Jan 20, 2015, 5:28 am
Last edit by: hillrider
LHR charges for the cost of this screening to the passengers. For example, if you transited LHR on a round-trip in economy class from the US, you paid GBP 54.39 (USD 83.10) for this (on the ticket under tax/fee "UB").
EU Regulations state that "transfer passengers and their cabin baggage may be exempted from screening, if: (a) they arrive from a Member State [...] or (b) they arrive from a third country where the security standards applied are recognised as equivalent to the common basic standards [...] [E.g. the USA]"
SECURITY CONTROL both ways:
NO SECURITY CONTROL either way (Schengen to USA or v.v.):
NO SECURITY CONTROL from Schengen to USA (control on the way back from USA to Schengen):
EU Regulations state that "transfer passengers and their cabin baggage may be exempted from screening, if: (a) they arrive from a Member State [...] or (b) they arrive from a third country where the security standards applied are recognised as equivalent to the common basic standards [...] [E.g. the USA]"
Security control when connecting between USA and Schengen flights (European airports competing for LHR traffic)
SECURITY CONTROL both ways:
- LHR
NO SECURITY CONTROL either way (Schengen to USA or v.v.):
- FRA (A/Z-gates only) [Lufthansa hub]
- MUC [Lufthansa hub]
- AMS (from mid 2015 when reconstruction works finish) [KLM hub]
- HEL
- ZRH [SWISS hub]
- CPH
NO SECURITY CONTROL from Schengen to USA (control on the way back from USA to Schengen):
- VIE
- WAW
- ARN
- OSL
T5 security is a total disaster! [inc Fast Track issues]
Jan 7, 2015, 7:59 am
#1036
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,947
FWIW (and some OT):
ORD-LHR-MAN January 1/2 - landed about 10:45 and parked at a remote stand and thus lost some time with stairs, busses, etc. Connections were busy but not backed up and security was very smooth, there did not seem to be any messing around and staff were quite amiable. Had time for what passed for breakfast in the N lounge before connection to the 11:55 to MAN. The TSA at ORD T5 was much busier than LHR but not too slow.
MAN-LHR-ORD 6 January: MAN security was smooth at 8:00. Remote stand again but rather smoother apart from the walk from the N end of T5A to the lifts. A nice quiet walk to the T5B lounge and just time for a G&T before continuing to T5C and immediate boarding. It took about 10 minutes at ORD to reach the lobby from walking off the aircraft thanks to the kiosks and no checked bag! I can't believe that GE would speed things up under those conditions.
I had been worried about the two 90 minute connections but they turned out to allow just enough time for a civilised transfer despite modest delays.
ORD-LHR-MAN January 1/2 - landed about 10:45 and parked at a remote stand and thus lost some time with stairs, busses, etc. Connections were busy but not backed up and security was very smooth, there did not seem to be any messing around and staff were quite amiable. Had time for what passed for breakfast in the N lounge before connection to the 11:55 to MAN. The TSA at ORD T5 was much busier than LHR but not too slow.
MAN-LHR-ORD 6 January: MAN security was smooth at 8:00. Remote stand again but rather smoother apart from the walk from the N end of T5A to the lifts. A nice quiet walk to the T5B lounge and just time for a G&T before continuing to T5C and immediate boarding. It took about 10 minutes at ORD to reach the lobby from walking off the aircraft thanks to the kiosks and no checked bag! I can't believe that GE would speed things up under those conditions.
I had been worried about the two 90 minute connections but they turned out to allow just enough time for a civilised transfer despite modest delays.
Jan 7, 2015, 8:19 am
#1037
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, CX Gold (OW Sapphire), Hilton Gold, SPG Gold, Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,476
Data point of 0535hrs on Tues 06 Jan: through in under 4 mins at South Fast Track (new scanners) - this includes a pat down and shoes for secondary scan.
There was simply no queue at any of the South Security belts. I've never seen LHR so quiet, let alone at what is normally morning rush hour.
There was simply no queue at any of the South Security belts. I've never seen LHR so quiet, let alone at what is normally morning rush hour.
