Ok, left the aircraft and entered into the terminal. To my surprise everything has changed. It was quite a pleasant arrivals/holding area and you take an escalator upstairs, then an up level walkway toward arrivals. I could be wrong, but I suspect that they have completely separated arrivals from departures, as with the North Terminal, boo hoo.

I was going to visit the South Terminal airside and play a bit, but didn't want to chance it if I can't just gracefully exit as in days past. Oh well.

I made my way to the arrivals area, checked out the transfer areas to the airside of the South and North terminals, decided to pass and hit the passport control area.

If anyone knows if you can easily come back down to arrivals that would be appreciated.
North Terminal is hard, but not impossible, thanks to a fellow flyertalker who guided my way via private e-mail. Cheers mate. I still owe ya a pint.

So down to arrivals. The Euro people had no lines and walked in, flashed an identity card or passport and were gone.

We 'foreigners' are relegated to 2 very long lines at the other end. I am guessing
that it was the planes from Africa that held things up.

The 2 lines were non-moving so get the paper out. The immigration officers were asking some nasty questions of the African travelers. They wanted someone to vouch for them in England and had a few sit on the benches in front of the passport desks and the officer said they would ring a person for them. Yikes. Asked about their financial conditions, etc.

They were being more 'selective' than I have ever seen. Yes, I am nosy and as I love all the passport stuff, I watch. They did need to open up another desk as these lines were terrible.

Finally my turn at the front. Basic questions. Very friendly lass, stamped the passport and landing card, and on my way.

I like the Gatwick Passport/arrivals area, it is old, but it works.

Up the escalator to baggage reclaim, not claim, as we say here in the Colonies , one is reclaiming one's luggage. smile

Carry on was sitting idly on the floor and threw it onto a cart and out through the Green channel we go. The bags were checked thru to Frankfurt.

The last time I flew in here there were no customs officers, now it was wall to wall officers. Are we in Australia? (Australia customs officers everywhere all over Sydney bag claim, fyi)

As I did that exit thing I always stop at the Travel Value shop. Overpriced junk, thanks. There are certain English chocolates I like and they weren't here, so off we go.

Masses of people await the arrivals. I am sure some of them waiting for the Africans who have a long wait ahead of them.

I went to the information desk to check on a shuttle. I was impressed that I had a Frenchmen in front of me and the girl behind the desk went into fluent French.
Wow! Go Britts! LOL

Checked out the Whistlestop, nothing of interest, not now anyway.

Did the walk around the South Terminal. Arrived at 7am so you have all the flights to America going out. Packed check in hall with supervisors above the check in counters watching everything, cameras everywhere, you learn this after a while.

The British doorbell kept going off before each flight announcement. I love the doorbell but gets old after a while. smile

There wasn't much to pick up and I didn't really feel like doing the Airport Shopping thing so early. Took a glance past immigration into the coveted airside that I passed on. Had access to atleast 3 lounges, oh well.

Before I came over I was playing with purchasing a cheap Easy Jet ticket out and next time I think I will do that. The American planes to the US leave too early for me, whereas from Heathrow I can leave at 8pm, wonderful.

Now out to the place with fresh air. Cold air, yet fresh.

Had to pull over and put the jacket on, oh is it cold. Where is Miami now?