Fast Track LHR T3
Aug 5, 22, 6:21 am
#2
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 39,182
Originally Posted by martinc338
Hi, due to fly next week with BA from T3. Is fast track open and working?
Thank you
Thank you
Aug 5, 22, 6:48 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2020
Programs: BA
Posts: 11
Thank you. Usually fly thr T5 hence first time flying out landside out of T3 for years.
How do you avoid the non-fast queues when there's only one escalator upto security? Is fast track still on the LHS at the top?
How do you avoid the non-fast queues when there's only one escalator upto security? Is fast track still on the LHS at the top?
Aug 5, 22, 6:58 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Programs: BA Gold / OWE
Posts: 479
Originally Posted by martinc338
Thank you. Usually fly thr T5 hence first time flying out landside out of T3 for years.
How do you avoid the non-fast queues when there's only one escalator upto security? Is fast track still on the LHS at the top?
How do you avoid the non-fast queues when there's only one escalator upto security? Is fast track still on the LHS at the top?
Aug 5, 22, 7:58 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London
Programs: BAEC GGL, BA Amex PP
Posts: 1,049
The escalators up worked fine today at T3 (I used the ones by Emirates check-in), I felt like I had entered some parallel universe as I was through Fast Track in less than a minute and there was no queue in the Tensa barriers as far as I could see (for standard security). Fast Track was on my right hand side but think yes if taking a different escalator up (the ones further down in D) you would see it on your left.
From what I've heard its one queue until you get upstairs when times are bad.
From what I've heard its one queue until you get upstairs when times are bad.
Aug 5, 22, 11:44 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 1,712
Originally Posted by neuromancerLKLB
Is the fastrack on flight connections also open? Have the 1:45 connection on next Friday morning from T5 to T3.
No fast track after transit.
Did it today (Thursday)- took 2 hours 10 mins approx - from a c gate in T5 to the shops in T3.
Only 4 scanning lanes open in T3 -they had to stop people entering the hall the queue was so long
New born babies (1 with no buggy- just being held) and people in wheelchairs stuck in the queue for 1.5 hours plus
Lots of people shouting they were missing their flights (I am sure some were)
The officer sent a woman to the back of the queue for queue jumping by ducking under the barriers (that was a highlight) "Go back, no right to the back, no you cant go back to there, right to the back."
A woman in a green/blue tracksuit screamed and hurled abuse at the staff for almost 20 minutes when her bags were pulled for secondary screening- If that was you you need to be thoroughly ashamed and think about the example you were setting your children. She demanded a manager- then screamed abuse at them. In their face and screaming. In any other airport (or pub) the woman would have been arrested, they should have arrested her. She ended up being prioritised and it made more people shout.
Some of the staff seemed upset at the abuse they were getting.
My bag and the bag of the chap behind me were pulled over (my tray had a small handbag and my sealed clear toiletry bag that had already been through scanning twice and I was surprised). The backlog of secondary screening closed 1 lane as there were 2 agents checking and about 15 bags backed up. My bag was at the top waiting to go down the ramp which was then effectively closed the entire machine and I chatted to the scanning chap as I was stuck next to him. I did ask if I could just take the handbag back and empty it and rescan but he said no (understandably). The guy next to me missed his flight as we waited 20 -30 minutes for the secondary screening- both our bags were handed to us with nothing at all wrong with them ( everything in order, under 100ml and in a sealed LHR clear bag) . She showed me on the screen that my toiletry bag had a red square on it on the screen and that was what she had to look at -but there was nothing there- it was just a bag of random packed sub 100ml toiletries. She visually checked it and handed it straight to me and thanked me for not shouting at her!
Almost everyone pulled over had toiletries in their main bags and not in a clear bag (but of course that wasn't their fault) Bottles of spirits coming out of cases, some odd liquor in novelty bottles, lots still in gift shop bags. People with multiple clear bags of toiletries.
Lots of very important people shouting how important they were and trying to skip the queue. Apparently having 5 teenage children makes you a priority for some unfathomable reason (it didn't get them through)
It was horrendous and the behaviour of the passengers was unacceptable.
Aug 5, 22, 11:51 am
#10
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: LAX/NYC
Programs: Bonvoy Ambassador, HH G, BR Diamond/*G, BAEC Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 511
Originally Posted by Barnaby100
Wasn’t any fast track yesterday- this is my post copied from another post
No fast track after transit.
Did it today (Thursday)- took 2 hours 10 mins approx - from a c gate in T5 to the shops in T3.
Only 4 scanning lanes open in T3 -they had to stop people entering the hall the queue was so long
New born babies (1 with no buggy- just being held) and people in wheelchairs stuck in the queue for 1.5 hours plus
Lots of people shouting they were missing their flights (I am sure some were)
The officer sent a woman to the back of the queue for queue jumping by ducking under the barriers (that was a highlight) "Go back, no right to the back, no you cant go back to there, right to the back."
