BA_Pax

I just deplaned from the BA1393 MAN-LHR at Gate 7. The whole flight was directed through the ‘normal’ arrivals route which would have been ok if you were connecting, but not good for exiting.

I wasn’t having this and after a lengthy discussion was personally escorted to the domestic arrival route, not least as I didn’t have my passport anyway (and as a UK citizen within my country I’m not required to carry it either). Much huffing and puffing by the staff. Don’t understand why none of the other 100 passengers said anything.

In case you’re wondering it wasn’t me going the wrong way but the doors to domestic exit were shut and unmanned.

Weird. Added 20 mins to the exit process but I guess shorter than trying to go through passport control without a passport. That would have been fun.

KARFA

I suspect the other passengers wouldn’t have had a clue until they all of a sudden were confronted by immigration. Good luck to anyone collecting bags. Well done for standing your ground.

A7 used to be a domestic arrival gate years ago, but is no longer used since about 2018/19. It’s only A1-A6 now.

I am afraid another example of the usual incompetence.

jmd

A few weeks ago I was on a JER arrival on a remote stand at T5 which was then bussed to domestic arrivals rather than to gate A22. I ran and told the staff inside the terminal, as anyone with bags would have ended up at domestic rather than international baggage reclaim. Some people had already exited by then. The staff panicked and started shouting at people to get back on the bus. Presumably there are some inexperienced bus drivers…

For those not used to JER or DUB flights, there are 2 dedicated stands which bypass immigration but exit into the international baggage hall, as arrivals from the CTA need to clear UK customs. Remote stand arrivals are bussed to one of these gates.

skipness1E

This from an org that celebrated 100 years of flying.
Repeat after me : "Cost cutting is in our DNA."
I had this at LCY coming back from the IOM, they just sent us to the UK BORDER by accident. Brandishing my boarding card got me past Border Force who had clearly had this sort of nonsense before.

KARFA

that’s correct that JER would come in to A23/22? There is no way to get from there to the domestic baggage hall and bags would appear in the international hall. Or are you saying they were trying to send everyone via connections?

South London Bon Viveur

You'd think that it would be relatively easy to sort out and only result in a minor hold up....but my experience of airports, immigration and security would suggest otherwise- that could have been a real pain I imagine, so glad it worked out as it did.

AlienInTheFatherland

No you didn't, you just disembarked.

Oxon Flyer

Just for clarity : is the routing of arriving passengers at LHR and LCY the responsibility of the airport, or the airline ?

BA_Pax

Nope, I really did.

jmd

Yes, JER flights always go to A23 or A22, and remote stand arrivals from JER are always bussed to a stairway next to A22. Baggage from JER flights always goes to the international baggage hall as you need to clear customs. The bus driver must have thought JER was a domestic arrival - the staff at domestic arrivals quickly realised the mistake when I told them it was a JER flight, and told people to get back on the bus to be taken to the correct route.

crazy8534

I had this happen to me once before and ever since am extremely cautious about making sure I am going through the domestic arrival door at the gate and not being diverted elsewhere. Aside from anything else, even if you do happen to have your passport you are going to have to re-clear security if you are connecting and if you are leaving but have luggage you are ?pretty screwed.

I am frequently the first off on a domestic flight and it seems that remarkably often the gate agent doesn't seem to be aware and simply asks the crew if they are a domestic arrival and if so will open the door on their way back. I once saw the IFL accidentally tell the ground staff that we had come from HAM when in fact we had come from EDI but was able to correct her mistake before it all went Pete Tong.

George K

I had this happen to me at LGW just last month. Thankfully it was late at night, and there was zero queueing at the 'border'.

Ryanardo_daVinci

There was baggage meltdown at Heathrow.

They seemed to have difficulty getting bags to carousels 1 and 2.

surryson

LHR - the airline. And this has been going on for years. And still it’s being messed up. This is why there aren’t as many swing gates on arrival as originally planned - because BA aren’t trusted to operate them properly

Kgmm77

Reading across a couple of threads it sounds like BA are close to operational meltdown today due to staffing issues. Easter should be fun, not to mention the Coronation holidays…