Stez

As a side-note, how is T3 security these days? I got a relatively tight T5-T3 connection tonight as part of a five-sector trip.

In the past (last one in June), I didn't even have time to think about going to the lounge, it's straight to the gate.

Chris C

Couldn't agree more. They seem to be "working to rule"

Last week the woman controlling passengers thought the metal detector was really rude and unecessarily so. I went to step through the gate and she shouted to me "You, stop". She then shouted to someone behind me "You, come through!". I turned round to see two bemused looking guys standing about 3m behind me, neither of them knew who she was shouting at. Eventually one of them plucked up courage went though, she then shouted at the other to approach. Eventually I was let through, I have no idea what the charade was all about.

jaguarpig

The same, an absolute pain and it also has a little box with buttons to press.I hit the

Polomarc

Good points Oscietra
In regards to pay I thought with OT they got more than the check-in staff. Of course they do not get the staff travel, just a small discount on flights.

The recruitment should be fairly straight forward, quiet a few fail during the role play scenario. I guess then the background checks needs be sorted.

At T5 the "front staff" are mainly Blackjack temp workers then at ticket scan and security its BAA. Some of the Blackjack have applied and been hired by BAA. Not sure if that means they are more customer oriented.

Besides being checked at random if they can spot dangerous item. How they deal with passengers needs perhaps some further training and motivation. Maybe signs with GIANT

ColdWalker

...absolutely right. Oscietra (how does he expect me to be able to spell that! I'm going to refer to him as Caviar or some brand of plonk which I can spell from now on ) is quite correct to remind us that this problem is not of BA's making. More importantly though, every single member of staff I have met has been perfectly polite and reasonable. And I too have seen them roundly abused by dimwits who should know better. My comment above about British Leyland was, with hindsight, not the best description. I'll put it down to being tired and emotional after suffering a 10 hour flight. What's that I hear you say? It was in F and I didn't pay for F so stop playing for sympathy - yes fair enough. Either way, the problem at BL (IMHO) was poor management and you have to say the same seems to be the case here.

LTN Phobia

So do I, although late this afternoon, not tonight. If I have any spare time, I'll post to let you know.

I have 2 hours and 5 minutes' theoretical connection time. I have something tighter in reverse next week. I am considering reducing my hand luggage to reduce the chance of being picked as part of the "manual search for every X bag whether there is any suspicion or not" system, but it's hard for me to do this as I will be on a work trip. Shall I wear 3 layers of shirts, bras, skirts and underpants and everything to reduce the hand luggage? I fell "victim" to that on 2 out of 3 ex-LHR flights in the last 2 week or so and I am fed up with being held up in the queue waiting for someone to come round to search my bag without any suspicion or anything at all. Sure, if there is any suspicion, like my leaving liquids in my bag, fair enough, but that's not the case.

I really, really dislike it when the procedures/processes/systems/manning level have no respect for people's time. If I charge my hourly rate for the time I spend on the security process, I'd be able to retire a couple of years sooner. It's a wholly unproductive process that reduces the UK government's coffers by reducing the shopping time/income tax/etc etc too.

They should put some frequent travellers through detailed pre-security clearances if the travellers wish to do so, so that they don't have to spend so long in the queue. Even the US has the seemingly enlightened Pre-Clear system that reduces your time in security, although I don't know exactly how it works.

T3 security has been a right pain recently, and my husband reported that it was a right pain this morning. They were going through "every X bags" manually, I believe. I could tell he was rolling his eyes on the phone, although he's pretty calm and resigned when it comes to security, unlike me - I used to be very resigned but since the wait has been getting worse, I have been getting increasingly stressed and irritated, although I stay calm - inside I'm absolutely fuming much of the time for its inefficiency.

I will be very, very, very unhappy if security procedures make me miss the flight. (I am in a rather ranty and ratty mood after having slept only about 90 minutes last night.)

Herman ze German

These machines have been there for quite a while now and there are at least two of them, one saying"rate your FAST TRACK experience" and the other just saying "rate your security experience". during my last two visits a hit the dark green button as we were very quick, despite the security guys chatting to Eric Idle before letting me through the scanner...

Stez

Great, I'm looking forward to tonight.

To be honest, I'm secretly hoping I miss the connection as my flights are rammed full and I'm taking over from someone on a project that has two days left in it!

Happy travels!

layz

So you'll be hitting the happy smiley if you're seriously delayed, it's probably the only button that's wired up anyway

I don't recall any visual feedback with this button to say it's registered your vote and also if someone was to hit the button in rapid succession would it count multiple times or has there got to be a gap between pushes.

thegoderic

To me the biggest issue with LHR security staff is the total utter and complete inability to recognise the passengers going through security as CUSTOMERS.

We pay their wages and as such, should be treated as something other than a nuisance that gets in the way of gossiping about Eastenders or whatever they think they're paid to do.

It may be a function of the type of staff they can recruit at LHR given the local labour market, but the staff at GLA are much more human and welcoming when you pass through.

LTN Phobia

Right, T3 update from about 30 min ago!
Flight Connections security had only two lanes open. Took about 15 minutes to reach the head of the queue. No Fast Track lane available/open there.

Body scanner in use but not used on everyone. Picking random bags. Completely uselessly picked my bag with just soft fabric (overcoat and a travel neck support) inside. Not very useful. Waiting for the bag searcher wasn't too bad - probably about 5 minutes.

Globalist

I was at T5 "fast" track last week and it was slow as usual. Am seriously contemplating to use the standard lines, they seem faster and if not it is at least less frustrating as they are not supposed to be fast.

When past the metal detector i was waiting for my bag to come through and a very irate man came to the scanner shouting that he had been waitng for his wife her bag that had been sitting there for ages. It was taken for secondary screening but was not dealt with as there were others ahead of his.

The agent was resolute saying he just had to wait his turn and when he walked off i had a relaxed chat with the agent who was obviously upset and it was not within her control. It seems that because of the heightened security the system takes out random bags for secondary checks and that takes more time Just like ther are random pat downs when going through he metal detector, the thing will just beep even though you are clean but the agent can see from an indicator if it is random or indeed real.

In the end it is frustrating but the people at security are human too, lets not forget that. If we have a gripe it is with their management who does not advocate customer focus and does not recruit from a different (more expensive) talent pool.

Globalist

missdimeaner

I think that the 'knee jerk' reaction after BAA LHR failed their audit is in full swing.
Until last month I hadn't even noticed the security feedback buttons (only when I almost walked in to the one after exiting the South Lounge).
I do feel a little badly for the staff doing the 'pat downs' - I had one on my last visit and had completely forgotten about the nasty paper tissue stuffed up my sleeve, she very kindly found it for me ! I was actually quite impressed that even a small tissue didn't escape her notice.
Whilst not having travelled in the last 4 weeks - if that attention to detail is indicative you start to wonder what they failed on

JFX1764

The security staff are not on low pay imo... far from it!

The biggest problem is the unions, very strict rules for work. Also staff not from terminals are helping during the enhanced searches, not an excuse for bad customer service but it could explain some of it as they don't normally deal with passengers.

colmc

T1 has had the machines for a while. Security took about 5 minutes on Monday afternoon, and that was even after 10 dawdlers from a foreign tour group of barged in front of me so that they could be together. I was actually reasonably impressed by how quick it was, if not by the behaviour of the group (who then clogged up the space behind the screening stations which is compact enough as it is - BAA staff could have shooed them along, but that was about the only problem I had).