BA T5 mythical flight connection through N Security
#16
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,618
For the first time in a very long time I used this route rather than going landslide and back through North Security. Main reason being that I have stopped smoking (- @corporate-wage-slave ) and thought I would just do the thing that the terminal (should be) is designed to do.
Low and behold, up the fast track escalator and plonked right into the general security area. Won’t be making that mistake again. Exit through the border and back via North fast track for me from now on (am prepared to be kicked in the backside for making that statement ).
Low and behold, up the fast track escalator and plonked right into the general security area. Won’t be making that mistake again. Exit through the border and back via North fast track for me from now on (am prepared to be kicked in the backside for making that statement ).
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL
Posts: 843
Actually the last couple of times I've done it (incl. yesterday), it was the other way around. The fast track connection line was so long, they were letting people out and putting them in with the non-fast-track-non-connection folks (where the lines were shorter but I suspect slower as the level of experience with dealing with security is slower). I think they have a few things to learn about security throughput from the folks at ZRH.
#18
Join Date: Apr 2018
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 267
Funny you should mention ZRH. Flew out of there recently for the first time in years and they had one fast track gate and several standard gates. They both let you into the same corridor where you would then choose to join the fast track or regular line as you pleased – no checking was done after those gates. Completely pointless and certainly did not seem very Swiss to me.
#19
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Posts: 63,821
For the first time in a very long time I used this route rather than going landslide and back through North Security. Main reason being that I have stopped smoking (- @corporate-wage-slave ) and thought I would just do the thing that the terminal (should be) is designed to do.
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL
Posts: 843
Funny you should mention ZRH. Flew out of there recently for the first time in years and they had one fast track gate and several standard gates. They both let you into the same corridor where you would then choose to join the fast track or regular line as you pleased – no checking was done after those gates. Completely pointless and certainly did not seem very Swiss to me.
#21
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Silver
Posts: 175
(OTOH, I credit FT for knowing almost all of this [alternate routes, conformance, the fastest route to the First Wing, etc.] in the first place. I appreciate everyone’s willingness to share their knowledge so we can all benefit.)
#22
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: EDI
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 466
Out of interest, do you put your connection in jeopardy if you fully exit to go back through the First Wing? Returning from Beijing to connect to Edinburgh earlier in the year was a nightmare. But is there a difference when failing conformance air side vs land side?
(Side note: out of 19 flights we took over Christmas to 7 different countries, the U.K. was the only one that didn’t do ANYTHING to expedite the process for those with infants.)
(Side note: out of 19 flights we took over Christmas to 7 different countries, the U.K. was the only one that didn’t do ANYTHING to expedite the process for those with infants.)
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Falkirk, Scotland,VS Red, BA Gold, HH Diamond,UK Amex Plat
Programs: Master of the Privy Purse des Muccis
Posts: 17,916
Out of interest, do you put your connection in jeopardy if you fully exit to go back through the First Wing? Returning from Beijing to connect to Edinburgh earlier in the year was a nightmare. But is there a difference when failing conformance air side vs land side?
(Side note: out of 19 flights we took over Christmas to 7 different countries, the U.K. was the only one that didn’t do ANYTHING to expedite the process for those with infants.)
(Side note: out of 19 flights we took over Christmas to 7 different countries, the U.K. was the only one that didn’t do ANYTHING to expedite the process for those with infants.)
Hi,
If you are close to the conformance time you could be at risk. The T-35 conformance cut off is a hard time at the first Wing where as it could be a little flexible at flight connections.
I normally have 2 hours for connections and I go landside through the UK border and through first wing ( although in November at 745pm at night I went through ordinary flight connections for a flight to HKG with minimal wait)
Regards
TBS
#24
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,618
Good on them! That's my bugbear at MAN. Standing in the queue while anybody travelling with children gets fast-tracked to the front. Not great if you get there just after an Orlando flight has landed.