Jun 4, 2019, 6:52 am
Last edit by: stut
ePassport gates, new countries, passport requirements, experience and wait times. Any volunteers?
ePassport Gates Master Thread [was: Opening up the e-Gates to new countries]
Jun 3, 2019, 11:07 pm
#181
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As this question refers to several different terminals and is not specific to BA, we’ll move it to the UK&I forum where there are already a number of threads it will likely be merged with.
/mod
/mod
Jun 3, 2019, 11:10 pm
#182
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I did 4 or 5 passages last week though T5, and one through T3 and I didn't notice any difference, other than that all gates were open on T5 at times when previously less than half would be open. No delays at T5, straight to a gate, and only a brief (2 minutes) delay at T3. They could do with increasing the number of e-gates in T3, but that was the case before these changes, and the layout of the hall makes it tricky to do, unless they put them at the far end.
Jun 4, 2019, 2:02 am
#183
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Jun 4, 2019, 4:25 am
#184
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I arrived at T2 at about 1pm last Thursday. There was almost nobody at the non e-gate section, and there were no queues at the e-gate section. There were only 5 or 6 people in the "reject" line. I don't know if it was all working particularly well or if there was an unusual gap in arrivals. Unusually, I beat my bag to the baggage belt (only two minutes, but that's rare when arriving in T2B.
Jun 4, 2019, 6:54 am
#186
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All,
Have merged a few threads (extant and incoming) and added a wikipost, as this topic is generating rather a lot of discussion. All contributions to the wikipost will be most gratefully received!
stut
Moderator
UK & Ireland
Have merged a few threads (extant and incoming) and added a wikipost, as this topic is generating rather a lot of discussion. All contributions to the wikipost will be most gratefully received!
stut
Moderator
UK & Ireland
Jun 6, 2019, 12:58 am
#187
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Came through MAN T3 yesterday with my wife, both on US passports. Short line to get to a gate. My passport was accepted OK, the wife’s was rejected. Guy she saw at the desk was very pleasant, said he didn’t know why hers was rejected. While we waited for a gate I would guess the rejection rate was about 15%.
Landed at 10:45am and it was the quickest we have ever got through T3.
Landed at 10:45am and it was the quickest we have ever got through T3.
Jun 12, 2019, 8:32 am
#188
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Same for me this morning, 7.00 am at T3. There was a long line before being able to access the snake barriers and finally a wait of 6 deep for each machine. There's a bunch of AA arrivals at that time, so I suppose it's to be expected.
Jun 12, 2019, 9:00 pm
#189
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Roughly 10-11am on a recent Monday morning at LHR T3, virtually no wait to get through an e-gate. ^
ETA - I was able to get a FastTrack voucher from VS cabin crew, but didn't use it.
ETA - I was able to get a FastTrack voucher from VS cabin crew, but didn't use it.
Last edited by ijgordon; Jun 13, 2019 at 9:51 am
Jun 13, 2019, 2:44 am
#190
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As a non-EU passport holder, I am concerned about this too. At T3, admission to the Fast Track queue is by invitation only (as opposed to T5, where the BP suffices). If the cabin crew no longer distribute landing cards, will we now have to ask the purser for the invitation? And will they still have them available?!?
Jun 14, 2019, 9:17 am
#191
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T3 at the end of the evening is better for most US passport users than it was before. It's not better for EU passport users than it was before, and it's not necessarily better for those who have been entitled to use Fast Track.
T5 is T5, but seems to be at least as slight improvement so far for those not entitled to use Fast Track there.
The major summer hassles for border crossings haven't hit yet, as the summer peak in family travel with young children has yet to happen.
T5 is T5, but seems to be at least as slight improvement so far for those not entitled to use Fast Track there.
The major summer hassles for border crossings haven't hit yet, as the summer peak in family travel with young children has yet to happen.
Jun 18, 2019, 3:24 am
#192
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Jun 18, 2019, 5:10 am
#193
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But the missed point is that it was not yet the peak traffic at LHR for families with young children to fully apply the weight of what it means for the worst slowdowns even in the event of no electronic system irregularities to cross into the UK at LHR.
Jun 18, 2019, 6:28 am
#194
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At LHR and indeed all EU airports that have E-gates, the staff are very quick to move families away from those gates. It happens every day, all day.
Jun 18, 2019, 6:39 am
#195
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As a data point, I came through T2 at LHR today at approximately 0830 and there were no queues at all, and as far as I could see, all the e-passport gates were open.
Last edited by Silver Fox; Jun 19, 2019 at 12:42 am