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]
Mar 24, 2015, 11:19 am
#1096
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Mucci: Classe de la Luxe Eternelle
Posts: 821
Admittedly my last two weeks have been at 6am Monday morning, but even at other times I have been equally frustrated. And why can't my Gold Card entitle me to use the Concorde Room shortcut to the lounge? I don't need the extra 200 metres past the shops in a u turn! Getting grumpy in my old age!
Don't become one of 'those people' we listen out for, berating the staff outside the white door!
Mar 24, 2015, 12:12 pm
#1098
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Programs: Star Alliance Senator, Skywards, BA Executive Club Gold
Posts: 8
BAA owns Heathrow airport . British Airports Authority. I certainly don't berate the staff at the door of the Concorde Room, I simply meant there could be a short cut made in that direction. Never been in the Concorde room but I know it goes onto the same landing as the lounge at the other side. I am usually the most laid back of travellers, but the silliness of these security changes just wound me up.
Mar 24, 2015, 12:27 pm
#1099
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SQ Gold, KQ Platinum, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,415
It hasn't been 'British Airports Authority' since being privatised in 1987, and 'BAA' hasn't owned Heathrow for several years now.
LHR is owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL), part of Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited, which is itself owned by a number of other companies.
LHR is owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL), part of Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited, which is itself owned by a number of other companies.
Mar 24, 2015, 2:15 pm
#1100
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: England
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold, UA Premier Platinum
Posts: 389
It hasn't been 'British Airports Authority' since being privatised in 1987, and 'BAA' hasn't owned Heathrow for several years now.
LHR is owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL), part of Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited, which is itself owned by a number of other companies.
LHR is owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL), part of Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited, which is itself owned by a number of other companies.
The Fasttrack debacle is more complex anyway, in that (as I understand) BA refuses to engage sensibly with HAL on the commercial terms for the Fasttrack facilities in T5, such that Fasttrack ends up being no-one's ultimate responsibility. It's all a bit of a mess.
Mar 24, 2015, 2:52 pm
#1102
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: LHR, SAN
Programs: BA GGL, AA PLT, VS-curious
Posts: 1,491
I'd wager rents for shops by the bottom of the escalators are higher on the grounds that they're en route to the F lounge. Of course, those actually flying F don't have to pass them...
Mar 24, 2015, 3:03 pm
#1103
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 11,593
I'd be curious to find out that if BA somehow decided to allow GCH to use the CCR entrance whether they would be "entitled" to based on any agreements with BAA.
I was quite surprised to hear that people actually buy stuff in T5- of course they must be otherwise it wouldn't have any shops but I have never found a deal that wasn't replicable online or even on the High Street and that goes for the fancy clothes too.
I was quite surprised to hear that people actually buy stuff in T5- of course they must be otherwise it wouldn't have any shops but I have never found a deal that wasn't replicable online or even on the High Street and that goes for the fancy clothes too.
Mar 24, 2015, 4:18 pm
#1104
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,484
I have found Heathrow Security a joke apart from at 5am in the morning when it is ok. On my last visit at the end of February tbere was only 1 machine working in fast track and it was exactly the opposite of that. I sent in some feedback and asked why it was always a shambles and what was the purpose of the second boarding card scan at t5 and asked why T3 Fast track was so much better and got the response that the second boarding card scanner is needed in T5 as domestic flights go from there.
Last edited by KeaneJohn; Mar 24, 2015 at 4:19 pm Reason: sp
Mar 24, 2015, 6:26 pm
#1105
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: UK
Programs: I go wherever the content takes me.
Posts: 5,698
Because the CCR shouldn't become a thoroughfare for people in other lounges. I agree though, that whoever designed the long traipse downstairs, back on yourself and then back upstairs is an idiot. It can be quite irritating at best.
Mar 24, 2015, 8:28 pm
#1106
Moderator, Emirates
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Where My Heart Is
Programs: BAEC Silver, FB Platinum, KQ Asante Gold, Shebamiles Blue, Emirates Blue
Posts: 3,390
I passed through FT security a week past on Saturday about 14:00hrs. Although it wasn't busy there were a few hold ups. One of the problems which I heard the security personnel commenting on was the design of the conveyer which can lead to trays being jammed if a bag strap overspills the tray and was unfortunate to see it happen. The security staff find it hard to release said stuck tray holding up everything behind.
