Fast Track at London Heathrow
Sep 22, 2013, 4:49 am
#31
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: IAH
Programs: UA-1k, AA-EP, HH-D, Marriott-G,HPass-PL, Avis-Pres, Hertz-Pres
Posts: 95
Received a FastTrack invitation on board 921 IAH-LHR in BF on Tuesday 9/17.
The line for FastTrack was slower than molasses. The standard queues were far faster. Colleague beat me to reclaim by 10 minutes via the standard queue.
The line for FastTrack was slower than molasses. The standard queues were far faster. Colleague beat me to reclaim by 10 minutes via the standard queue.
Sep 22, 2013, 5:05 am
#32
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: UA 1K/MM, EK Gold, CX Silver
Posts: 880
Available when not needed
It's not UA's fault, but I have invariably received a pass only when normal queues were minimal, or when fast track was closed.
Same thing with BA. BA used to give them to Gold in Y, don't know if they still do. If I was travelling in UA Y I wouldn't hesitate to flash a 1K card and ask for one. They aren't numbered or anything so FA is not accountable...
Same thing with BA. BA used to give them to Gold in Y, don't know if they still do. If I was travelling in UA Y I wouldn't hesitate to flash a 1K card and ask for one. They aren't numbered or anything so FA is not accountable...
Sep 22, 2013, 7:20 am
#33
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Houston
Programs: UA - 1K, Marriott - Gold, Hilton - Gold, Global Entry,
Posts: 633
The problem is that they only have 2 desks for the fast track line. If there are issues or complications you are down to 1 desk. At least on the standard lines, they eventually bring out a lot of UKBA staff and if somebody shuts down one line, you still have a dozen other desks moving people through. I've generally found at T4 that the fast track isn't much of a real benefit because the lines more relatively quick. Flying BA into T5 or a *A flight into T1 can be a different story though.
Sep 22, 2013, 8:11 am
#34
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: near to SFO and LHR
Programs: BA Gold, B6 Mosiac, VS, AA, DL (and a legacy UA 2MM)
Posts: 2,274
A Formula to Use
This is true, 2 desks maximum for Fast Track in Terminal 1.
My formula: Fast Track coupon in hand, I briskly walk toward the woman collecting the coupons, and look at the length of the fast track queue. Before arriving at the entry to the queue, I also count the "lanes" in the "normal" queue to my right. If it is more than 2 lanes deep, I continue to fast track - if less than 2 lanes, I suddenly veer off and join the normal queue, and save the coupon for next time. (a "lane" is about 20 people). This favours saving the coupon for next time I'm stuck in coach.
If the normal queue is more than 2 lanes, I do the following calculation, where "FTQ" = Fast Track queue , and "NQL" = Normal Queue lanes:
If (FTQ/3) < NQL, I use the Fast Track, otherwise use the normal queue.
This is a strategy that often works, but can also fail miserably if many people in the normal queus front of you require extensive "interviews". Further study required...
My formula: Fast Track coupon in hand, I briskly walk toward the woman collecting the coupons, and look at the length of the fast track queue. Before arriving at the entry to the queue, I also count the "lanes" in the "normal" queue to my right. If it is more than 2 lanes deep, I continue to fast track - if less than 2 lanes, I suddenly veer off and join the normal queue, and save the coupon for next time. (a "lane" is about 20 people). This favours saving the coupon for next time I'm stuck in coach.
If the normal queue is more than 2 lanes, I do the following calculation, where "FTQ" = Fast Track queue , and "NQL" = Normal Queue lanes:
If (FTQ/3) < NQL, I use the Fast Track, otherwise use the normal queue.
This is a strategy that often works, but can also fail miserably if many people in the normal queus front of you require extensive "interviews". Further study required...
Sep 22, 2013, 9:06 am
#35
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: EWR, PHL
Programs: UA1k 3MM, AA Plt, peasant on everybody else, elite something or other at a bunch of hotels.
Posts: 4,637
This is true, 2 desks maximum for Fast Track in Terminal 1.
My formula: Fast Track coupon in hand, I briskly walk toward the woman collecting the coupons, and look at the length of the fast track queue. Before arriving at the entry to the queue, I also count the "lanes" in the "normal" queue to my right. If it is more than 2 lanes deep, I continue to fast track - if less than 2 lanes, I suddenly veer off and join the normal queue, and save the coupon for next time. (a "lane" is about 20 people). This favours saving the coupon for next time I'm stuck in coach.
