jplondon

Deleted

Tobias-UK

What a bizarre response. Unlike those posting here I have been prevented from travelling on BA (due to the lack of connections to/from MAN) which means I have no first-hand experience or knowledge of the current workings of T5. I've not stepped foot in to T5 since mid-March and will not do so again until at least September, so please forgive me for asking for a little clarification.

It isn't immediately clear from the photograph where, what or why that queue was. My question is a simple one to see which of the now several airlines using T5 had a check-in backlog, and to see if there were any clues as to why that might be the case. The photo doesn't provide sufficient context, or provide an indication how long, or how many queues there were.

It could have been a group of confused passengers using a strange terminal, or a recently relocated airline having technical issues - Binman having said that '... Many Check-in desks are empty and the bag tag printers are all off'. If many check-in counters are empty, why is there a queue?

adrianlondon

The problem isn't the airline or airlines, it's the airport. Unless, of course, it's the airline's responsibility to space out the tensa barriers and refill the hand sanitiser dispensers.

KARFA

The pinch point creating the queues seems to be check in - so those who need doc checks, need to check a bag, do temperature checks, or check in since OLCI has been turned off for some destinations now. This is all BA's responsibility.

crazyarmadillo

I keep seeing these pictures. I too haven't flown since March as Tobias-UK.

Then other posters say it takes minutes. So clarification in the pictures would help.

I want to fly next week UK domestic, but these images are putting me off. Hence why I agree with Tobias-UK.

Do these pictures represent t5 all the time, or just at weekends at a certain time.

KARFA

it seems to be mostly weekends and mostly 6.30-10am.

also worth noting if you are carry on only and can OLCI these queues are irrelevant. i arrived in saturday around 8.15am, and i was off the tube and in the GF within 5-10 minutes.

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

I belive that it is a particular problem early on Saturday mornings as I think there were several comments at the same time last weekend. Other times do not appear so bad but happy for confirmation

Will be flying through Heathrow next weekend ( but be transiting EDI-LHR-VCE with a 5 hr layover) so will not have to deal with checkin ( I note the tempreature check and italian declaration form will be done for transit pax at the gate)

Regards

TBS

crazyarmadillo

Hey thanks TBS and KARFA, appreciated.

mrow

I went through T5 last Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday was a domestic arrival and we were out of the airport 5 minutes after doors open (no checked bags). Didn’t notice any queues anywhere between domestic arrivals gate and the landside area which was very quiet (pretty much as expected). I went upstairs to check departures and at 13:30pm on Saturday it wasn’t busy. A few groups of people, but no massive queues.

Sunday Around 14:00 I checked in at the First Wing. No queues, checked in within 2 minutes. At First Wing security it was very quiet. There were 3 passengers going through screening. Lounge was a little busier but very easy to find a seat. Ordered food and a glass of wine online using the QR code system. Wine arrived within 5 minutes and food about 5 minutes after that.

Gate areas at T5 we not overly busy, but there were a few groups of people. I departed from A2 and the walk from F Lounge to A2 was not the usual weaving in and out to avoid people walking into me, but there was a reasonable number of people in the terminal.

Certainly didn’t see queues anywhere near as big as those photographed in this thread.


T5 Underground station

Elevators to departures

General check in area

Heading down from lounge complex

F Lounge

Airside area (A gates) near entrance to transit to B/C gates

A2 gate area

A3 gate area

binman

i wasn’t clear, desks not manned, every second desk was not manned.

adrianlondon

I guess it depends on how you look at it.

It's the airport's problem if one believes that airports typically have queues at various places, and the airport should make queueing safe.

It's the airline's responsibility if airports aren't expected to deal with queues in the current situation with reduced throughout (and staff?), and the airlines should ensure there are no queues or bottlenecks.

So I'll blame both

Tafflyer

Glad to hear things are returning to “normal”.

Dave_C

So about 15.00 this afternoon (Sunday) there was roughly a ten minute wait to drop bags at the First Wing. There did seem to be substantial other queues throughout the rest of the terminal. Security was quick though and the First Lounge wasn't that busy, but wasn't that quiet either.

Once inside though, I'm very impressed with the whole food / drink ordering process. It works really well although sitting by the Gold Bar (where it's quietest) they've been trying to deliver drinks to non-existent people! I suspect someone typed in the wrong table number.

TimmyD

At risk of being pedantic, that isn’t T5 tube station, it’s Hatton Cross

BAeuro

This just sounds like LHR and BA are not bringing back enough staff to deal with the weekend passenger numbers.

It’s not really good enough at the best of times, let alone when we’re being told to social distance and ensure we don’t spread the virus.

People really need to voice their concerns as these queues (and the ones at immigration) are not going to improve.