Times: "Behind the scenes at Heathrow"

[Pax Vobiscum]

See Times2 (16-Aug-07) - this link should be good for 7 days.

An interesting article, if a bit of publicity puff for BAA. The following caught my eye, however:

91 per cent of Heathrow’s passengers waited less than 10 minutes to get through security in July, and that figure has not dropped below 95 per cent in August.

according to Greg Ward, the operations director.

Now, I can't recall ever queueing for less than 10 minutes (under the new arrangements, anyway) - whether it's been 06:00, 12:00 or 18:00. Perhaps I've just been unlucky - what has been other's experience?

[Bangkokeasy]

T3 last Friday afternoon we got through "security", including seperate shoe scan and passport check on the way out within 10 mins. Admitedly, this was "fast track", but not having done it for nearly a year, it was noticeable there were more staff in evidence and the checks were both faster and less picky. It's not yet world class, and I can't say it is a pleasant experience, but improvements are there to see.

[whitezebra]

My recent early morning flights through T1 have seen delays at security of about 10 mins, even with four or five lanes closed. No problem. Delays at BA check in have been 60 mins plus and seem to be increasing. Last trip outbound, about three weeks ago, BA staff blamed security, followed by baggage handling followed by staff training, follwed by pax checking in too early. Someone also suggested that the number of people using online check in was causing problems. Travelling again next wednesday, hopefully.

EDITED 23.08.07
Flew from T1 yesterday 7-30AM. 35 minutes from Avis rental return to departure lounge. Excellent.

[CHIVILCOY]

My last time through a couple of weeks ago after check in went very swiftly.

Although the FCC has always been the main problem and still is.

[Leezyjet]

I went through T1 a few weeks back for a 17.30 flight, on a Friday Afternoon on a day with horrendous delays (the day of the torrential rain that caused local flooding in London) and I was through within 10-15 minutes with laptop out of bag, shoes off, mandatory groping etc.
All lanes were fully manned in the Domestic entrance. Pretty good and efficient service from the BAA.

[Final 3 Greens]

I went through T1 a few weeks back for a 17.30 flight, on a Friday Afternoon on a day with horrendous delays (the day of the torrential rain that caused local flooding in London) and I was through within 10-15 minutes with laptop out of bag, shoes off, mandatory groping etc.

All lanes were fully manned in the Domestic entrance. Pretty good and efficient service from the BAA.

I went through the same day, T4 Fast Track, for a 2030 flight, full fare business class ticket.

It took ages to get through, with only one of the two tracks open and the attitude of one of the staff members with a lady in front of me left something to be desired.

This is the trouble with BAA - inconsistency.

[HZ123]

If it is all so good why are there so many critics. What about arrivals there seems to be no mention of Immigration time 30 minutes and baggage up to an hour on a good day. That has been my experience in the last 2-3 weeks at LHR and LGW.

[13Alpha]

I try to avoid Heathrow in general but in recent visits (to T1 and T4), time queueing for security or for immigration hasn't been too bad. Going through security is definitely a hassle with all the shoes-off, laptops-out, polly bags-for-liquids routine - but it hasn't taken a lot of time.

More of an issue in getting through the airport smoothly and quickly have been:

o Queues for "fast" bag drop-off
o Delays in baggage arriving (I suppose I should be grateful it arrived at all )
o Flights landing on time or early but made up to 30 mins late due to gate unavailability
o Parking on remote stands and having to wait for buses
o Delays due to other delays (missing a take-off / landing slot and having to wait for another)

At least some of the above are not BAA's fault so maybe they are taking more blame than they deserve. And in fact flying from Heathrow with airlines other than BA seems to go more smoothly...

Security queues at Stansted (and Gatwick S Terminal) are a different story though

(Although maybe that's because there are more pax who only fly once a year and don't know the rules).

13Alpha

[Pax Vobiscum]

Thanks for all the input. All my current clients are in London and so I haven't needed to use LHR for a few months (for this relief much thanks). It sounds as though there may have been an improvement in security handling over the last month or two.

If Greg Ward has a target of 90% within 10 minutes then I would guess (a precise estimate would require a knowledge of the variance of security processing times) that the average queueing time would need to be around 5 minutes, which would be rather impressive compared to my prior experience.

There's always a danger in a reward system that's focused too closely on a single target. As 13Alpha rightly points out, what pax (at least, this one!) really want to know is how long it takes between walking in through the terminal doors and entering the departure lounge, and the security queueing time is just one part (albeit a significant one) of this process.

[MarcJF]

Went through T1 Thursday morning, very smooth, no more than five minutes at 7am. It was busy but lots of staff on and as has been said before less picky.

On the flip side, came back via Madrid Friday. Was with a colleague who was ahead of me. They didn't question (on her) laptop in bag, tweezers, lighter or fluids. Also bought sunglasses that came with a screwdriver - nasty little weapon if anyone ever decided to use it that way. Guess the rules must be different in Spain.

[Grasscarp]

Russian experience

Came back from St Petersburg last week. Got to the airport 2.5 hours before flight and needed almost all of that to get from entrance to the gate. Queue started outside the terminal. Eventually gets to one of two doors into security about an hour later. Through security itself relatively quickly. All pile into crowded room for check in. Everybody has to climb through the first lines to get to whatever check in they want. Complete chaos. Next queue for passport control. Each person takes an age. Then queue for the communal entrance to gates. Once through to gate get on bus to the plane, only our driver went first to the wrong plane..... Believe me Heathrow isnt so bad!