If the normal queue is more than 2 lanes, I do the following calculation, where "FTQ" = Fast Track queue , and "NQL" = Normal Queue lanes:
If (FTQ/3) < NQL, I use the Fast Track, otherwise use the normal queue.
This is a strategy that often works, but can also fail miserably if many people in the normal queus front of you require extensive "interviews". Further study required...
My formula: Fast Track coupon in hand, I briskly walk toward the woman collecting the coupons, and look at the length of the fast track queue. Before arriving at the entry to the queue, I also count the "lanes" in the "normal" queue to my right. If it is more than 2 lanes deep, I continue to fast track - if less than 2 lanes, I suddenly veer off and join the normal queue, and save the coupon for next time. (a "lane" is about 20 people). This favours saving the coupon for next time I'm stuck in coach.
If the normal queue is more than 2 lanes, I do the following calculation, where "FTQ" = Fast Track queue , and "NQL" = Normal Queue lanes:
If (FTQ/3) < NQL, I use the Fast Track, otherwise use the normal queue.
This is a strategy that often works, but can also fail miserably if many people in the normal queus front of you require extensive "interviews". Further study required...
Sep 22, 2013, 10:50 am
#36
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,592
This is true, 2 desks maximum for Fast Track in Terminal 1.
My formula: Fast Track coupon in hand, I briskly walk toward the woman collecting the coupons, and look at the length of the fast track queue. Before arriving at the entry to the queue, I also count the "lanes" in the "normal" queue to my right. If it is more than 2 lanes deep, I continue to fast track - if less than 2 lanes, I suddenly veer off and join the normal queue, and save the coupon for next time. (a "lane" is about 20 people). This favours saving the coupon for next time I'm stuck in coach.
If the normal queue is more than 2 lanes, I do the following calculation, where "FTQ" = Fast Track queue , and "NQL" = Normal Queue lanes:
If (FTQ/3) < NQL, I use the Fast Track, otherwise use the normal queue.
This is a strategy that often works, but can also fail miserably if many people in the normal queus front of you require extensive "interviews". Further study required...
My formula: Fast Track coupon in hand, I briskly walk toward the woman collecting the coupons, and look at the length of the fast track queue. Before arriving at the entry to the queue, I also count the "lanes" in the "normal" queue to my right. If it is more than 2 lanes deep, I continue to fast track - if less than 2 lanes, I suddenly veer off and join the normal queue, and save the coupon for next time. (a "lane" is about 20 people). This favours saving the coupon for next time I'm stuck in coach.
If the normal queue is more than 2 lanes, I do the following calculation, where "FTQ" = Fast Track queue , and "NQL" = Normal Queue lanes:
If (FTQ/3) < NQL, I use the Fast Track, otherwise use the normal queue.
This is a strategy that often works, but can also fail miserably if many people in the normal queus front of you require extensive "interviews". Further study required...
The electronic gates take up to five times as long as the real person does, and at any one time, one of the three gates will be out of order. It's often much quicker to join the regular line.
BTW, it has been suggested to me that the electronic gates do not measure your biometrics at all, let alone compare them against the data on the chip in the passport. Rather, there's a human being in the room out back who is desperately trying to work out if your face on camera matches the photo in your passport. (In my case it's a very bad one — the original photo was fine but digitization deprived me of my hair and the outlines of my face are very nebulous!)
Sep 22, 2013, 10:52 am
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,227
That incredibly long walk to and from the outer extremities of T1 is something that I do at least 10 times a year. I'm doing it twice in the next 3 weeks. 
It's one of the design factors that make LHR a Third World airport.
We are told that this distance will be much reduced when *A moves to T2 in 2014 (United is first off, in early June). Can't wait!
It's one of the design factors that make LHR a Third World airport.We are told that this distance will be much reduced when *A moves to T2 in 2014 (United is first off, in early June). Can't wait!
Calling it a design factor is totally ridiculous and absurd hyperbole.
Dec 30, 2013, 2:32 pm
#38
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: AGP/GIB
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA EXP
Posts: 358
Fast track Immigatration at LHR arrival hall for Star Gold flying United Economy
Title says it all. Can I fast track through Heathrow Immigration line as a Star Gold flying United economy. My experience is that the line is brutal around 10:00pm when the day flight from IAD lands and any chance I can mitigate that would be great
Thanks
Thanks
Dec 30, 2013, 2:38 pm
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,033
Fast track Immigatration at LHR arrival hall for Star Gold flying United Economy
I don't believe so. I think it is for business or first class travelers only.
