T5 fast-track connection immigration enhancement?
Jun 6, 2014, 9:39 am
#16
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 932
There really shouldn't be significant queues at LHR for anyone. A huge number of people can use the automatic gates nowadays and for everyone else, their numbers and times of arrival are entirely predictable. It's not like an NHS queue where the number of people in the queue falls on its own (due to deaths or deciding to go privately) and whether you could argue, if you were heartless that the queue itself serves a purpose. Everyone needs to be processed and everyone is eventually. It takes the same amount of time to do this regardless of whether they queue first or not.
Jun 6, 2014, 9:42 am
#17
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Near Edinburgh
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 9,034
There really shouldn't be significant queues at LHR for anyone. A huge number of people can use the automatic gates nowadays and for everyone else, their numbers and times of arrival are entirely predictable. It's not like an NHS queue where the number of people in the queue falls on its own (due to deaths or deciding to go privately) and whether you could argue, if you were heartless that the queue itself serves a purpose. Everyone needs to be processed and everyone is eventually. It takes the same amount of time to do this regardless of whether they queue first or not.
Jun 6, 2014, 10:18 am
#18
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
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Posts: 42,881
T5 fast-track connection immigration enhancement?
Thanks for the comments manord. Yes, there may be a separate express connections and fast track entrance as you mentioned. I think by the time you get to the immigration offices those two lines have merged though?
So are we saying there is only now one channel for domestic connections - i.e. no more fast track or express connections lanes up to the immigration officers? Is there stills separate escalator for fast track/express connections?
So are we saying there is only now one channel for domestic connections - i.e. no more fast track or express connections lanes up to the immigration officers? Is there stills separate escalator for fast track/express connections?
Jun 6, 2014, 10:37 am
#19
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, Bonvoy Platinum, HH Diamond; others
Posts: 740
I really hope this is still separate, fast track security checkpoint was bad enough as it was, removing it will probably be a terrible premium pax experience.
Jun 6, 2014, 10:49 am
#20
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK / Pasadena CA
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,311
So it's come to this. BA prems don't get fast track when connecting at T5! Seriously? We're not talking about a remote outstation, it's BA's own dedicated showcase terminal in London. It's a joke, surely.
The thing about contracting out is that no one is responsible, everyone points the finger at someone else. But I think in this case the responsibility lies clearly with BA. I don't have a contract with HAL, BA does. My contract is with BA. They contract HAL to provide specified service levels for their customers. I don't for one moment imagine HAL made this move without BA's foreknowledge and approval. Make your dissatisfaction known where it counts, to BA.
I don't think this is BA's fault - it is down to the airport operator (BAA). If you want to write a complaint, I suggest you push it in their direction. (Although my past experience of complaining to BAA has not been a good one - if you do get a response, don't expect it to be relevant to your complaint!)
Jun 6, 2014, 5:36 pm
#24
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Jun 6, 2014, 11:50 pm
#25
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Under any route you would need duty free liquids to be in a sealed bag, so you could in fact go airside, or landside via North or South.
Jun 7, 2014, 5:55 am
#27
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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To Domestic: Up until now, if you had status it was generally quicker to go via the airside connection. I've timed it and generally the long walk through baggage collection, plus the poorly placed lifts by arrivals, meant overall Flight Connections was faster, even taking account of the CCR secret door, which gives a bias towards South Security.
However this may now have changed, depending on how this has been implemented. KARFA and I will soon find out.....
Jun 7, 2014, 6:01 am
#28
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MAN/BHX
Programs: ABBA
Posts: 6,027
From t1 arrivals you don't don't have a choice but to go land side.
Jun 7, 2014, 6:47 am
#29
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
If there is a terminal change things are a different story altogether.
Jun 7, 2014, 7:20 am
#30
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK / Pasadena CA
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,311
True, it's the best transfer anywhere. And it highlights still more the perversity of changing the reverse transfer for the worse.