Mini trip review LHR-WAW
Jul 13, 2020, 9:51 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Just outside London
Programs: BA Gold, VS Silver, Hilton Gold
Posts: 66
Mini trip review LHR-WAW
Thought I would give some musings on a trip to Warsaw in CE.
Couldn't check-in online, or look at the seat load - just advised to check in at the airport. No explanation given.
Arrived at T-2hrs, and went to check-in at Zone G. Supervisor asked my destination and waved me through. Got to a desk, and told them my destination, and was redirected to Zone F. Apparently some countries require a temperature check and some questions answered before check in (hence the inability to do online check in). To be fair, the desk lady immediately went to the supervisor to remind her to send Poland bound passengers to Zone F.
Went to Zone F, passed through a temperature check, and went to desk. They didn't ask me the questions, or have a confirmation of temp check (I assume the chap just ticked the right answers for me). It was his first day back at work, and he told me that only the North Club Lounge was open (I thought this info was suspect, having look here).
No FT security but line was very short, security were insisting on belts and shoes off. I did wander over to Galleries North, to have a look around the Terminal, and as expected it was closed. Strange that you cannot sit down and eat a meal in the terminal but you can buy a Mulberry bag.
GC South was open, and was pleasantly surprised at the new system. You QR scan code your table number, and then you can order food and drink on an online menu. It took me 4 attempts to time the wine refill so that I wasn't left with an empty glass. Practice makes perfect. Food servings were tasty, if a little slow. I was there until about 1.15pm and there was no sign of it closing.
Boarding was done from the back, and was a pretty full flight on an A321NEO. CE went back to row 9. Had to remove my mask for passport check, but all was quite efficient.
Flight was pretty uneventful, food offering was as expected, and wine deliveries were prompt. Service was pretty good. CE were handed out forms which needed to be filled in for Polish health authorities (Seat No, Address etc.). They didn't have enough forms for the plane, and weren't entirely sure whether the form should be handed to the cabin crew or to passport control. Eventually the cabin crew took them.
Was able to use an automatic passport gate on arrival, and luggage was prompt. Arrived at my hotel in the centre of Warsaw about 40 mins after landing.
I have since received an email from BA prompting me to fill in the Passenger Tracker form for my return to LHR, which was useful, I wasn't aware that it was compulsory for all passengers returning to UK.
All in all, apart from getting used to wearing a mask for long periods, it was pretty painless but certainly not an enhancement on the whole 'flying experience'
Couldn't check-in online, or look at the seat load - just advised to check in at the airport. No explanation given.
Arrived at T-2hrs, and went to check-in at Zone G. Supervisor asked my destination and waved me through. Got to a desk, and told them my destination, and was redirected to Zone F. Apparently some countries require a temperature check and some questions answered before check in (hence the inability to do online check in). To be fair, the desk lady immediately went to the supervisor to remind her to send Poland bound passengers to Zone F.
Went to Zone F, passed through a temperature check, and went to desk. They didn't ask me the questions, or have a confirmation of temp check (I assume the chap just ticked the right answers for me). It was his first day back at work, and he told me that only the North Club Lounge was open (I thought this info was suspect, having look here).
No FT security but line was very short, security were insisting on belts and shoes off. I did wander over to Galleries North, to have a look around the Terminal, and as expected it was closed. Strange that you cannot sit down and eat a meal in the terminal but you can buy a Mulberry bag.
GC South was open, and was pleasantly surprised at the new system. You QR scan code your table number, and then you can order food and drink on an online menu. It took me 4 attempts to time the wine refill so that I wasn't left with an empty glass. Practice makes perfect. Food servings were tasty, if a little slow. I was there until about 1.15pm and there was no sign of it closing.
Boarding was done from the back, and was a pretty full flight on an A321NEO. CE went back to row 9. Had to remove my mask for passport check, but all was quite efficient.
Flight was pretty uneventful, food offering was as expected, and wine deliveries were prompt. Service was pretty good. CE were handed out forms which needed to be filled in for Polish health authorities (Seat No, Address etc.). They didn't have enough forms for the plane, and weren't entirely sure whether the form should be handed to the cabin crew or to passport control. Eventually the cabin crew took them.
Was able to use an automatic passport gate on arrival, and luggage was prompt. Arrived at my hotel in the centre of Warsaw about 40 mins after landing.
I have since received an email from BA prompting me to fill in the Passenger Tracker form for my return to LHR, which was useful, I wasn't aware that it was compulsory for all passengers returning to UK.
All in all, apart from getting used to wearing a mask for long periods, it was pretty painless but certainly not an enhancement on the whole 'flying experience'
Jul 13, 2020, 10:49 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci. And BA Gold – previous awards - Gold 11, Silver 7, Bronze 4.
Posts: 4,235
Interesting update, thank you, this is now the new normal. I hope it does not continue for too long though I suspect that we will probably not see much of a relaxation until 2022. 
Jul 14, 2020, 12:46 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
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Posts: 3,702
Jul 14, 2020, 1:55 am
#4
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Posts: 63,821
Went to Zone F, passed through a temperature check, and went to desk. They didn't ask me the questions, or have a confirmation of temp check (I assume the chap just ticked the right answers for me). It was his first day back at work, and he told me that only the North Club Lounge was open (I thought this info was suspect, having look here).
[...]
I have since received an email from BA prompting me to fill in the Passenger Tracker form for my return to LHR, which was useful, I wasn't aware that it was compulsory for all passengers returning to UK.
[...]
I have since received an email from BA prompting me to fill in the Passenger Tracker form for my return to LHR, which was useful, I wasn't aware that it was compulsory for all passengers returning to UK.
This another set of comments from someone not being aware of the many things that have changed since March 2020. I guess it is best not to finger wag here, in the last 24 hours there have been about 5 unconnected stories along the same lines. The information is very readily available (not least in FT) and I do think it useful for anyone travelling at the moment to do some research before arriving at the airport so they are aware of the burgeoning set of rules being developed separately but globally. In particular if you are returning to the UK from outside the Common Travel Area, with very few exceptions you must fill in the Passenger Locator Form, even if you are a UK citizen. This has a lot of questions but it should only take 10 minutes or less to fill in.
But in the spirit of helping those travelling at the moment - there are a large number of countries that now require the operating carrier to check the temperature of passengers before departure. The problems of this testing are well known, not worth repeating here. But if you are travelling to one such country, this is what the set up looks like in Zone F of LHR T5. There are several similar set-ups in T2, where the smaller airlines are relying on hand held infra-red portable detectors.