Dec 30, 2013, 2:48 pm
#40
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: DCA or IAD (originally DUB)
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM, Hertz PC, Marriott Platinum/Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,657
Also, your question is moot in another way as I don't believe Fast Track is open at that hour of the evening.
Dec 30, 2013, 2:51 pm
#42
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,894
Your "Fast Track" pass is a small slip of paper that says "we invite you to fast track!". This small slip of paper will be passed out by flight attendants to passengers in the premium cabin. Sometimes if the flight is fairly empty there are reports that FAs may also hand out passes to elite passengers in coach, but I've never seen this happen.
The pass isn't always a great deal. In our experience maybe 50% of the time we have opted to use the "fast track" LHR line it has been slower than regular immigration (because they allocate fewer agents and we happen to get stuck behind an entire premium cabin's worth of passengers in the "fast" line). About 25% of the time, it's been a long journey and my other half is particularly grumpy about having to queue, which means that about 12.5% of the time it is an unhappy 20-minute queue experience.
Best thing you can do to reduce your queue time at LHR immigration arrivals is sit near one of the aircraft's doors and try to be one of the passengers to de-plane. Second best thing is to walk through a premium cabin on the way out & grab a discarded fast track pass next to someone's left-over amenity kit.
The pass isn't always a great deal. In our experience maybe 50% of the time we have opted to use the "fast track" LHR line it has been slower than regular immigration (because they allocate fewer agents and we happen to get stuck behind an entire premium cabin's worth of passengers in the "fast" line). About 25% of the time, it's been a long journey and my other half is particularly grumpy about having to queue, which means that about 12.5% of the time it is an unhappy 20-minute queue experience.
Best thing you can do to reduce your queue time at LHR immigration arrivals is sit near one of the aircraft's doors and try to be one of the passengers to de-plane. Second best thing is to walk through a premium cabin on the way out & grab a discarded fast track pass next to someone's left-over amenity kit.
Dec 30, 2013, 3:27 pm
#43
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Colorado
Programs: Lifetime UA 1K, Lifetime Hilton Diamond, Lifetime Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 1,261
The last time I landed in the UK I was the first coach person off the airplane. When I arrived at immigration the fast track line was very long but there wasn't anyone in the normal line. Apparently there were two flights that landed at the same time and all the F/C customers from both showed up in the fast track line at the same time.
Dec 31, 2013, 10:29 am
#44
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Tri Valley Area Northern CA
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 579
Earlier this month, I went into the Fast Track line, which had about 12-15 people. The line went very slowly as there was only 2 agents processing the Fast Track queue.
Meanwhile, the regular queue was processed very quickly. I believe there was 6-7 agents supporting the regular line.
After seeing 3 sets of regular passengers processed (i.e. arrive in line and processed), and having moved only a few people in the Fast Track line, I ducked below the stanchion and went into regular line. I was processed immediately.
In retrospect the process probably saved me only a few minutes, but it was annoying to be a such a slow queue. I thought the employees monitoring the lines, should have diverted some of the Fast Track queue to the regular queue.
Meanwhile, the regular queue was processed very quickly. I believe there was 6-7 agents supporting the regular line.
After seeing 3 sets of regular passengers processed (i.e. arrive in line and processed), and having moved only a few people in the Fast Track line, I ducked below the stanchion and went into regular line. I was processed immediately.
In retrospect the process probably saved me only a few minutes, but it was annoying to be a such a slow queue. I thought the employees monitoring the lines, should have diverted some of the Fast Track queue to the regular queue.
Dec 7, 2014, 9:25 am
#45
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: UA S, Marriott Gold (UA), Hertz PC (UA), HH Gold (cc), Avis PP, National EC Executive
Posts: 280
1) Does UA always give everyone in C and F a fast track coupon?
2) Are there any other perks like this that come with UA C/F (beyond the obvious meals, drinks, service, seats that you obviously get when you pay more)?
3) How often have elites in coach gotten coupons? I discovered the existence of fast track coupons because I befriended a FA on my LHR flight while in Y.
4) Do any other airports offer similar coupons?
2) Are there any other perks like this that come with UA C/F (beyond the obvious meals, drinks, service, seats that you obviously get when you pay more)?
3) How often have elites in coach gotten coupons? I discovered the existence of fast track coupons because I befriended a FA on my LHR flight while in Y.
4) Do any other airports offer similar coupons?