abitwild

Sorry if this small titbit of news is old news and has been posted already: I had to go to Boots this evening on arrival at T5, and to the left of Boots, cleverly positioned in between Boots and the loos, is what looks like a new dedicated fast track entrance, given away by the sign 'Fast Track', attached back to front. Maybe the north is now going to be competing on a bit more of a level playing field with the south!

FlyingScientist

Or it's the fast track entrance to the loos.

dilpat84

I was directed through there when I went to use North Security last week. There were a lot of people with clipboards standing around presumably ascertaining its efficacy.

(It was so so)

FlyerTalker6245

Typical HAL implementation. Here's an idea - improve Fast Track by opening more scanners with more staff operating them.

corporate-wage-slave

This new channel is essentially a short cut, it turns out, and a bit of packaging to give a more exclusive feel. The new entrance is, as pointed out by abitwild, by the Boots in North Security, to the left of the current entrance. You will need to know it's there since it's a bit buried. This is what you see as you enter off HEX or the Tube:



So normal North security is on the right of the photo past the Christmas Tree. The new entrance you can just make out next to Boots, under the giant TV. Here it is closer in:



There is an illuminated black and white sign, currently reversed, next to the yellow one for the toilets. If you go through this, it brings you straight to existing security lanes 1 and 2, the two closest to North Galleries Club. It is not in service yet, they are testing it, but hope to have it working in the next couple of weeks or so, in time for the Christmas rush. I doubt it will be a full time service, HAL are paying for this, not BA, and after 17 hrs or so it's hardly needed.

Having said that, overall, with some exceptions, security at T5 is a lot better than it was, thanks in part to the multi user tray loading points. They have some downsides, but on the whole it's now rare for security to take more than 5 minutes from landside (Flight Connections remains rather different).

Foltan

This could certainly streamline the process for HEX/Tube to Internal flight via a quick drink in North lounge, if you're the kind of person that likes to arrive <T-1hr.

Genius1

It's a nice concept - a dedicated entrance following the same design as the T2/T3/T4 Fast Track concepts, and a faster route to the search area.

HAL had to foregoe a retail unit (previously Vodafone) for the new North Fast Track entrance!

BA6501

Never understood the point of a Vodafone shop in T5 departures... how many people buy a UK phone contract just before leaving? Can't imagine many arriving pax head upstairs to buy a UK SIM, especially with Lebara in arrivals.

jonas123

Anyone been through this yet? Apparently it opened today (to the left of North Security)

Flyiboy

I am assuming at LHR T5 ?

srbrenna

Surely it would be by South Security by the First check-in?

Steve_ZA

Reported by CWS a few days ago but I cannot find the thread right now. It is indeed by North security.

Edit: Here it is http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-entrance.html

BHDATC

Just tried it. Very slick and fast. Entered at 4:50pm and was in GF at 5:00pm.

dilpat84

I used it during the Testing phase last week. It didn't seem any faster than the regular line. It spits you our at scanners 1 and 2, so close to GC North if you're heading there.

Although from BHDATC's post, they may have made some tweaks to enable it to work faster. I was more impressed the Fast Track at South Security on Sunday...when was that reopened?

rpjs

Went through it on Sunday, as a newly minted Silver, my very first fast-track experience at LHR. Can't say I was impressed, only one scanner lane was open for FT pax and I'd wager we waited as long as if not longer than regular.

Which from what I've read here means it's just like fast-track South then?