I really do find it strange that the Capital of the Free World apparently manages worse than so many other locations.

You would like to think that the capital city ... Oh, ignore that, we have LHR. :rolleyes:

I've always had pretty good luck at IAD... touchwood... but not at LHR. :mad:

We've had variable results … better since the new IAB was built, and helped by flying CW and being well-drilled on where to stand in the people-eater. ;)

So much depends on when the International flights arrive … our last one was behind some foreign lot, possibly French, which makes it even worse as you get a language barrier. And possibly a cultural one as well.

OTOH, there was the one where we beat David Milliband off the people-eater, beat him into an empty IAB, were through in 5 minutes max, and then beat him to Customs as well. A happy Tory Day :D

Talk about being unlucky at LHR! I was informed today by a cheery UKBA officer that the embedded image in my e-passport is too dark, and therefore I can't use the automatic machines... Despite the fact that the stewards never let me into the normal line, because "you need to use this line with your e-passport".:mad:

Too dark?!! In what way?

I think UK Borders are tightening up the colour scheme that's allowed in! :D

Either that, or quite frankly, the 'inadequate' passport photo should have been rejected at the outset. Once some Home Office gnome accepted that on a passport, that should be endex.

Well exactly. This sounds like something very unpleasant indeed or, hopefully, just some technical incompetence.

It's actually a German passport.... But the German Consulate in London, or the Bundesministerium des Innens should have rejected it on the same premise...

Apparently, because the photo is too dark, it thinks that I am nearer than I actually am... Not sure what this means.

For the record, it reeks of colonial racism to be told you're too dark when you've just had a bit of a tan on the West Coast...;)

Ahhhh … I've just realised it's you. Oooops.

Anyway, blame the Germans. That's what the Brits do when they can't blame the French :D

Perhaps it was a French camera or something. :D

One of my passports doesn't work with the e-passport machines, I suspect a similar problem. Got the passport in Sep 2010, so should have been covered by any recent photo changes.

Fortunately it's nearly full, hopefully next time will be better.

Just arrived at LHR T5 on BA 296 from ORD. Got to the Border Control desks around 10.30am, and happy to report virtually no lines, and plenty of manned desks. I was through within 5 minutes. Actually, I had a bit of a longer wait in the Fast Track lane, than those in the regular lane, as we only had 2 agents, whereas the regular lane had tons of agents.

I am sure there are multiple variables impacting this, and I wont try to guess, but just wanted to add a data point for those traveling here in the next few days.

Seems notice is starting to be paid! Finally!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2...ondon-olympics

Taking a Victor Meldrew perspective, I suppose things will be resolved for the bludgy Olympics and then revert to normal? Just asking.

Taking the ultra Victor Meldrew position, I suspect the latter but not the former, T8. It's becoming a bit of a national embarrassment, IMHO.

However, I am very hopeful that the Olympics themselves will be a great success, despite the way the weather is. :D