Queues at First Wing security?
 

Hi

I know the horrendous queues at Manchester are a slightly different kettle of fish to BA First Wing at T5, but just wondering if I need to add any extra time for the latter tomorrow? I'm assuming not but thought I'd check with anyone who's been through very recently.

(Sorry, I'm still a product of travelling with my parents in my formative years where setting off at least three hours early because "you never know" was the norm.)

Thanks

If you’re checking bags there has at times been a line outside the First wing (leading up to the entry ‘kiosk’). If you’re hand luggage only ignore the line, straight to kiosk, then straight to First security.

I went through midday Saturday and around 9AM Monday, was zero queue both times. I think time of day is a factor too.

Sat AM queue seems to run to around 200 at peak times for First Wing, looking at photos from recent weekends ..... I'm there at around 5.30am tomorrow so will let you know.

At 11am today there was a queue of about 7 waiting to get to the entrance

Thats ridiculous, you shouldn't have to queue at all flying First.

1030 today was literally nobody there - through in minutes including getting some documents checked

I will be there 5.30 AM this coming Sat and would love to know (or maybe not ?) what to expect then.

I assume that they must be enforcing lounge access rules very strictly (last time we flew as a family in Sept 2021 it was very busy and they claimed not be letting any guests in to any of the lounges, although we talked our way around that). We will be a GCH, an SCH and a Blue. I assume the chances of the 3 of us getting through F Wing security are less than zero. Or am I being unduly pessimistic given the very early hour ??

if there is no outage or some other massive issues then I wouldn’t anticipate any waiting for the First wing. The worst I had to wait for bag drop was around 30-35 min. If you don’t need to check any bags in then there is no wait time at all. Unfortunately the F lounge getting quite busy and very unlikely you can guest your family in.

Last time I went through (5:30am on a Thursday morning) there was no queue for the first check in desks, but the security line was back out through the boarding pass scanners. I was advised to go to fast track security, which was almost back out through the boarding pass scanners, so I was advised to use the regular lane. The regular lane was way shorter than any of the 'faster' options. I was straight to the queue for a particular scanner, which was only 4 or 5 metres long, not even round the first turn of the tensor barrier. So if you are advised to use another security queue, it is probably a good idea to follow the advice.

First Wing isn’t just for persons flying F.

200 in peak times! I've never seen more than 10-15, and I was surprised by that. I have only ever waited 10-15 minutes for check in once, and around 10 minutes for security, once or twice, and I found that very strange. Usually it's straight through on both, though clealry BA's LHR Ops are currently under some strain so I won't be complacent, and the OP should err on the side of early...

Indeed, the great Y travelling unwashed have been known to head there occasionally :). Indeed, I've been there dozens of times, if not more, but only ever flown First once in my life.....

Very few people using the first wing are flying first

I doubt any of the 7 people waiting were flying first

Yes you should, providing all those ahead of you are entitled to or are allowed to do so, if you don't like the thought of it, pay for a private charter.... and, even then, wait behind the pilot and crew, because without them you can't fly.