^ +1

I'm astounded at the short memory of some people. It was, after all, Labour who left office leaving a note for the incoming government saying "There's no money left."

I'm equally astounded that the coalition doesn't point that out more often. :confused: If the landlord in the pub stops serving you alcohol, it isn't his fault you finally have to face a hangover.

Non-EU queues lately
 

I'm picking up a friend at T5 and she won't have a functioning mobile. She's a non-EU national flying in on Bank Holiday Monday at 7:30AM on BA246 (oh, and WT, so no fast-track). How bad is the queue likely to be, considering it is a Bank Hol and early morning is the longhaul rush hour? Should I tell her I'll turn up at 9:30AM?

That's why I never transit in the US ;)

BAH

I know this may sound like a stupid question, but is the Industrial Action on 10 May likely to have any impact on pax departing from T5?

I'm thinking about the assorted passport checkers and Security personnel. Are they likely to be involved?

On past precedent it will be impossible to notice for outgoing passengers. UKBF reserve the right to introduce passport checks on outgoing passengers but I somehow think they will resist the temptation to do that on 10 May.

On past precedent the service will improve for incoming passengers. I arrived into LCY on the last strike day, was processed by someone I now know works in the office of the Secretary of State for the Home Department. She said "thank you" as I handed over my passport, and then, probably to completely unhinge me: "Did you have a nice flight?". I was so shocked I couldn't give a coherent answer.

No problems today or yesterday, some queues on Tuesday evening but not as bad as last week. Three people staffing UK domestic transfers instead of the usual one or two yesterday.

Thanks, CWS ^

All she needs to do is admit Mr Brodie was right, and go back to proper risk-based checks instead of asking everyone everything. But she won't, of course.

Ding ding.

Cabinet reshuffle?

I am not sure what you mean by risk-based checks... In more than 10 years of regularly coming to the UK I have not found anything different in how I am admitted into the country (well, apart from introduction of fingerprints scanning). They have always asked why am I here and how long I am going to stay. I doubt that the queues are caused by these questions which they have always asked anyways.
I believe that it is sheer lack of staff that is causing the delays. When only 2 or 3 immigration officers are manning the desks it will cause delays.

Yes, she should go. It's clear she relies on being told everything by her "advisors" and is not capable of then understanding if it is good or bad. Having spewed out the position she is then unable to think on her feet to avoid getting into the situation we are in today.

Maybe Mr Blatter has a vacancy for a PA ?

I do recall the infamous "You're Dead" comment from the PM … "I have full confidence in … "

But perhaps next month. For now, people need to be a Fire Brigade, and it's not the moment for new [unskilled/inexperienced] faces to make things potentially worse.

There is a theoretical, potential impact on departing passengers should things go nightmarishly t*ts up at border control: massive backlog of passengers at immigration results in queues through the terminals and pax on arriving aircraft held on-board until there's space to accommodate them in the terminal. That in turn causes a knock-on effect on turning round those aircraft for their departing flights.

I seem to recall this scenario being given significant publicity by the more hysterical wing of the gutter press at the last UKBA strike (D**** M***), although as we all know, things actually went rather well on the day.

Thanks to you as well, speedbird66. ^

ETD 1010 on BA217, so hopefully out of there before things potentially get bad … assuming, as you observe, that the allocated jet isn't footled about. With luck it will be an LHR overnighter, so it might even have been cleaned. ;)

If one has wheelchair assist do they have a special access line for immigration at T5?

moral_low_ground I am nobodies comrade.

Your assertion that I would think that an increase in staff of 10,000 followed by a cut? :confused:

Where do you get your figures from? Or are they just picked out of the air.??

Fact. The number of people travelling is increasing.
Fact The number of people available to process passports has been cut by around 900
Fact We are in the crazy situation of re-employing some of these people and paying them pension and pay.... Our / My taxes! OUTRAGEOUS

My main point is, what do you suggest we do with the clever management consultants / senior managers who have no doubt been paid a fortune who are really responsible for this mess???