Thank goodness I only ever transit through LHR and much prefer AMS for this purpose. On the one occasion I've had to actually check in there (by walking from T1 to T3 because the BMI check in agent at MAN was a complete arse who looked on my BD Gold card as the prefect excuse to treat me as "beneath contempt"), it was hell and security took forever.

Yes, the UK's gateway to Europe and beyond is indeed a national disgrace.