Unusual EGLL arrivals
On a couple of occasions recently as a PAX into LHR, I've been treated to what I thought may have been unusual approach tracks onto 09L and 27R.
On a shuttle flight from EDI we flew the normal Wescott, Bovingdon arrival and left Bovingdon after one hold as per normal. I noticed though that we seemed to be neither heading SE over the city to join the 27s or SW out over Berkshire to join the 09s; instead we seemed to be tracking pretty much South and were not leaving FL70 either.
We then preceeded to overfly LHR and turned right to pick up the southerly downwind leg for 09L -we then decscended and joined the pattern as per an OCK or BIG arrival.
I had similar experience on a return flight from SFO into LHR where we appeared to be making the usual OCK arrival then turned left, overflew LHR and joined the Northerly downwind track for 27R.
Is this SOP? - I wondered whether it was to minimise controller workload? Noise? - both flights were arriving at peak times which puzzled me even further.
I'm curious to understand when and why these approached are flown.
Cheers