T5 security is a total disaster! [inc Fast Track issues]
 

Yesterday Fast Track at South took 45 minutes. Yes, 45 minutes. It is nothing short of a disgrace. :td::td::td:

Don't believe me:

http://i.imgur.com/rytxCNd.jpg

Photo courtesy of fellow FT'er BA1A. And this is mid afternoon. Imagine the rush hours...

They close North Security to all except Transfer PAX due to extreme volumes, meaning South becomes a complete nightmare. Enough of the excuses BA. If you really cared about your customers, pressure and action against HAL would be taken.

Flying F tomorrow with a connection at T5. If our transfer includes a 45 minute wait just to clear security I'll ask for a partial refund. Just wait for that rant.

On Sunday lunchtime the queues were 100+ outside the security entrance also. 40 mins to reach scanners. Quite awful.

Last time I had to deal with a queue as bad as that was in the pre-T5 days. What was the problem, staff shortage or 'enhanced' screenings?

This is unbelievable and inexcusable...:td::td::td:

I support the decision to close North security to originating pax as clearing security for connecting passengers was becoming worse and worse, but now originating pax are inconvenienced. Whoever designed the terminal should be fined... And BA should pressure HAL to do something about this - when I look at the breakdown of fees and charges on my tickets I feel that I should get private security screening with how much they charge...and yet they can't keep all lanes open and employ more staff.

My next BA flight on Saturday is from T3. All of a sudden this doesn't look to be such a bad thing.

I flew to LUX yesterday from T1. Took 5 minutes to get through security. Before that HEL from T3- fasttrack was empty.

As I have said before, T5 is is the worst terminal at Heathrow. Nightmare going in with security and coming back at passport control. Then of course you get the ridiculous shopping centre walk just to get to an overflowing Galleries lounge.

Sadly, I am back at T5 tomorrow - guess I better leave home early.

Thank you for the heads up. I'm en route to T5 and had been plotting lunch in London before making my leisurely way to the airport. Instead I will now grab an M&S sarnie and hotfoot it there straight away!

Ahem...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-security.html

It was like this on Sunday afternoon, although there was a similar queue to get to the fast track BP scanner too.

I witnessed this this morning again too.

Ops! Missed that one. Thanks.

T5 disaster
 

Had the same experience yesterday, transiting from F. Fast Track is a joke, I jumped over the fence and went all the way South for a shorter line. Barely made my connecting flight.
I can not believe that a serious airline / landmark airport will be proud of this.

I love that the little people infographic on the pillar show a 5-megaqueue at North and a tiny weeny 2-queue at South: that's a bit more than a 2-queue!

I did a T4-T5 connection this morning, and it was mayhem in the T5 FCC. Fast track was fast, but the normal line was backed up in a long snaking line and not moving (because of the mayhem upstairs at North Security). A BA lady was calling people to come forward with connections in the next 45 minutes, although I don't see how they would have made it, as it was taking 30 minutes to clear North Security anyway.

Fast track went nicely up the escalator, but ended up merged into a mass of bodies at the top. The far (left hand) lanes looked a better bet, but these appeared to be in use for departing passengers originating at T5, and we were barked at, not to use the far lane(s).

Security scanners were backed up because no one was shifting the empty trays.

On top of that we had a shift change, which took around 10 minutes, during which we were forbidden to change lanes. I have a feeling there is a conscious effort to cause this mayhem.

And yet at Gatwick south this morning it took me 1 minute to to go through security, lots of lanes open and it was a refreshing change. Flying to SIN Friday night in FIRST, not looking forward to the Zoo!

My god that is awful flying out of there on Friday afternoon will now get there even earlier

It's like Zone R on a Monday morning used to be.

As they say, expect a half hour wait, and if you get through any quicker, you will be pleasantly surprised.

If you pile up a dozen trays as you pass the scanner, it will speed things up a little for the crowds behind you, as the security staff don't seem interested in doing this.