[HighlandTraveller]

Sorry if I have missed this…

On Tuesday I was flying WIC-EDI-LHR-HEL in J. On EDI-LHR leg the first officer came out and gave a message to Purser who came and spoke to me in 1C to tell me that a car and driver would be waiting on the airbridge for me at LHR. This was a surprise because I expected to have to transfer T5 to T3 (I had 1 Hour 45 to do so). Sure enough on the airbridge a man with my name on a screen who checked my passport. Straight down into car with newspapers etc. Told was being taken straight to lounge in T3. Was walked in to First Lounge. Told it was/is pilot scheme and is also used if having to go T5A to T5B/C. Don’t know if I got because of J or BA Gold. Good service though…a good news BA story…hope they keep it!

[Cheeryguy]

I was chatting to a couple last night. They had a similar experience, met from a delayed flight from MAN and driven to their SIN flight…T5A to T5C. She was a QF Emerald and very impressed.

[Nogbad01]

did you bypass T3 security then?

If so, what a great service. I hate that they make you go through security again when transferring T5-T3 and (IMHO) the T3 security staff are the worst I have encountered. I watched one moronic individual verbally abuse a passenger who clearly was very confused and probably didnt speak English. Appalling!

[mkcol74]

Here’s the Business Traveller piece on this.

[bluemooner]

This is good service, I agree.
Is there a special similar service, where there is a short transfer period, for the baggage in the hold or does one arrive at the find destination to find you have no luggage?

[openfly]

Interesting that security can be skipped.

[StephenLondon]

I thought there was no security when transiting from a domestic UK flight, n’est-ce pas?

Nice idea helping people with a premium transfer. The problem comes when people start to expect it and it fails to happen, especially when facing a tight connection.

[rodders]

I have on all my recent arrivals into LHR been met at the jetway and whisked to T5A by car, and then met at the door of T5A and escorted to the staff passport lane, very nice indeed, hope it continues…..I am GGL for Life which maybe the reason, but either way its much appreciated.

[Gold-2K]

This seems to be working really well and hoping they continue. I haven’t experienced the car transfer yet although have done loads of long haul over the last couple of months in First. “Rodders” I am also GGL for life so I guess they just like you more than me ….. haha! I will try and cope with the rejection.

The first priority bag delivery has worked well for me. The one really crappy part of the premium service is when travelling First and departing T5 on bus from the dreaded Gate 10. Just awful. Would be great if they could figure out a solution to that and offer a better boarding service to those sitting in the pointy end.

[DavidArnold]

Hi Gold 2K l completely agree with you regarding the Bus from A10 to the B or C gates especially as my regulaf jaunts to Doha with Qatar have those lovely armchair transfers from the FC lounge to the aircraft. Must say the last few T5 baggage arrivals have worked well for me with the Priority Tags so no complaints with BA there.

[esselle]

Interesting.

I’ve never been bussed on a QR flight from LHR; the aircraft are normally parked at a gate close to the lounge. But agree with the sentiment though. Flying from DXB or DOH in F or J you get a bus dedicated to your cabin. Unlike the BA cattle trucks at LHR.

[DavidArnold]

I did mean from Doha to the aircraft where a large MPV takes you direct to the door. Wonderful service without a massive scrum such as A10 to the B/C gates at LHR T5.

My apologies Esselle for any grammatical error as enjoying a couple of glasses of wine at the time. Must drink water when writing from now on.

[Lowflier]

I experienced the BA taxi when flying Aberdeen-Dubai earlier this year.
I was due to fly BA from Aberdeen at 1725 and then Qantas T3 at 2045 (before they returned to stopping at Singapore) so a wee bit tighter connection but achievable. It was windy and LHR flights were delayed.
The inbound to Aberdeen was late and we departed at perhaps 1815 with the Captain profusely apologising and saying he would try to make up time etc which he did … and then of course we were stacked for a while prior to landing. While we were going in circles a crew member told me not to go up the airbridge but to go down the steps and there would be mysterious transport waiting for me to take me to T3. This changed the prospect of an almost impossible dash to blissful relief. We arrived at the stand around 1945-ish so the next flight would still be do-able with this assistance. However….
The poor captain announced there was a vehicle in the way and somebody had to be found to move it. Eventually somebody moved it.
The plane moved into place and the airbridge started to move ….. then stopped. The captain soon announced that it was broken and that steps had to be found. (It sounded like the air was blue in the cockpit at this point!) Eventually steps arrived and there was a scrum to exit!
I got off the plane at 1915 and sure enough there was a waiting minibus complete with a man holding a sign. It turned out there were two of us on the flight in a similar situation – the other guy continuing to Perth I think.
After the checking of passports and asking if we were carrying large quantities of cash, we were were whisked to airside T3 (as we were already security cleared through ABZ) and the driver escorted us up into the terminal (so we didn’t get lost). One Olympic sprint later we were the last on QF2 with 7 minutes to spare.
I was delighted with BA for doing this especially as I was connecting to a QF flight. I am only BA silver and was travelling up the back of the bus so suspect the other man may well have been a GCH / flying biz or, alternatively, it may actually have been common sense since the cost of accommodating two passengers and then re-routing them the next day would be costly. On returning home i was forced to send a positive comment and thank-you to BA.
As footnote to this, when i arrived at Dubai I almost went directly to the baggage claim counter since there was no way my checked-in bag could have made it to T3 however I thought I better follow procedure and wait and see – and miraculously it arrived!

[AlanOrton1]

@Lowflier – the fact your luggage arrived is miraculous, the airline gods must have been smiling on you that evening! Good story and well played BA, credit where it is due.

[Niraj]

Hello,

Security is NOT skipped, you are taken by van.

BA Staff

[Author]

Posts