Along with that, there were at least 8 trays on the secondary check belt with one person doing the secondaries. Luckily my bags/stuff stayed on the normal belt but a couple of wisened age were sitting on the seats waiting for their trays to be re-checked and by the conversation I overheard between Mr & Mrs they had been waiting for some time and were by their own admission not FF's.
Safe & Happy Travels
S
Along with that, there were at least 8 trays on the secondary check belt with one person doing the secondaries. Luckily my bags/stuff stayed on the normal belt but a couple of wisened age were sitting on the seats waiting for their trays to be re-checked and by the conversation I overheard between Mr & Mrs they had been waiting for some time and were by their own admission not FF's.
Safe & Happy Travels
S
Mar 25, 2015, 4:02 am
#1107
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 34
Fast Track in T5
Morning everyone.
Since what we call parallel loading has been installed in T5 Fast Track there has been a sustained 20% plus increase in the number of passengers processed per hour by any metric you want to pick (mean, median, 95th percentile or peak).
Queue times for those lanes (based on the wait time to security which I appreciate isn't the metric some of you would choose to measure us on but the CAA does.) are generally superior to those around with a higher proportion of passengers waiting under five minutes. This is based on hundreds of thousands of those secondary scans.
We appreciate the concern about the lack of queuing space and we have removed two of the loading bays that were not being used and increased the available queuing space in that area. We've not looked at the raw queue times since that change was made but I may post a very brief summary when I can.
The process for overflow is that the purple agents now how many passengers make up a five minute queue and should flow excess passengers to lanes 2 and 3 (or 1). Admittedly this was easier before the hoarding came down and there was a roped off channel for this but the route is now obstructed.
We are also aware that the problem with reducing x-ray starvation (which is the reason that the new loading bays drive improved flow) is that we need more space at the back, which we have allowed for. It does mean that we have enabled a potential for a longer wait for a reject bag. Previously that wait time would have been shared out amongst more passengers. We are very conscious that the increasing the speed passengers we serve who don't activate archway or require a secondary search is no consolation if you are pulled over and have to wait for a bag search and your experience then isn't much different to what is was before. It is very much top of the agenda for what next in T5.
The Happy or Not podium (the happy or sad faces buttons) has seen an increase in satisfied passengers since they were installed, controlling for the time of year and other factors.
Since what we call parallel loading has been installed in T5 Fast Track there has been a sustained 20% plus increase in the number of passengers processed per hour by any metric you want to pick (mean, median, 95th percentile or peak).
Queue times for those lanes (based on the wait time to security which I appreciate isn't the metric some of you would choose to measure us on but the CAA does.) are generally superior to those around with a higher proportion of passengers waiting under five minutes. This is based on hundreds of thousands of those secondary scans.
We appreciate the concern about the lack of queuing space and we have removed two of the loading bays that were not being used and increased the available queuing space in that area. We've not looked at the raw queue times since that change was made but I may post a very brief summary when I can.
The process for overflow is that the purple agents now how many passengers make up a five minute queue and should flow excess passengers to lanes 2 and 3 (or 1). Admittedly this was easier before the hoarding came down and there was a roped off channel for this but the route is now obstructed.
We are also aware that the problem with reducing x-ray starvation (which is the reason that the new loading bays drive improved flow) is that we need more space at the back, which we have allowed for. It does mean that we have enabled a potential for a longer wait for a reject bag. Previously that wait time would have been shared out amongst more passengers. We are very conscious that the increasing the speed passengers we serve who don't activate archway or require a secondary search is no consolation if you are pulled over and have to wait for a bag search and your experience then isn't much different to what is was before. It is very much top of the agenda for what next in T5.
The Happy or Not podium (the happy or sad faces buttons) has seen an increase in satisfied passengers since they were installed, controlling for the time of year and other factors.
Last edited by FTLHR; Mar 25, 2015 at 11:21 am Reason: pronoun confusion
Mar 25, 2015, 4:10 am
#1108
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 64,493
I use the parallel loading lanes - which are now in both North and South - since I think they are faster, particularly if you know what you are doing. So I actively seek them out, even if it is not Fast Track. I have not had a long wait now at T5 security for quite a while now. You can spot these lanes by the black plastic side separators, dividing up the tray areas into 4 places, and since there are 2 lanes that means 8 spots to unload.
