clearing Security as operating crew departing EGLL

[Philip Mew]

Can I clear Security in Terminal 2 when in uniform and operating the flight ?

The reason for this question : my wife will stay in London on her own for a few days between back to back 2 day layovers. We would like to get to Terminal 2 earlier and separately from my crew, then accompany my wife through the check in process, then clear Security at Terminal 2, through a separate queue from my wife I am guessing.

In the recent past, crew members have stayed with friends of family in the London area, and so enroute from EGLL to the hotel, they get off the bus and we see them the next day on board the aircraft. Since they are not at the hotel for pick up, I surmise that the only way they could have got to the aircraft is by clearing Security on their own at Terminal 2.

For crew members with EGLL as their home base, is clearing Security at Terminal 2 an SOP ?

I've been flying out of EGLL since 1979, and believe you me, if there is one place in the world where I want to know if what I want to do will get me into trouble or not, it's EGLL.

Any reason I cannot ?

[hobbit1983]

Why not call up Heathrow and ask, rather than posting questions about details of security procedures on a public forum?

[Odins Raven]

Lots of uk airports have the option for crews go throUgh a security gate at the airport fence rather Than the terminal.... MAN being one.

It's absolutely fine for you to use the normal channels in the terminal - just that it's quicker for the crew bus to take you through the fence straight on to the apron.. Would clear it with your company first though ;-)

[Johnny F@rt Pants]

Just ask security when you arrive.

And delete as much of your post that relates to how you get through security as possible, any old Tom Dick or Harry could be looking in!

[Philip Mew]

I did indeed ask when departing EGLL 3 days ago - no definitive answer that day.

I then called from home twice - one yes, one no.

[ExSp33db1rd]

Years before 9/11 I tried to accompany my 8 yr. old son through the then less restrictive pax security at Terminal 3 - he was flying with me. The Jobsworth refused my entry, telling me that I had to use a distant crew gate where all I needed was an ID pass, no crew invasive search in those days.

I watched my son go through, then shouted to him to remain where he was, and ultimately rejoined him on the other side. I then went back to the passenger jobsworth and told him that I could have gone down to the ground, walked across to my aircraft, climbed the stairs and walked back through the passenger channels and .... hit him from the other side.

A Colleague took his wife in a crew car which went through the staff tunnel on the other, cargo, side of Heathrow, and she was denied passage by another jobsworth, no amount of explanation, or sight of her ticket and passport satisfied this clown, and eventually he complained that the crew car was blocking the coach from Woking station, which operated a rail/air link in those days. He then said that the wife had to get out of the car, into the bus, go through the tunnel, then get out of the bus and back into the car ! This is what she had to do.

Had I still been flying I would have been in Guantanamo Bay in an orange jump suit years ago, I couldn't have put up with all this nonsense that crew have to put up with, who are then given a multi-million pound flying bomb to do what they like with - Germanair, anyone ?

I wouldn't mind if it was all doing some good, but we all know that the Bad Boys will do precisely what they want to do, precisely when they want to do it.

Best of Luck, World's Gone Mad.

I then called from home twice - one yes, one no.
Standard practice, ask two people and get four answers. Those Of A Certain Age need no longer remove shoes departing USA airports now. Recently at LAX an over large, female, African American - that'll upset the sexist, racist, fatty fluffy-huggers, but is a statement of fact - ordered me to remove my shoes, I refused on the grounds that I was over 75, as per the large, posted, notice - can't she read ? No, she said, that's for Domestic flights, you're International, get 'em off. I chose not to say, Ah ! the notice doesn't say that, so it's OK for geriatrics to shoe-bomb Domestic flights but not International ones, then ? ( see my remarks about G/Bay ! ) I subsequently sought out her supervisor who agreed with me that she was wrong - but no apology.

[gatbusdriver]

Made me chuckle!

Can you start a weekly column?

[Piltdown Man]

There are no security secrets in the UK. Judging by the treatment we receive, we are considered to be the greatest threats to aviation. We are cut no slack, have to comply with every pointless procedure and do as we are shouted at. So if you have a ticket, go through the departure lane used by passengers. You will soon be shouted at for something or other and be told you should have known better. And when you do the same an hour/week/month later, the rules will have changed. Just smile and wave.

PM

[ExSp33db1rd]

........we are considered to be the greatest threats to aviation.........

Remember my tale of a colleague in the crew inspection room at the old Hong Kong Kai Tak ? Crew inspection interrupted by some drama on the apron, and a Swat team of soldiers were called for, the security girl stood every one of them on her little stool and waved her metal-detector wand around them, which went bananas at all the metal guns, bayonets, grenades etc. they were carrying. When they had all been passed through without question, my colleague asked - " Just what were you looking for ?" No answer.

[Max Angle]

A few airlines that operate at T2 have (or used to have) LHR based cabin crew so they must have a method of getting operating crew airside apart from using the bus channels.

Perhaps ask your LHR station manager if they could print you a boarding card and then just go through the pax. channel with her, could be the simplest solution.