A woman in a green/blue tracksuit screamed and hurled abuse at the staff for almost 20 minutes when her bags were pulled for secondary screening- If that was you you need to be thoroughly ashamed and think about the example you were setting your children. She demanded a manager- then screamed abuse at them. In their face and screaming. In any other airport (or pub) the woman would have been arrested, they should have arrested her. She ended up being prioritised and it made more people shout.
Some of the staff seemed upset at the abuse they were getting.
My bag and the bag of the chap behind me were pulled over (my tray had a small handbag and my sealed clear toiletry bag that had already been through scanning twice and I was surprised). The backlog of secondary screening closed 1 lane as there were 2 agents checking and about 15 bags backed up. My bag was at the top waiting to go down the ramp which was then effectively closed the entire machine and I chatted to the scanning chap as I was stuck next to him. I did ask if I could just take the handbag back and empty it and rescan but he said no (understandably). The guy next to me missed his flight as we waited 20 -30 minutes for the secondary screening- both our bags were handed to us with nothing at all wrong with them ( everything in order, under 100ml and in a sealed LHR clear bag) . She showed me on the screen that my toiletry bag had a red square on it on the screen and that was what she had to look at -but there was nothing there- it was just a bag of random packed sub 100ml toiletries. She visually checked it and handed it straight to me and thanked me for not shouting at her!
Almost everyone pulled over had toiletries in their main bags and not in a clear bag (but of course that wasn't their fault) Bottles of spirits coming out of cases, some odd liquor in novelty bottles, lots still in gift shop bags. People with multiple clear bags of toiletries.
Lots of very important people shouting how important they were and trying to skip the queue. Apparently having 5 teenage children makes you a priority for some unfathomable reason (it didn't get them through)
It was horrendous and the behaviour of the passengers was unacceptable.
No fast track after transit.
Did it today (Thursday)- took 2 hours 10 mins approx - from a c gate in T5 to the shops in T3.
Only 4 scanning lanes open in T3 -they had to stop people entering the hall the queue was so long
New born babies (1 with no buggy- just being held) and people in wheelchairs stuck in the queue for 1.5 hours plus
Lots of people shouting they were missing their flights (I am sure some were)
The officer sent a woman to the back of the queue for queue jumping by ducking under the barriers (that was a highlight) "Go back, no right to the back, no you cant go back to there, right to the back."
A woman in a green/blue tracksuit screamed and hurled abuse at the staff for almost 20 minutes when her bags were pulled for secondary screening- If that was you you need to be thoroughly ashamed and think about the example you were setting your children. She demanded a manager- then screamed abuse at them. In their face and screaming. In any other airport (or pub) the woman would have been arrested, they should have arrested her. She ended up being prioritised and it made more people shout.
Some of the staff seemed upset at the abuse they were getting.
My bag and the bag of the chap behind me were pulled over (my tray had a small handbag and my sealed clear toiletry bag that had already been through scanning twice and I was surprised). The backlog of secondary screening closed 1 lane as there were 2 agents checking and about 15 bags backed up. My bag was at the top waiting to go down the ramp which was then effectively closed the entire machine and I chatted to the scanning chap as I was stuck next to him. I did ask if I could just take the handbag back and empty it and rescan but he said no (understandably). The guy next to me missed his flight as we waited 20 -30 minutes for the secondary screening- both our bags were handed to us with nothing at all wrong with them ( everything in order, under 100ml and in a sealed LHR clear bag) . She showed me on the screen that my toiletry bag had a red square on it on the screen and that was what she had to look at -but there was nothing there- it was just a bag of random packed sub 100ml toiletries. She visually checked it and handed it straight to me and thanked me for not shouting at her!
Almost everyone pulled over had toiletries in their main bags and not in a clear bag (but of course that wasn't their fault) Bottles of spirits coming out of cases, some odd liquor in novelty bottles, lots still in gift shop bags. People with multiple clear bags of toiletries.
Lots of very important people shouting how important they were and trying to skip the queue. Apparently having 5 teenage children makes you a priority for some unfathomable reason (it didn't get them through)
It was horrendous and the behaviour of the passengers was unacceptable.
Aug 5, 22, 12:14 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC GGL, IHG Diamond, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 7,137
I've got a T3 departure in just over a week (Tues 16th), and then a T3-T3 connection the following day.
First flight isn't until nearly lunchtime. Not sure whether to turn up at 6am should things be bad (was going to drive down with the intent of arriving between 6-7am anyway - mainly to avoid some traffic). Either I'm turned away, help build up the queue, or get through relatively quickly and have a bit more drinking time.
Got around 2h20 between flights for the (HBO) connection (assuming my inbound is on time etc).
