (maybe they will loosen up over time).

I got a gift bag for LA Jr which, as others have said, was better than the brolly - a water bottle (complete with embedded compass!), T2 fun book with stickers, stress jumbo jet, and a puzzle.

I was speaking to Andy Garner, the "Director Heathrow Terminal 2 Programme Controls and Airline Readiness" (I was disappointed not to get his business card - I could have papered my wall!) and found out that he previously had worked for BA in the T5 move , but more recently for HAL for the Olympics .

filton216

My second trial with a friend this time!

Was a bit disappointed as we were Canadians on a UA flight and we get to the B gates and that's when it all started to go wrong!

The evacuation of T2B started and they took us round back via the departure tunnel and then through an A gate, no other scripts given and as they got us through borders and out handed back all lanyards and they had to regulate the people going out of the doors towards the car park and feedback stations cause of overcrowding for the umbrellas!

So yeah, started off nice but ended a bit disappointed.

Oh and I noticed mixed reasons for the evacuation. It was smoke from an air con unit in the arrivals/connections tunnel or that's what I was told!

allturnleft

Underwhelming Terminal
Main departure area was modelled on a very old Gatwick design of shops overlooking a central area
Agree self tagging an unnecessary hassle as you still had to go to bag drop off desk and it's actually quite difficult to do it!
Not impressive

layz

Did any of the trials involve boarding an actual aircraft?

My first experience of Club World was during a T5 trial 'flight' to HKG. The T5 trials definitely sound like they were more interesting, a larger terminal to explore, the TTS and boarding an aircraft added some reality to the process. On the T5 trial I attended they handed out the lunch boxes on the plane.

sigma421

Nope (at least not the one I did, nor the ones anyone else I met did). There was an ANZ aircraft on a T2A stand but the jet bridge wasn't attached. You simply went down the escalator to the gate, swapped scripts and turned round and entered arrivals.
There was a real disconnect between the people running the trial and the people who will be working in T2 on a day to day basis. The trial staff were bubbly, enthusiastic and excited. The ground staff (mostly Menzies in my case) spent most of the time arguing and staring into the middle distance. To be honest I don't see the opening going smoothly. The only upside I suppose is that since the move is so staggered it'll impact far fewer people than the T5 meltdown.
I'm not totally won-over by the idea of self-service bag tagging either but it seems to be something that airlines are obsessed with. I would sort of get it if the entire process were automated but given that you still have to hand your bag over to a person I don't see how it really saves anyone any time.

Still a great day out with great people though!

browserden

I managed two trials, but couldn't make this one. I wonder if this fire alert means they need to have an additional trial?

I would have loved to do an add on day trip to DUB, boarding an actual flight at Heathrow, how novel

Are BA still using separate lounges in T1 or have they closed the UK&I one due to lack of flights?

I never noticed any real problems with the way the terminal was being run on the trials I attended. Although I do agree the self service bag drop was dreadful.

Has United solved the issue where some of the self service kiosks are hand baggage only and don't print the bag tags, but the kiosks are mixed in with ones that do print the labels and it's not actually clear until you interact with one?

I generally can't stand a Wetherspoons pub, but the staff in the T1 landside pub are great. I was there one day waiting for someone and they provided table service so I didn't need to leave my laptop unattended.

Wembleygal

I had an exciting day heading to Singapore, with online check-in and without any hold or carry-on luggage … then I came back from Turkey, with one VERY pink case. I was a middle-aged UK male both times.

Strangely, an Eastern European lady landed DEMANDED I put my lipstick in a liquids bag ????

As I had hours to kill, I checked out ALL of the lounge locations. And yes, the A/C was off in T2B.

Not as fun as the T5 trials … And I think T2 has some problems ...

FormalHall

My impression was the opposite, the ground staff were friendly while the trial staff were hopeless. It was amusing seeing 'real' UA, ANA etc staff on the check in desks dealing with fake flights. I got a grilling as to why my character was flying to the US, how long I was staying etc. I was impressed that the boarding passes included a ticket number. I briefly thought about claiming the miles for my fictional character flying Business on United! However, that would not be possible as my flight was 'cancelled' due to the shut down in T2B!

My impressions:

- It is not clear at first that there is second row of check-in desks behind the first row. Moreover, after checking at the United Business I had to pass in front of all the other desks to get to security. This will be an issue in a full terminal.

- Fast track security is excellent, lots of space and a clear demarcation from the normal security. The security staff were exceptionally friendly and showed me how different materials in my bag showed up on their screen.

- Lunch was a disaster; giving the impression that lunch had to be collected on arrival ensured 20 minutes queues and would have given a distorted view of passenger flow. One staff member barked at me 'one item per person sir'. When I replied I only had taken one, he got another staff member to check my lunch bag!

- Signage around the central diamond is unclear; arrows to the B gates take you around the whole diamond unnecessarily. This may be to increase flow to the shops.

- LH lounge looks vast on the map and will have the pick of the runway views.

- John Lewis store appears tiny and gimmicky. I was surprised how most stores had stock all ready to go.

- Children's play area is very central, but perhaps this is a good thing as it will be noisy part of the terminal in any case.

- Numbering system on information screens seemed unclear, some gates referred to by number only, other with A or B suffixed.

- Arrivals area an excellent arrangement, clear signage at the border and very efficient for hand baggage only passengers as no need to snake past luggage carousels. You don't have to walk through an arrivals tax free shop either!