DYKWIA

Just got off a flight from DXB. Great flight and service both ways in F, so I'm not bashing BA before anyone starts.

The Immigration queue was huge, so I decided to chance the connections area. Bad move...

The queue was to the top of the escalator, with no one at the bottom stopping people getting on. So, loads of pushing and shoving when people got to the top and had to get off.

Then, there were zero/nil/non staff manning the security queues. Trying to get to the Fast Track queue proved impossible. Just a mass of people not knowing what to do or where to go.

Eventually, I and a few others opened the barrier and went through to the Fast Track area, where the queue wasn't actually too bad. It was just that no one was being directed there.

It seemed that the new baggage system works a lot quicker. No messing around with 3 people at a time trying to use 2 or 3 trays each.

It's nearly 2 years since T5 opened, and BAA have still not sorted this mess out.

Grrrrrr..... indeed.

Cheers,
Rick

BingBongBoy

I am considering my options for arrival from AMS on my way to SFO in just over 10 weeks. I am going to keep an eye on immigration lines when I pass through with work and see what it is like at different times.

I land from AMS at 07:35, and considering entering the country and going back upstairs and going through Security South instead of FCC...

I agree that it should have been sorted within 2 years, and not just FCC, the whole security mess at T5.

LeisureFirst

Was it really moving that slowly for UK passport holders?

How do you go about getting an Immigration Fast Track pass from BA? You just say "yes" when they ask you (in F or CW) if you need a landing card?

What if your travelling companion is non-European and you are British? Will they give you both Fast Track cards so you can go through immigration together?

Superior airlines give Fast Track immigration to all premium pax regardless of nationality^. BA's mastery of ground handling shows its face again .

Embuexpat

I've used Fast Track without a pass - just flashed my non-EU passport and BP to the guardian then produced the UK passport if any difficulties arise with the UKBA agent. Frankly, they seem so bored they welcome any diversion.

KenJohn

You do not get access to FastTrack if you hold an EU passport.

I suspect it is just the timing of your flight. I have normally been through T5 security fairly fast. I am registered for IRIS and this is very useful. There are queues of 7/8 people max. for IRIS at T5 these days but the queue is far far shorter than for EU passports. Often there is on queue at IRIS if you are first off the plane.

I do use IRIS to save my passport pages from being regularly stamped on by UK Borders given the regularity of my travels. I only once used FastTrack in January when there was not queue at FastTrack and a queue of 10 people at T5. I keep a supply of T5 FastTrack passes when I ask for a UK landing card and end up using IRIS instead which I find useful for the odd European flight.

Definitely worthwhile still registering for IRIS.

Prospero

I do empathise.

Sadly, I don't think BAA ever will sort this out for us. The North Security Area is horribly space constrained and we will just have to deal with it the best we can. The International > Domestic FCC process (which I presume you were following) is for me the achilles heal of the entire T5 experience. I dislike the captive 4 step process that invariably culminates in disorder/bunching at the entrance to the security lanes. I try not to think about it too much and engage autopilot whenever I have to endure it.

FlyerTalker6245

if they could clear flight connections at t5b and have an "airside" carriage of the train, it would cut down numbers through FCC somewhat

HilFly

I agree with you, Prospero. One thing could improve it though, and that is to see whoever planned this mess hanging on a gibbet in the middle of it!

KenJohn

I suppose it is a pass the parcel issue between BA and BAA. BAA is at fault is but the only party who can complain is BA. BAA can say BA is at fault for arrival delays resulting in flights bunching up.

The pax suffers and no one takes responsibility. That is the weakness with the UK system compared with the US TSA system.

Dan72

It's not BA's decision, Fastrack is designated for non UK/EU arrivals, as immigration formalities are more extensive and go beyond checking that the passport is genuine and is being presented by the rightful holder. The Fastrack line should, typically, be a longer wait than the UK/EU line (but shorter than the general non EU/UK).

A lot of it comes down to the number of immigration officers, as you might expect this is not within BA's control either. If you travel regularly you should have experienced long queues elsewhere. In my experience Singapore is about the best, but even there I have arrived at the wrong time and suffered an overlong wait.

ba273

I flew in from LA last week, connecting to a UK domestic and border control couldn't have been quicker.

Then dodged the three fools asking about liquids, before joining the utter mess that is security.

You could ease the problems there so easily, but they just don't seem bothered. There was no consistency, some through with shoes, some not, some with jackets on some with jackets off.....

Even with somebody guarding the Fast Track, there seemed to be an awful lot of premium passengers!

LeisureFirst

I don't think this is right. I've been given Fast Track consistently by other airlines including SQ and TG even though I've declined a landing card and it's fairly obvious I'm British. I've never had a problem using it with a British passport. And although I don't have a lot of experience (as up until recently I've been mostly flying BA) I have actually found it faster than the UK/EU/Swiss etc. line now that the checks at latter have got more extensive.

I take your point that it is less necessary for UK passport holders than for non-Europeans, so I've not lost any sleep over it, but it would still be a nice option to have.

I'm still curious how BA decides who to give the Fast Track passes to (e.g., is it based on whether you ask for a landing card?) and whether partners of people with non-European passports can get them. It has recently become a particular concern of mine. James S will understand.

Of course. Arriving at JFK just after a big IB plane leaps to mind. But fortunately at quite a number of airports (e.g. GRU, BKK, SIN) it isn't hard to get a premium immigration service (either courtesy of the airline, or otherwise) that avoids all queues. Pity that BA doesn't provide that even to its F pax.

LeisureFirst

Well since you're being picky, that's not right either. The line is for nationals of the EEA and Switzerland.

CT-UK

KenJohn,

How do you plan to get through UK immagration once IRIS goes? From what I understand it will be moving over to the system on trial at STN and I think MAN where you just scan a bio Passport and it lets you in.

My colleague has a US passport but a UK work visa, he is fine with IRIS and stuffed at STN or when IRSIS is broken.

DavidJBell

Slightly OT, but if you're connecting through heathrow to somewhere else outside of the UK, do you need to go through UK immigration (a la the US), or is it just a transit (singapore/hong kong style)