getting airside at heathrow

[brs planespotter]

excuse me ladies and gents,myself and 2 work colleagues all hold full airside passes at brs.we were wondering if there was anychance of getting on to the ramp at heathrow too do some spotting.at brs we get limited a/c,airlines and we would like a day somewhere different!any info would be greatly appreciated,thank you,brs planespotter:ok:

[747-436]

I don't think any airside passes work at any airport, and going 'planespotting' airside would definatly not get you anywhere.

I think your best bet for Heathrow would be from the landside side of the perimeter fence.

[Skipness One Echo]

If you were to ask the wrong person, I have no doubt you would recieve a visit from Plod. Airside access is a privilige to used gained when in accordance with your duties under contract to an approved employer, not for watching planes.

An airside pass holder should be savvy enough to know that, also requesting airside access for such a reason is going to set alarms off in no end of places these days I'm afraid.

[hellsbrink]

I don't think Bristol is a BAA/Ferrovial airport, so I doubt you could get your pass transferred like a Gatwick->Heathrow transfer. Even then, I believe there has to be a valid employment reason, and a few days watching 4 and 20 Virgins (but not from Inverness) would not be a valid reason.

[simonchowder]

Are you on drugs or what? , could you really in all seriousness see someone being given airside access at LHR in the current climate for no other reason than they want to go spotting , get real please.:ugh::ugh::ugh:

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

simonchowder...... Well said that man. I'm a life-long spotter and was a controller at Heathrow for many years but wouldn't have dreamt to go airside for such trivial purpose - and I could have done!

[tigger2k8]

no chance

only people who are employed by the airport and companies within should be airside (as well as passengers walking to and from aircraft)

[LH2]

no chance

Well, not so fast. You could always join an environmental protest group... no problems getting airside then :bored:


(Ah, so this isn't Jet Blast? Apologies)

[Avman]

Although I agree that the chances would be virtually nil, I see the righteous brigade are at it again. Strange that one sees photos taken airside by enthusiasts who happen to work at or operate through LHR. One of them is a B747 Captain who wangles rides with the airfield ops guys!!! :eek: Instead of attacking brs planespotter why not attack the Heathrow airport authorities for not having any common sense and provide a facility. Oh and pellease don't start about SECURITY. Plenty other major airports around Europe manage the two perfectly well.

[The SSK]

Why not ask your employers to request from LHR that they organise a familiarisation visit for you? Put it to them in a positive way, that you are broadening your understanding of the job and willing to do it in your own time and at your own expense. LHR will probably say no but your employer might not - and at the least you'll get brownie points for your initiative.

In the past month I've been in a group given an airside tour of a 'sensitive' international airport, and I've also, as a passenger, seen a group being given an airside tour of a major internationak hub. So all kinds of things are possible.

[simonchowder]

Its just not going to happen ,last thing you need is droves of gormless spotters wandering around airside, getting themselves sucked into engines and generally creating mayhem

[Hotel Tango]

The last thing we need are stupid statements from gormless contract managers who haven't got a clue what they're talking about. It's no problem when it's an organised escorted tour. We do them at my place of work. And for your information, lots of "gormless" spotters work at airports/in ATC/for airlines (both as C/C and F/D crew).

[smudgethecat]

Im reliably informed any gormless spotter who does make the epic journey from fan blade to turbine blade will be assured a place in the spotters valhalla no questions asked

However on a serious note the ramps a dangerous place to be when you know what your doing and not really the place for a bunch of spotters to be bimbling around, airports are not theme parks at the end of the day, having said that i cannot see any reason why major airports cannot set aside a safe landside area with reasonable views of the action for our spotting friends to enjoy their hobby