nwmgc

I posted an OT comment about MIA the other week (I think the mods moved it) saying what a pleasure security was there: no shoes or belt off, laptops & ipads stay in your bag, loose change stays in your pocket....sigh

SWMBO was stuck in Fast Track yesterday, btw...

corporate-wage-slave

In normal circumstances that should be OK. The events mentioned here are not routine. 45 to 60 minutes is needed for the transfer, and if going to HKG then normally the Flight Connections will be quiet at that time in the evening. It doesn't matter so much if she is on one ticket, BA will if necessary rebook her on to the next flight should she miss her original service. If it is 2 tickets, or is unable to through check luggage, then I would allow more time.

londonclubguy

Fast track this morning at t5 a joke. Slow, extra rude and much more invasive than normal. Perhaps there has been a credible reason for them to step up their efforts? Either missing something they shouldn't in a test exercise or on the advice of the govt?

stevie

Thank you, she is on the one ticket but also last flight out to UK.

jmc1K

I can't emphasize enough how important it is that we all send in complaints and demand a compensatory gesture when we are inconvenienced by security wait times and rude staff. This is part of the BA product, period, especially the advertised benefit of fast track. A reasonable person would expect something called fast track to be minimal hassle....five minutes or less.

It's not about padding our Avios balances, but creating a noticeable line on BA's accounts spreadsheet. A hundred million Avios or two ex-gratia will get their attention. Complain EVERY time, and keep following up until they give you something. This is the only way this will get fixed.

Tafflyer

Very sad that it should be this way. Unfortunately though, jmc1K is correct.

T8191

I assume WW and James (Bullshot) Hillier have separate Security arrangements. It would be wonderful to have them go through the experience with you.

Purim

I am a bit late to this discussion, but don't you all think that at the first and at each and every subsequent training session given to Security/HAL staff, the following are repeated and repeated ad nauseam.....

1. YOU do not want to be the security officer responsible for letting a Terrorist beyond security.
2. YOU do not want to be the security officer responsible for allowing an explosive device etc. through security.
3. 100% care and attention at all times. The bag you rush is the bag that blows
4. Queues, lines, missed conformance, missed flights, DYKWIA's are not YOUR problem...

etc. etc. etc...... No wonder they don't care. They are told not to care.

The Sunday before last as I really struggled to get to my LAX connection, made only with the benefit of the orange express pass and the knowledge imparted on this board that there is an elevator just a little beyond the escalators, the baggage screener guy would analyse his screen and the bag shown thereon, then get up from his seat, walk 5 or 10 paces in an oval, then sit down and screen the next bag....AAAAnd repeat and repeat......

OxfordBlue

I arrived T5 yesterday at about 1430, and noticed a couple of things that were different:
1. They had the queue management barriers/tape around the desks for bag drop etc. (zones G and E); I'm still BAEC Blue so had to use one of of those bag drops. I did observe the queue in zone E was much shorter than zone G, so total wait time from joining the queue to bag dropped was < 5 minutes. Haven't seen those barriers before - guess they are getting ready for the Xmas rush

2. Security was definitely busier, but even given that I went from back of the queue to airside in about 12 minutes which wasn't bad. I did notice a bigger than normal backlog at the security points - seemed to me it was taking much longer to x-ray carry-on baggage than it was to get pax throug the metal detectors..

ComputerCommuter

How does that then work with conformance?

Originally the scan was as you entered the security area, i.e. the first set of manned scans near where you drop off liquids, sharps etc. I noticed a few weeks/months back a second set of boarding pass scanners just before the x-ray machines and metal detector arches. I've never bothered with them, ignoring them in effect as my B'card has already been scanned by HAL, however Mrs CC said she was told she had to scan again or wouldn't be let through. Have the goal posts, so to speak, been moved down what is now a very long queue. That's to say, you have got to get to the second scanner 35mins before departure or else. the second scanner the conformance scan point. Looking at this picture, you'd be hard pressed to manage.

angatol

.....

londonclubguy

The 2nd set it for monitoring how long it has taken to get through security. Nothing to do with your flight and doesn't need to be scanned again. I didn't as couldn't care less about their monitoring i had a flight to catch.

Mattyb44

Reply from HAL

Dear Mattyb44,

Thank you for your email. I'm sorry to hear you experienced longer than usual wait times in security screening. I know this must have been very frustrating, and I appreciate you bringing this to our attention.

We try to gauge how many passengers will pass through security screening at any one time, and make every effort to have enough staff on hand to keep wait times at a minimum. Regardless, I can understand that your experience was not in line with the level of service you expected from us.

I will pass on your comments to our operations team. Please be assured that feedback such as yours goes a long way in helping us identify areas of service we need to improve.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact us. I hope we can restore your confidence on future visits to our Heathrow.

Yours sincerely,

[Name redacted]
Passenger Communications

lorcancoyle

May want to remove the name from your response Mattyb44 - at least someone in HAL is responsive!

MrSimonR

They've used the same template as BA uses.