LHR T5 First Wing Security 11 week closure [now reopened]
Dec 16, 2023, 3:31 am
#47
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 816
I had previously had one secondary in four years of travelling through JER about twice a month. Since the new machines came online I've had a secondary on four out of the five occasions I've been through. I need to travel through this afternoon with multiple laptops so I can choose between getting shouted at to leave them in my bag, or going to secondary...
Dec 16, 2023, 3:33 am
#48
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver. London Cycling Campaign. TfL Oyster
Posts: 716
I assume this is the question/concept corporate-wage-slave so coyly alluded to upthread and was told answer no?
Dec 16, 2023, 3:36 am
#49
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,238
I guess it does seem a bit gold plated, as perhaps one would expect from HAL, so I've no doubt that it could be done faster. But I'm a bit surprised at some of the comments about this, have FTers not seen how it works at other airports? NCL has had well over 3 months on their scanners, though that involves moving the security hall northwards. EDI is going to be more than 3 months. AMS took nearly 6 months. LCY was 2 months but benefits from being continuously closed for 24 hours a week. JER got there machines through in under a month but in winter it's a pretty small operation. So I suspect a 1 month plus closure was inevitable and it may as well happen when travel is reqlatively quiet. I doubt First Wing users will be greatly delayed, though no-one has asked the obvious question yet....... (and the answer I'm told is no).
Dec 16, 2023, 3:37 am
#50
formerly JackDann
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 1,660
Massive shame for me personally - My Gold status will expire in March and I was looking forward to taking my family through TFW for the first time when meeting them for a flight we have in Feb.
The First Wing security is the only benefit of Gold that i’ll miss - and frustrating now that I can’t use it for one last time. If there is no easy route to GF lounge then i’ll probably just swerve it and head to T5B.
Provided that there is a dedicated security channel at Fastrack and you don’t have to do a lap of T5 to get to the GF lounge then it’s a far lesser problem!
The First Wing security is the only benefit of Gold that i’ll miss - and frustrating now that I can’t use it for one last time. If there is no easy route to GF lounge then i’ll probably just swerve it and head to T5B.
Provided that there is a dedicated security channel at Fastrack and you don’t have to do a lap of T5 to get to the GF lounge then it’s a far lesser problem!
Last edited by JD1905; Dec 16, 2023 at 3:46 am
Dec 16, 2023, 3:41 am
#51
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 780
I assume this is the question/concept corporate-wage-slave so coyly alluded to upthread and was told answer no?
Dec 16, 2023, 3:45 am
#52
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL
Posts: 844
My experiences using them in Europe and the US I've found them to be much slower and also noticed how long the person viewing the images was taking on each bag.
Also it seems your bag will be pulled for secondary screening if you have any liquids over 100ml, or if you have multiple large electronic devices (eg laptop + iPad) placed together in your bag. So I'd rather just take them out and send through separately, but the staff are very insistent you cannot do this and must have everything stay inside the bag.
Also it seems your bag will be pulled for secondary screening if you have any liquids over 100ml, or if you have multiple large electronic devices (eg laptop + iPad) placed together in your bag. So I'd rather just take them out and send through separately, but the staff are very insistent you cannot do this and must have everything stay inside the bag.
Dec 16, 2023, 4:07 am
#53
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LON
Programs: QF Plat & LTG, VA Plat
Posts: 1,435
Always travel with the same bag and kit for work (multiple devices, chargers, wires etc), and never been pulled for secondary in Europe, whereas it does sometimes in UK. I feel like it’s the risk level operators have been trained to that affects this more than the actual machines. AMS in particular (now they are fully staffed again) is incredibly quick and efficient.
Dec 16, 2023, 4:14 am
#54
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,203
I guess it does seem a bit gold plated, as perhaps one would expect from HAL, so I've no doubt that it could be done faster. But I'm a bit surprised at some of the comments about this, have FTers not seen how it works at other airports? NCL has had well over 3 months on their scanners, though that involves moving the security hall northwards. EDI is going to be more than 3 months. AMS took nearly 6 months. LCY was 2 months but benefits from being continuously closed for 24 hours a week. JER got there machines through in under a month but in winter it's a pretty small operation. So I suspect a 1 month plus closure was inevitable and it may as well happen when travel is reqlatively quiet. I doubt First Wing users will be greatly delayed, though no-one has asked the obvious question yet....... (and the answer I'm told is no).
I've also noticed thar the technology isn't just something that is 'rolled in'. The existing components are positively attached to the floor and have to be removed. The new components have quite a different footprint. I surmise that some electrical work and IT work will also be required. And finally, I'd think the surrounding area would be spruced up some.
DUB T1 regular security (not fast track), line #1-4 (to the far left) just had this technology installed and the staff is still training. There was a small sign indicating as such and if the passenger didn't want to participate, the passenger could back out of line and go to a line with the existing technology. I thought the line was quite efficient.
Dec 16, 2023, 4:48 am
#56
Join Date: Dec 2021
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 35
Somewhat related - I did notice in Doha/Qatar that the new 'C gates' transfer area seems to have outsourced the scanning?
I could not see staff at the scanner terminals and I assume it's all done remotely in some room rather than someone sat by the scanning machine.
Felt like a large number of bags were selected for secondary search. (Which took ages, hence the time to look at the workflow, then I noticed no staff for scanning!)
Interesting they also make you scan your boarding pass before they issue the tray - I assume this ties your ID, your tray and any CCTV/scan results together in some database.
Dec 16, 2023, 5:01 am
#57
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Amsterdam and London
Programs: Mucci Platinum Hairbrush des Bonnes Nouvelles. BA LTG, Bonvoy LTP, AA LTS, KL LTPt, Easy Flight Club
Posts: 378
Always travel with the same bag and kit for work (multiple devices, chargers, wires etc), and never been pulled for secondary in Europe, whereas it does sometimes in UK. I feel like it’s the risk level operators have been trained to that affects this more than the actual machines. AMS in particular (now they are fully staffed again) is incredibly quick and efficient.
Agree entirely about AMS running well.
Although they do seem to have a “thing” about lots of coins for reasons I don’t fully understand 😐
Last edited by Fritz; Dec 16, 2023 at 5:01 am Reason: Typo
Dec 16, 2023, 5:02 am
#58
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,860
Yes, it's part of the new protocols, but the evidence at LCY is that this component is faster on average than the old protocol with the random scans factored in. The wall only needs a split second (the staff need rather more time), compared to the 15 seconds to use the cylinder scanners.
Dec 16, 2023, 5:07 am
#59
Join Date: Nov 2023
Programs: BAEC GGLfL
Posts: 488
I assume this is the question/concept corporate-wage-slave so coyly alluded to upthread and was told answer no?