Vasco Pridat

Dear Community..

am I the only one who is upset about how this is handled? I never really see the fast track actually being separated from everyone ones you are upstairs?
The last time I came up there last week they just merged everyone to every line. The supervisor working up there whom I asked what happened to the fast track literally answered this is the transfer and there is no fast track. only in first wing when you enter ?.. I mean.. what? I was stuck behind people carrying bottles of liquids and bags piling up the belts. and of course one of mine got a random check which means I actually waited 45 min at security instead of the CCR?

CKBA

Indeed, I gave up long ago trying to use the transfer 'fast-track' - much quicker to enter the UK and then go through the normal fast-track. Now that the first wing is there, even quicker. (I did once manage to cross the lines to the proper fast-track at the south end - with the blessings of the 'helpers' that is!)

Discus

Agree to go landside if you have a EU-passport and gold-card. Past four times I have been via LHR it have taken me around 5mins from entering passport-control area to being back in the lounge.

And also noticed that the security-people in FirstWing really are quick, nice and friendly, whilst in regular security it is like they are on a go-slow-demonstration and also most are grumpy and lack complete respect for customers.

Vasco Pridat

exactly my view, Discus... but BA should be aware of that.. and take care..

tigertanaka

100% agreement from me. Having a fast track archway at the bottom of the escalators (which always seems to be staffed by someone who doesn't seem to bother checking eligibility) is fine, but you get to the top of the escalator only to see see security open the tensa-barrier and a let family of 15 people in front of you.

Fast track security at most airports seems to work well because most passengers are regular flyers and they know the routine for laptops, liquids etc. I ended up waiting 20 minutes for a random secondary bag check on Wednesday evening, mainly because the non-regular travellers who had been let in the queue in front of me had to have their bags checked for the bottles of water, large shower gels other bottles of liquid that had been picked up by the scanner.

I wonder if the lack of focus on this clearly problematic area is due to the London-centric focus of the airline and the fact that senior BA/HAL decision makers probably do not ever personally transfer at Heathrow?

LTN Phobia

I don't necessarily think so. However, BA (or perhaps HAL) don't seem to be too keen on saving people's time. To me, that's the most crucial aspect of flying premium class.

I'd rather have them deprive me of food and drink if that means they would have value my time more.

fotographer

Having flown in out of LHR quite a bit this year, I have seen the "fast track" lines merged with the general passengers everytime
my solution, it to look down the lines, and I find usually the lines during the mid/rear of all the lines are much shorter.

I have heard several passengers complaining, but no one cars or listens

corporate-wage-slave

And it's a HAL issue rather than BA. Well, leaving to one side those who struggle to cope with restrictions in place for nearly 12 years. HAL probably isn't concerned about hierarchies here, they just get challenges if people miss their flights, and they probably think it's best to get all passengers spread through the available and open channels. For those who are Emerald and can use the e-gates then the First Wing is the way to do it, I average about 12 minutes Flight Connections to CCR that way, and it doesn't vary much, instead of 15 to 30 minutes via the airside route.

I would find 45 minutes unlikely, given that Conformance is 35 minutes it would lead to lots of people missing their flights. And that remains fairly infrequent outside of Elevated Threat periods.

frandrake

Agreed. As Sapphire not sure entering the UK and then going through Fast Track is going to always be faster, but if Emerald then it's a no brainer. Exiting and re-entering through the Wing will be faster and then you'll be right into the lounge.

While I think LHR does a great job to make sure people do not miss their tight connections, I think there are ways to do so without mixing them with premium passengers.

KARFA

WickedStepMother

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

I would probably take the airside fight connections bus from T3 to T5, go landside at T5 ( assuming a UK/EEA passport to use the egates ) then up to departures and via the F wing. ( done it personnally and the longest part was waiting for a T3 to T5 bus ( but less than 10mins)

Regards

TBS

corporate-wage-slave

Neither. Go to T5 on the Flight Connection bus, then UK Border via landside to the First Wing. More information in the connecting at T5 guide in the Dashboard.

KARFA

I would say the same as cws. The landside route (tube/HEX) would be slower to T5.

JFX1764

I noticed that the fast track is only for ticket presentation when I went through last month, security was quiet enough to still of worked out quicker than landing and using F wing.