Long queues at T5 border control
Apr 13, 2012, 1:49 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 910
Long queues at T5 border control
Just had a message from my brother, who arrived off BA206 in F
"Just landed but still queuing for border control and have been 1hr 15m already - absolute farce! They have no idea what they're doing and queues are backing up fast"
I guess people are arriving back at the end of the Easter holidays but even so..... Anyone else seeing similar today?
"Just landed but still queuing for border control and have been 1hr 15m already - absolute farce! They have no idea what they're doing and queues are backing up fast"
I guess people are arriving back at the end of the Easter holidays but even so..... Anyone else seeing similar today?
Apr 13, 2012, 2:03 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: BA Gold, M&M Silver
Posts: 445
Just had a message from my brother, who arrived off BA206 in F
"Just landed but still queuing for border control and have been 1hr 15m already - absolute farce! They have no idea what they're doing and queues are backing up fast"
I guess people are arriving back at the end of the Easter holidays but even so..... Anyone else seeing similar today?
"Just landed but still queuing for border control and have been 1hr 15m already - absolute farce! They have no idea what they're doing and queues are backing up fast"
I guess people are arriving back at the end of the Easter holidays but even so..... Anyone else seeing similar today?
Apr 13, 2012, 2:30 am
#4
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
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According to a couple of my colleagues there have been a few periods in the last few days where UKBA waiting times have been quite lengthy. I choose to fly from AMS to LPL on easyJet on Wednesday and from leaving the plane to sitting in my car was just 9 minutes - that was a first!
My colleague who went to LHR from AMS wasn't so lucky ...
My colleague who went to LHR from AMS wasn't so lucky ...
Apr 13, 2012, 2:34 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Thanks. Normally just carry baby in my arms but I will fish the carrier out of the suitcase before I check in in a couple of mins. Might try and keep pushchair with me if there's space.
Apr 13, 2012, 2:52 am
#7
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All the USA flights and many from other places have been arriving in the past couple of hours.
And following easter this will be peak of the peak time for UK Border.
Probably by 19:15 it will have calmed down!
Apr 13, 2012, 2:56 am
#8
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: South East, UK
Programs: BA Gold / GfL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,432
I arrived into T3 at 7pm on Tuesday and there was not a soul at Border Control (other than staff of course!). There are peaks and troughs, sometimes you're lucky, sometimes not.
Apr 13, 2012, 2:57 am
#9
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Apr 13, 2012, 3:04 am
#10
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MAN/BHX
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Posts: 6,027
There's the fast-track immigration line for non-EUs, and ever-dependable Iris, but if the queues are back to the lifts you presumably can't get to them even if they were working
Apr 13, 2012, 3:05 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tonbridge
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The class of travel also makes a difference how quickly you get off the plane, so the people in WT on this flight would have had an even longer wait at imigration! (Unless you run to immigration past the other PAX)
Apr 13, 2012, 3:08 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
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Posts: 8,671
Just came through T3 off the BA699 and got through the EU lanes in about 5 minutes. But I was talking to one of the girls that marshalls the queues and she said between 05:00 and 06:30 this morning the non-EU lanes had typical waits of around 2hrs 30mins.
Apr 13, 2012, 3:10 am
#13
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Global Again
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There was the same yesterday afternoon, arrived 3pm and directed 300M down to the end of the que.
About 30-40mins just to be allowed in to the arrivals area, thankfully IRIS was on and only 2 people waiting. No idea how much time it was taking to get through the passport checks.
I will be sad when IRIS is turned off, just so easy to use.
About 30-40mins just to be allowed in to the arrivals area, thankfully IRIS was on and only 2 people waiting. No idea how much time it was taking to get through the passport checks.
I will be sad when IRIS is turned off, just so easy to use.
Apr 13, 2012, 3:15 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: UK
Programs: IHG Diamond, BA Gold
Posts: 86
I landed at 6:30 am into T5 and the queue was out of the hall where the immigration staff sit and down to the end of the terminal. 45 minutes later when I eventually got to the border hall entrance the queue was already doubled back on it'self. The wait must have been well over an hour from there.
The reason...only 4 desks open for EU passport holders, plus one for rejected e-passports! We've had over a week of hype about this in the press, how can the UK border agency not work out that this weekend would be just as busy and actually put staff on the desks?
Good luck to anyone arriving later today. I'll try and download the pics from my phone in a bit
The reason...only 4 desks open for EU passport holders, plus one for rejected e-passports! We've had over a week of hype about this in the press, how can the UK border agency not work out that this weekend would be just as busy and actually put staff on the desks?
Good luck to anyone arriving later today. I'll try and download the pics from my phone in a bit
Apr 13, 2012, 3:19 am
#15
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If travelling in F I do not see why you should have to dash to be first off the plane. You should instead be able to linger a bit, sorting out your cabin baggage and getting your bits and pieces together after landing rather than before. But immigration pressures prevent this.