sunshinebob

The queue started before you got to the immigration area proper, looked like an hours plus I would guess this afternoon but I took a flyer and ducked under the tensa barrier into the non UK queue and was out in 15 mins.

A bit DYKWIA I know, presumably Karma will no doubt come back and bite me....

Haagen Daz

I read that as "Karfa", which seemed a little odd!

Reetmafreen

Not as odd as you think. I read it the same way too! 😋

BOH

Weird, I came through T5 just 90 minutes earlier today and was through in 10 minutes with the e-gates queue only "snaking" about 4 lines of Tensa barrier (if that makes sense).

On another matter, whilst waiting for the T5 Long-Term Bus there were two reasonably loud explosions from the south end of the terminal, opposite where all traffic comes out of the underground Arrivals level of T5. The bus then drove through some pungent and very thick smoke, having to slow right down to walking pace for about 100 metres as it made visibility so poor, we then saw 3 fire engines racing towards the area. The bus driver said it was some catering facility, no idea what it was?

KARFA

oceanscape

So Monday afternoon's c. 2-4pm are clearly a crunch point - I posted last Monday at this time that I had a 2+ hour wait after not making it through the e-Gates. Anyone arriving on a Monday during this timeframe .... brace yourself and get off the plane PDQ!

BOH

Not always, see reply above. Arrived into the hall at about 14:10 today (Monday) and through in 10 minutes.

oceanscape

Ok, maybe it’s more like 3-5pm rather than 2-4pm

UKTraveller4Fun

Quick question in regards connections. In the past when arriving and connecting domestically you go to a different part of the arrival hall where there were only a couple of staff. Is this still the case or do you have to go though the main arrivals and then back through main security? If it is still like it was previously how are the queues as there were never many staff on and with all the extra checks I can imagine it would be a long wait.

Thanks

KARFA

yes it’s still the same. Generally the photos of queues you see are for arrivals, but there’s usually minimal queues for the separate immigration for those connecting on to UK/DUB flights.

UKTraveller4Fun

Thanks for letting me know, I was debating flying or getting the train home once back in LHR, based on that I think it seems like flying up to Manchester seems the better option and decrease chances of queues!

fdem

Flew in yesterday around 3.30 pm. Gasped when I saw the snaking queues but I was through in around 40 minutes ( didn’t see any social distancing though) went through e gates and didn’t need to show tests taken/ booked. My worry is what will it be like when more destinations go green and US corridor opens later this summer

Frequentflyer99

A little historic now, but last Thursday at 18.30 the T5 hall was empty apart from our flight from Spain. Waved straight through to the e-gates with no Covid checks at all. My passport was rejected so had to see a BF agent. Neither I nor either of the 2 pax in front of me were asked any Covid questions, or for any docs.

ezefllying

A question from someone who has connected in LHR exactly once, and before covid-19:

I am considering flying BER-LHR-IAD in October. BER-LHR would be a BA economy ticket; LHR-IAD a separate ticket on United. From what I can tell, I would have to transit immigration at T5 and then make my way to T2, with no ability to stay airside and thus avoid immigration. My connection would be 3h 10m.

Does this sound correct? Am I merely silly or flatly moronic for considering this non-Schengen, two-ticket, two-terminal routing now?

(The reason I'm considering it is that United has a 4:40 PM LHR-IAD departure with available upgrade space, meaning I would (a) confirm an upgrade and (b) be able to depart BER at 12:25. Otherwise, departures out of BER are mostly confined to 7-9 AM takeoffs, all at higher fares.)

KARFA

You only need to go landside if you need to collect bags and recheck.

If you do have checked bags, you would have to go through immigration at T5, collect bags, take the Heathrow Express or tube to T2, and then re-check the bags with UA.

If you don't have bags to check (or another need to go landside) you can stay airside. On arrival in to T5 look for the signs to Flight Connections T2, take the airside bus to T2, do security in T2, and then you will be in the airside departures area. No immigration at all.