First flight isn't until nearly lunchtime. Not sure whether to turn up at 6am should things be bad (was going to drive down with the intent of arriving between 6-7am anyway - mainly to avoid some traffic). Either I'm turned away, help build up the queue, or get through relatively quickly and have a bit more drinking time.
Got around 2h20 between flights for the (HBO) connection (assuming my inbound is on time etc).
Aug 6, 22, 3:45 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: The North
Posts: 1,716
This morning (Sat 6th Aug) getting through Terminal security was painless. I’d deliberately allowed considerable extra time but in the end it was unnecessary - not a great loss, as I just got some work done in the Cathay lounge instead.
From arriving at T3 to being in the lounge was 22 minutes, which included more than five minutes speaking to a friend who I bumped into, and another 3-4 mins grabbing something from a shop. I knew where I was going, and was hand baggage only, but I still regard this as about as good as it can be!
Timings below:
06:42 Left Hilton Garden Inn. A tip: the back door of the HGI is easier - cross the Eastern Perimeter Road, as you can then walk along the Great South-West Road to Hatton Cross station on the level. This avoids having to go up and over the footbridge by Hatton Cross Roundabout.
06:47 On platform Hatton X
06:54 Hatton X train arrived to T123
06:57 arrived Heathrow T123 tube
07:01 arrived T3
Brief intermission when I saw an old friend
07:08 T3 D entrance
07:10 back of Fast Track queue (this was after boarding pass scan, so fairly short - not that many people in front of me)
07:17 through security
Intermission to grab something from a shop
07:23 Sat inside Cathay Pacific lounge
Addendum: the only disappointment so far was that AY1332 was meant to depart at 10:20, and we’ve only just started boarding. As far as I can tell it was a lack of buses. But being cooped up at Gate 24 (bus gate) with almost no information for most of the last hour is a lot less pleasant than the Cathay lounge…
From arriving at T3 to being in the lounge was 22 minutes, which included more than five minutes speaking to a friend who I bumped into, and another 3-4 mins grabbing something from a shop. I knew where I was going, and was hand baggage only, but I still regard this as about as good as it can be!
Timings below:
06:42 Left Hilton Garden Inn. A tip: the back door of the HGI is easier - cross the Eastern Perimeter Road, as you can then walk along the Great South-West Road to Hatton Cross station on the level. This avoids having to go up and over the footbridge by Hatton Cross Roundabout.
06:47 On platform Hatton X
06:54 Hatton X train arrived to T123
06:57 arrived Heathrow T123 tube
07:01 arrived T3
Brief intermission when I saw an old friend
07:08 T3 D entrance
07:10 back of Fast Track queue (this was after boarding pass scan, so fairly short - not that many people in front of me)
07:17 through security
Intermission to grab something from a shop
07:23 Sat inside Cathay Pacific lounge
Addendum: the only disappointment so far was that AY1332 was meant to depart at 10:20, and we’ve only just started boarding. As far as I can tell it was a lack of buses. But being cooped up at Gate 24 (bus gate) with almost no information for most of the last hour is a lot less pleasant than the Cathay lounge…
Last edited by squawk; Aug 6, 22 at 3:50 am
Oct 10, 22, 3:17 am
#13
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 23
Originally Posted by Barnaby100
It was horrendous and the behaviour of the passengers was unacceptable.
I’ll be arriving into T2 later today with a 3 hour layover until my next flight from T3, and debating which option to take:
- passport e-gates landside, walk through tunnel to T3, fast track security
- airside transfer bus, flight connections security (fast track lane open yet?)
Traveling with hand baggage only and boarding pass for onward flight in hand already. Thanks for any thoughts!
Oct 10, 22, 11:48 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: LHR
Programs: BA GGL, EY Silver, HH Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 315
Originally Posted by kiloalpha
Eeeeesh. Anyone been through T3 connections more recently?
I’ll be arriving into T2 later today with a 3 hour layover until my next flight from T3, and debating which option to take:
- passport e-gates landside, walk through tunnel to T3, fast track security
- airside transfer bus, flight connections security (fast track lane open yet?)
Traveling with hand baggage only and boarding pass for onward flight in hand already. Thanks for any thoughts!
I’ll be arriving into T2 later today with a 3 hour layover until my next flight from T3, and debating which option to take:
- passport e-gates landside, walk through tunnel to T3, fast track security
- airside transfer bus, flight connections security (fast track lane open yet?)
Traveling with hand baggage only and boarding pass for onward flight in hand already. Thanks for any thoughts!
Oct 23, 22, 11:50 am
#15
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 23
Originally Posted by ceej123
All in all the entire connection took just over an hour including waiting for the bus and getting boarding passes from the connection desks.
Flight connections thankfully was a breeze when I went through, apart from a bit of a wait for a bus from T2. No fast track security lane open that I could see, but the normal queue was short and quick (mid afternoon on a Monday).
Next time I think I’d take the landside walking route though, assuming no queue for the passport e-gates.