Jan 7, 2015, 10:01 am
#1038
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 43,471
Data point of 0535hrs on Tues 06 Jan: through in under 4 mins at South Fast Track (new scanners) - this includes a pat down and shoes for secondary scan.
There was simply no queue at any of the South Security belts. I've never seen LHR so quiet, let alone at what is normally morning rush hour.
There was simply no queue at any of the South Security belts. I've never seen LHR so quiet, let alone at what is normally morning rush hour.
As I was connecting I did look at going through the FCC at first but was put off by the queues for domestic connections - there were only two border agents on duty with presumably one doing UK/EU and ther other doing non-EU. There were say 10-15 in the UK/EU queue and maybe 20-25 in the non-EU. I went landside via the e-gates where there was no queue.
I knew someone who arrived on the same flight and connecting to a domestic flight. He has a nonEU passport. Despite him getting off first (I had a flight deck visit after we landed and was last passenger off), and despite the fact I had a 5 minute wander around FCC to check some things for a guide I am doing, he got to the CCR around 70 mins after I did.
Jan 7, 2015, 10:19 am
#1039
Join Date: May 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 663
I had a choice between three empty scanner queues in South Fast Track at 4pm today - I don't recall this ever happening before! Currently in the FLounge, which is also the quietest I've ever seen it at this time of day. I guess this must be one of the quietest weeks of the year for travel... very nice!
Jan 8, 2015, 5:57 am
#1042
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,886
Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 8_1_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/600.1.4 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/8.0 Mobile/12B435 Safari/600.1.4)
After last weekends peak period, isn't the rest of the month traditionally the quietest time of the year for travel?
Originally Posted by Jordan D
Data point of 0535hrs on Tues 06 Jan: through in under 4 mins at South Fast Track (new scanners) - this includes a pat down and shoes for secondary scan.
There was simply no queue at any of the South Security belts. I've never seen LHR so quiet, let alone at what is normally morning rush hour.
There was simply no queue at any of the South Security belts. I've never seen LHR so quiet, let alone at what is normally morning rush hour.
Jan 8, 2015, 6:09 am
#1043
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Hertfordshire, England
Programs: BA Gold, Hhonors Silver, Accor Club Silver and many others at the lowest level
Posts: 437
It was certainly looking quite today. Fast track security was almost deserted at 11h45 today. It is normally quite busy for the early afternoon l/h departures. I was through in 4 minutes and that included a minute whilst the x-ray attendant had a good look at my laptop bag (thankfully it didn't get pulled aside though). Pretty quiet in GF at the moment too.
Jan 8, 2015, 8:37 am
#1044
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
I waited about ten minutes pointedly clutching my Express Connections card today ("This is designed to expedite your connections process") at secondary security while the employee laboriously examined the contents of the lady's handbag in front of me, including reading the ingredients of every fluid packet she had, carefully sealing the bag up, then opening the bag again to have another look.
Eventually he moved onto my coat and after a cursory inspection simply said I could go. There was another employee on the other side who was doing absolutely nothing and ignored my idea that maybe she could start the secondary screening so I could get a move on??
Bus (argh) was waiting for me, left as soon as I got aboard; later the pilot said two other passengers had been offloaded due to slow transit security/immigration (we had of course to wait while their bags were found and removed).
Good work LHR, particularly the fast track / Express Connections side of things. Really all the good it did for me was enable me to jump a queue for the T3-T5 bus, which I probably would have got on anyway. Joining the Express Connections queue at passport control just put me in a queue paradoxically filled with people in no hurry at all; the security people were not even the slightest bit interested in my suggestion that perhaps I could push to the front since my flight is already "Closing".
On the plus side it did seem that BA was going to wait a few minutes for me for which I am thankful.
Eventually he moved onto my coat and after a cursory inspection simply said I could go. There was another employee on the other side who was doing absolutely nothing and ignored my idea that maybe she could start the secondary screening so I could get a move on??
