LHR No Way Back

Came across a strange situation this week whilst travelling out of LHR T5.

I had purchased some pastes & sauces whilst visiting London and had meant to check my carry-on bag when arriving at the airport as I knew these items wouldn’t pass the liquids test. However, I only remembered once I had scanned my boarding pass at Fast Track security and taken exactly one step through the automated gates.

I then said to the person who is stationed at the gates that I need to exit as I forgot to check my bag as it contains liquids. She said I could not and had to talk to security. They advised there is “no way back” as I was now mixed with other passengers from connecting international flights and UK law (not airport security) prevents passengers from exiting once they’ve passed boarding pass control.

Therefore, security said “the only way is forward” and that I would have to give up the liquids that were not permitted. Although always frustrating, I understand the liquids rule, but thought the other one was a little strange. Technically, I hadn’t passed into the secure airside area. In many airports, I had actually passed through security and they still let me back out (for example if I had forgotten something on the other side).

I am sure I have seen passengers being given the option to return airside when expensive perfume or other liquids were left inside hand luggage in T5.

If you have completed security are airside in the secure area you can’t just wander out. You have to go through UK Border. Normally there is a designated route or escort system to take you back out the terminal.

If you are still within the security area you can usually return to check in, you often hear them giving people the option to return and check things in. The attendant will reset the system so your BP will work when you return. If there is a temporary passport check (which UKBA sometimes do) it is always after security as you enter the departures area.

It can’t be a UK law,because at EDI you can be airside waiting to board an international flight and head down the escalator ,past the policeman at the bottom straight past the carousels and your outside .

Delayed flights and mates who are smoke fiends have traversed this route umpteen times. Also seen it done at Gatwick for same reason

I experienced the same thing at T3 a few years ago (at the scanner, before entering the securre area) and the security supervisor (a real prat of a harridan) was adamant that I couldn’t go out, so I got out my cell and dialled 999. (I needed to go out,becuase they wanted to confiscate something that was stated as being okay in hand luggage on the BAA website and I decided to post it home from the T3 post office.)

Funny how that changed the rules and I was allowed to go out.

The escort system at T5 is still there.

You can’t just wander out at LGW either, the exit route takes you back to UK Border where you are checked.

I have never been to Edinburgh, but either it is misleading or they are breaking the law. You can return out whilst in security to recheck items but not once through and in departures. The simple reason for this is that the international departures area of any UK airport could contain people in transit who have no entitlement to be in UK. If people could wander out unchecked the whole world would want to transit at Edinburgh as a means of avoiding border controls, it would be obvious and the loophole would have been long since closed.

Which law is it breaking ?!