The point about keeping the contents inside the trays is indeed important, if the belt gets stuck in the middle they have to fish it out using a metal pole and it's not very elegant. Coats and overhanging the side of the tray are the danger here.
The issue of getting a gap in the queue of trays is easily addressed by smiling at and maintaining friendly eye contact with the agent feeding the trays through, s/he will usually hold back a tray for you to slide your tray through.
The point about keeping the contents inside the trays is indeed important, if the belt gets stuck in the middle they have to fish it out using a metal pole and it's not very elegant. Coats and overhanging the side of the tray are the danger here.
The issue of getting a gap in the queue of trays is easily addressed by smiling at and maintaining friendly eye contact with the agent feeding the trays through, s/he will usually hold back a tray for you to slide your tray through.
Mar 25, 2015, 4:12 am
#1109
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LCY
Programs: Mucci des Ancients Matelots
Posts: 770
Morning everyone.
Since what we call parallel loading has been installed in T5 Fast Track there has been a sustained 20% plus increase in the number of passengers processed per hour by any metric you want to pick (mean, median, 95th percentile or peak).
Queue times for those lanes (based on the wait time to security which I appreciate isn't the metric some of you would choose to measure us on but the CAA does.) are superior to those around with a higher proportion of passengers waiting under five minutes. This is based on hundreds of thousands of those secondary scans.
We appreciate the concern about the lack of queuing space and we have removed two of the loading bays that were not being used and increased the available queuing space in that area. I've not looked at the raw queue times since that change was made but I will post a very brief summary when I can.
The process for overflow is that the purple agents now how many passengers make up a five minute queue and should flow excess passengers to lanes 2 and 3 (or 1). Admittedly this was easier before the hoarding came down and there was a roped off channel for this but the route is now obstructed.
We are also aware that the problem with reducing x-ray starvation (which is the reason that the new loading bays drive improved flow) is that we need more space at the back, which we have allowed for. It does mean that we have enabled a potential for a longer wait for a reject bag. Previously that wait time would have been shared out amongst more passengers. We are very conscious that the increasing the speed passengers we serve who don't activate archway or require a secondary search is no consolation if you are pulled over and have to wait for a bag search and your experience then isn't much different to what is was before. It is very much top of the agenda for what next in T5.
The Happy or Not podium (the happy or sad faces buttons) has seen an increase in satisfied passengers since they were installed, controlling for the time of year and other factors.
Since what we call parallel loading has been installed in T5 Fast Track there has been a sustained 20% plus increase in the number of passengers processed per hour by any metric you want to pick (mean, median, 95th percentile or peak).
Queue times for those lanes (based on the wait time to security which I appreciate isn't the metric some of you would choose to measure us on but the CAA does.) are superior to those around with a higher proportion of passengers waiting under five minutes. This is based on hundreds of thousands of those secondary scans.
We appreciate the concern about the lack of queuing space and we have removed two of the loading bays that were not being used and increased the available queuing space in that area. I've not looked at the raw queue times since that change was made but I will post a very brief summary when I can.
The process for overflow is that the purple agents now how many passengers make up a five minute queue and should flow excess passengers to lanes 2 and 3 (or 1). Admittedly this was easier before the hoarding came down and there was a roped off channel for this but the route is now obstructed.
We are also aware that the problem with reducing x-ray starvation (which is the reason that the new loading bays drive improved flow) is that we need more space at the back, which we have allowed for. It does mean that we have enabled a potential for a longer wait for a reject bag. Previously that wait time would have been shared out amongst more passengers. We are very conscious that the increasing the speed passengers we serve who don't activate archway or require a secondary search is no consolation if you are pulled over and have to wait for a bag search and your experience then isn't much different to what is was before. It is very much top of the agenda for what next in T5.
The Happy or Not podium (the happy or sad faces buttons) has seen an increase in satisfied passengers since they were installed, controlling for the time of year and other factors.
Please continue to feed back to us as we all too often feel like no one loves us
Mar 25, 2015, 4:16 am
#1110
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: East Anglia, England
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,056
H