Bus (argh) was waiting for me, left as soon as I got aboard; later the pilot said two other passengers had been offloaded due to slow transit security/immigration (we had of course to wait while their bags were found and removed).
Good work LHR, particularly the fast track / Express Connections side of things. Really all the good it did for me was enable me to jump a queue for the T3-T5 bus, which I probably would have got on anyway. Joining the Express Connections queue at passport control just put me in a queue paradoxically filled with people in no hurry at all; the security people were not even the slightest bit interested in my suggestion that perhaps I could push to the front since my flight is already "Closing".
On the plus side it did seem that BA was going to wait a few minutes for me for which I am thankful.
Last edited by Calchas; Jan 8, 2015 at 8:45 am
Jan 9, 2015, 4:47 am
#1045
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Glasgow
Programs: BA Blue
Posts: 509
Compare and contrast with my experience with a super-tight connection at DFW recently where airport staff were positioned at each stage along the way to help speed you through.
Poor show by LHR.
Poor show by LHR.
Jan 9, 2015, 8:35 am
#1046
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BA, Marriott, Hertz, Dennis The Menace Fan Club
Posts: 2,015
Was expecting a zoo this morning at T5 due to all the cancellations last night. But I went from the H57 bus to eating black pudding in the FLounge in less than 10 minutes at 7am. Which was a relief, as there was a queue of 5 bags on the secondary belt waiting to be screened.
Jan 10, 2015, 3:24 am
#1047
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Here or there abouts...
Programs: BA LTG, Defender of the turnip.
Posts: 708
Lots of folk queueing at check in/bag drop this morning so was expecting a zoo through fast track. But instead, for the first time in a while, it actually took me longer to disassemble and re-assemble myself than it did passing through security itself.
Still found myself having to clear up trays after other people to make space for mine though. Sigh. I really think they should introduce a compulsory full body cavity search for people who don't stack their trays away
Still found myself having to clear up trays after other people to make space for mine though. Sigh. I really think they should introduce a compulsory full body cavity search for people who don't stack their trays away
Jan 10, 2015, 5:51 am
#1048
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MAN/BHX
Programs: ABBA
Posts: 6,027
The trick for the newish conveyor belts is to get the one at the furthest left. Don't go for the furthest right one, you'll never get your trays onto the belt.
Jan 12, 2015, 8:34 am
#1049
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: TK*G (E+), IHG Plat Ambassador
Posts: 7,884
Database (for comparison)
Based on my recent experiences this is the transfer security situation at the airports competing for traffic with LHR:
- NO SECURITY CONTROL either way (Schengen to USA or v.v.):
CPH
HEL
ZRH
MUC
FRA (A/Z-gates only)
AMS (from mid 2015 when reconstruction works finish)
- NO SECURITY CONTROL from Schengen to USA (control on the way back from USA to Schengen):
VIE
WAW
- SECURITY CONTROL both ways:
LHR
- NO SECURITY CONTROL either way (Schengen to USA or v.v.):
CPH
HEL
ZRH
MUC
FRA (A/Z-gates only)
AMS (from mid 2015 when reconstruction works finish)
- NO SECURITY CONTROL from Schengen to USA (control on the way back from USA to Schengen):
VIE
WAW
- SECURITY CONTROL both ways:
LHR
Jan 12, 2015, 11:47 am
#1050
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Helvetia
Programs: AS; BA Silver; UA; HH Gold; Sprngli Connaisseur
Posts: 2,943
At ZRH, there is no security control between the UK flights and connections.
I really don't see the point in screening Schengen passengers at LHR. They're in the international zone anyways. By all means make the pax connecting to a Domestic cross the UK Border, and perhaps go back through a less busy screening if they have to mix with other pax. Though it would be better to have a dedicated UK Border for connecting pax.
I really don't see the point in screening Schengen passengers at LHR. They're in the international zone anyways. By all means make the pax connecting to a Domestic cross the UK Border, and perhaps go back through a less busy screening if they have to mix with other pax. Though it would be better to have a dedicated UK Border for connecting pax.