eulalie

Another update, for the interested.
Just transited from T1(Finnair ) arrival to United depature on T3. Touchdown of finnair to entering RCC took about 1 hour--not too bad.
Lots of lines at security, but they were moving quickly enough. The terminal was very hot, though!
My time through included getting a boarding pass for United, so its maybe its about 20 minutes more than the last time I did this..
But, be careful around tight connections, though. The security time seems to vary widely, and seems to be whats causing delays sometimes.
carry-on size is being strictly enforced on the outbound from LHR--only 1 laptop type bag.

Uniter

So there aren't two BMI lounges in T1! What's really annoying to me is that the BMI system still tells you to "wait in lounge" until your flight is ready to board. They haven't updated it yet. If we'd waited until our flight was boarding, we would most certainly have missed it. Bottom line -- if you're waiting in the BMI lounge in T1, you need to get out of there at least an hour before your flight BOARDING time.

snic

There are 2 bmi lounges in T1, one for the domestic UK section and one for the international section. It's been a while since I used the domestic one, but a couple of days ago you certainly didn't have to leave the international bmi lounge anywhere close to 1 hr prior to departure. I left about 30 min before, and they started boarding 5 min later. Of course the gate was right next to the lounge, so no walking time. But even the other international gates can't be more than a 10-20 min walk from the lounge.

(Of course, they didn't announce boarding of my flight in the lounge; I just figured it was time and left.)

SkiAdcock

I'm flying LAX-SFO-LHR-AMS w/ a 2.30 connection time from UA to BMI & on the return 2.20 connection AMS-LAX-LHR - normally that's enough time to get through FCC & a drink - now it sounds like I'll barely be making the flights??? Is it faster to exit & connect landside security or go through FCC? I leave Tues am, so any input appreciated. Cheers.

PS - I'm not as worried about the way over since BMI has flights after mine to AMS, but I am a bit concerned on the return & connecting to UA935...

UncleDude

As Far as I am aware you can still Lock you Bagggage for the LHR-IAD sector, so your cell-phone should be safe.

After collecting at IAD unlock you bags as required by the TSA..remove the cell-phone and then you have it available for use before rechecking you bag for the IAD-CRW sector.

UrbaneGent

My Dear Fellow FTer's:

I've thought about you all so much these past two weeks - I've been in E. Africa and hadn't had access to a computer.

All my questions about going through LHR remained a mystery, now I have been enlightened with personal knowledge....

I'll make it quick:

ORD-LHR was a breeze. I had medication, nasal spray, etc. in my carry on, and no one asked a word.

LHR-FRA, I fast-tracked it and again, no issues.

FRA-ADD (LH) - No luggage. I had to endure ten days of my wife as LH made our lives hell. We left early and ended up purchasing a one way, full-fare C class on BA from Nairobi to LHR for an extra $5000.00 - has anyone EVER tried to find contact lens solution in Addis? The unused tickets can be used up to a year...we couldn't find space on SAA.

NBO-LHR: We went through security THREE times, twice at the entry of the gate of departure and then a few steps away, right before the doors of the airplane. My poor wife, the second screening (the first at the gate), opened everything up and let her keep her things. Steps away, the third screening, whatever small things she purchased to hold her over was taken away from her, including the contact lens solution. Had it not been for her putting a small bottle under her breast, she would have had big problems. This was even AFTER she put the solution in her eyes in front of the security guys.

LHR: Remember those "your hand luggage must fit in this" kiosks at the airports? It was metal and like a box? Well, Heathrow has now put WOOD inside of that and it is now much smaller. My BACKPACK did not fit into the space until I took out a date book (which was then became my second, small acceptable carry on).

Here they took any remaining liquids (and dignity) away. Including a bottle with 1/5 of liquid dial.

So, for those of you who are thinking of going through LHR...they are VERY strict about the size of your bags. Otherwise they won't let you through.

And as a fellow FTer mentioned, we had the entire second back of C class to ourselves...I got seven pillows to make a nice bed and sleep the time home.

UG

PS Still no bags

1k-all-the-way

The bmi lounge at term 1 is weird. I have had to go through security again and almost miss my flight too. Problem is if you go left when you exit the lounge you exit the secure area and are fed back into FCC security line. If you turn right yougo to the gate and have a 5 minute walk.

UrbaneGent

Even the F/A's have to check their bags from LHR to US locations...

I JUST arrived today from LHR and here's my story. The lines are long (if you can fast track it somehow, that would be better...or transfer at 6am), they STRICTLY enfore the size rule, they do go through every medication and liquid...They took a 1/5 bottle of liquid Dial soap!

It was miserable. To everyone going through LHR, good luck! (and I was on a C ticket too).

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=597893

Safe Travels,

UG

TonyBurr

OP< you have had quite a horrible experience!!!! I cannot begin to imagine what it was like.

I am in Heathrow now (SAS lounge, not the horrible United lounge). I am on a 12:50 PM flgith LHR-ORD in C. I heard the horror stories, so came out very early,

Check in with Untied - About 5 minutes. Checked big bag, carried brief case (No real lines even for Y)

Fast Track - About 15 minutes. Not a long line, just loads of dump passengers who waited until they got to the x-ray befire they began taking things off. The non Fast Track was longer.

Even in that time I could see the lines were starting to form, so I would say DO NOT think you only need half an hour to do all this. I was early in the morning. I am sure it gets a lot worse as the morning goes on. I woudl rather be here doing internet. drinking coffee with four hourws to wait, then weaiting four hours on line by getting here later.

Uniter

This is really weird ... you can't have to go through security again (like I did as well). There must be another BMI lounge in T1 that you're supposed to use instead. I'll ask 'em over the BMI forum.

1k-all-the-way

You don't HAVE to but if you exit tot he left, yo sort of accidentally enter a hallway that takes you up to the FCC and then you're trapped. I really think that's what happened as it has happened to me too!

redburgundy

It looks like LH arrives at terminal 2 and UA departs from terminal 3.
It looks like one can either take a bus from the flight connection center at terminal 2, or take an underground walkway.
If those are the two options, which one is preferable under current conditions?

SkiAdcock

If the underground walkway is what I'm thinking of you're going landside & need to clear security at T3 again. If you're doing FCC once you clear it then it's easy to do the bus. The question (which I also had) is which will be faster - go landside or stay w/ FCC...Cheers.

SkiAdcock

Transited 9/6/06. Wheels down at 7:20am, taxi & off plane 7:30 UA to BMI. Walk, then bus, then FCC, then BMI Diamond Lounge - walked into Diamond Lounge 8:15am. 45minutes total.

They had multiple gauges for people to put their bags in, and as been reported are strict about it. Some bizness folk had very wide cases & were arguing, but weren't getting anywhere that I could tell.

I tried sneaking through a lip gloss in sock. Worked at LAX, but alas for some reason I alarmed at FCC, so it was found. Drat! And then when I went through again no alarm - sigh...I liked that lip gloss...next time I'd just leave it in the laptop case w/ the cables. Doubt if it would have been found then.

The security lady just before heading into the BMI lounge asked if I knew which gate I was continuing on (wasn't posted yet) & said just want to give you a heads up that if it's gate x & above you'll have to go through security again. I said is it long, and she said no it's the station right behind me.

As it turns out I turned right to Gate 16, which was next to BMI lounge so didn't have to do that.

Uniter

You're so lucky! It would have been nice for them to have given me a heads up ... plus, we left even before boarding began and STILL almost missed out flight. BMI ... *grumble*

Lounge was nice, though.

PS Sorry about your lip gloss. They took my peanut butter!