Long queues at T5 border control
#766
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
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There are a lot of airports that are worse than LHR when it comes to immigration, but I don't think it helps at all to point out those. Maybe better to look at all the airports that do immigration better than Heathrow for inspiration. Like every other airport in the European Union.
#767
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Singapore
Posts: 2,317
I was coming through Terminal 4 arrivals on Friday night from the slightly delayed AF flight from Paris at 1815.
The non-EU queue appeared long. There were only 3 people serving the EU queue.
However, in a show of utmost vulgarity, there was a vile UK Border Agency person at the entrance to the EU line who appeared much more concerned about people taking photos. He even saw some poor Italian girl holding a purple camera in her hand and basically grabbed it off her to look at her pictures. What a low life.
I complained via email to the UK BA (I clearly had time) but I have no expectation of it going anywhere nor am I going to dedicate the time to pursue it. But it had to be said.
Thankfully the queue was only actually about 20 minutes long.
The non-EU queue appeared long. There were only 3 people serving the EU queue.
However, in a show of utmost vulgarity, there was a vile UK Border Agency person at the entrance to the EU line who appeared much more concerned about people taking photos. He even saw some poor Italian girl holding a purple camera in her hand and basically grabbed it off her to look at her pictures. What a low life.
I complained via email to the UK BA (I clearly had time) but I have no expectation of it going anywhere nor am I going to dedicate the time to pursue it. But it had to be said.
Thankfully the queue was only actually about 20 minutes long.
#768
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Another forum
Programs: Good Riddance FT!
Posts: 2,005
Agreed, the US requirement to fingerprint all visitors really slows things down. I've learned never to pick the line behind a large family as they could easily take 15 minutes or more.
The one big difference is that the US officers in the citizen line will process foreigners when all the citizens are through.
The one big difference is that the US officers in the citizen line will process foreigners when all the citizens are through.
#770
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
Today at T5, Flight Connections queues appeared to be worse than the immigration queues.
The BA staff members were very strictly guarding the Fast Track FC queues, for which I was thankful.
The BA staff members were very strictly guarding the Fast Track FC queues, for which I was thankful.
#771
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Join Date: Jul 2001
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Posts: 102,095
Those lines are a good enough reason for me to try to avoid the daytime TATL flights from the US to LHR as much as I can.
#772
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GVA
Programs: BA Gold, LH FTL, KL/AF Ivory
Posts: 1,878
The last time I arrived at BOS, they did the opposite, just shut down desks, as two long-hauls arrived. When I arrived, there were about 6 or 7 manned desks, when I got down to the front of the queue (and I was in C, so the two long-haul passengers were mostly behind me), some 20 minutes later, there were only 3.
#773
Join Date: May 2009
Location: 25%:DTW/ 50%: LHR/ 25%:DEN
Programs: DL-Gold; BAEC-Newbie Silver
Posts: 128
Canadian CANPASS and Korean SES.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/...06132012_2.xml
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/canp...ssair-eng.html
#774
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: BA Gold, BD G, A3*G, AA, CX, HHilton Plat
Posts: 64
Why most airport have over 20 immigation desk when I never see them open more than half?
#775
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,230
I guess you never transfer at IAD, they never have more than 2 desk open for nonUSt, and if it get really busy, they would even ask US citizen to join the non US queue. I have seen it multiple time when I use to fly *A for connection to SYR, most of the time I am just relax knowing there's nothing I cando apart from rebook a later flight.
Why most airport have over 20 immigation desk when I never see them open more than half?
Why most airport have over 20 immigation desk when I never see them open more than half?
#776
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: LON (mostly)
Programs: FlyingBlue Platinum Elite / BAEC Silver
Posts: 1,953
Long queues at T5 border control
My tactic (and for those of you who are TP crazy like me) is to fly into slightly quieter airports where possible... LAS/SFO/DEN instead of LAX directly, for example. Or MCO instead of MIA... Sadly, the northeast is a bit of a problem area, but I much prefer JFK to EWR...
#777
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
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I guess you never transfer at IAD, they never have more than 2 desk open for nonUSt, and if it get really busy, they would even ask US citizen to join the non US queue. I have seen it multiple time when I use to fly *A for connection to SYR, most of the time I am just relax knowing there's nothing I cando apart from rebook a later flight.
Why most airport have over 20 immigation desk when I never see them open more than half?
Why most airport have over 20 immigation desk when I never see them open more than half?
The new International Arrivals Building (IAB) has 50 desks … whenever we arrive [just after 1300] there are usually 10 manned. That's 6 for US pax, one for Crew, and 3 or 4 for Foreigners. I can only assume that they built the desks before discovering they couldn't recruit, or pay for, the staff needed to work there?
In fairness, our last trip in May saw us being fed to the US Citizen desks once the 'locals' had been taken care of. Overall wait time, maybe 30 minutes. We have done it in less that 10, and then actually had to wait 2 minutes for our bags to arrive on the carousel!! Again, being fair to IAD, it used to take nearly an hour.
Oh, and the 'interesting' broadcast announcement again … "Overtime has been authorised" … at lunchtime? Interesting work-pattern, especially when they know when the International flights are arriving.
#778
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Another forum
Programs: Good Riddance FT!
Posts: 2,005
I guess you never transfer at IAD, they never have more than 2 desk open for nonUSt, and if it get really busy, they would even ask US citizen to join the non US queue. I have seen it multiple time when I use to fly *A for connection to SYR, most of the time I am just relax knowing there's nothing I cando apart from rebook a later flight.
Why most airport have over 20 immigation desk when I never see them open more than half?
Why most airport have over 20 immigation desk when I never see them open more than half?
#779
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: UK
Programs: BA S, VS S, SQ G, HH D, IHG D/A, Marriott G, Radisson G, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,945
My tactic (and for those of you who are TP crazy like me) is to fly into slightly quieter airports where possible... LAS/SFO/DEN instead of LAX directly, for example. Or MCO instead of MIA... Sadly, the northeast is a bit of a problem area, but I much prefer JFK to EWR...
#780
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ESH
Programs: BAEC Silver, Lidl Plus
Posts: 327
My tactic (and for those of you who are TP crazy like me) is to fly into slightly quieter airports where possible... LAS/SFO/DEN instead of LAX directly, for example. Or MCO instead of MIA... Sadly, the northeast is a bit of a problem area, but I much prefer JFK to EWR...
PHL seems not to have too many international arrivals (at least around the time the two BA flights arrive) and always appears to have plenty of CBP officers on duty. They are usually very pleasant and courteous as well.