[Anonymous]

[travelwell]

Hi does anyone know if the IT problems with immigration at LHR have been fixed over night ? I am due to arrive at T5 this morning and want to know if there will be a 2 hr wait at passport control ? Thanks

[canucklad]

Still not resolved the IT issue but but now only worthy of a mention on the main and travel news as opposed to more in depth reports late last night

Seems that they’ve ramped up staffing levels to cope. Biz near normal at LHR apparently.

Above comments come along with the following warning. I’m currently lying in bed deciding whether to sneak another 30 minute kip or get up and pack my bags for Punchestown. Anyway good luck travelwell : )

[LuganoPirate]

Go for the extra 30 minutes kip Canucklad. May 1st so most of continental Europe is shut.

[SimonS1]

What has that to do with Punchestown?

[travelwell]

No more problems at heathrow now as of 9am may 1at. Was through in a blink of an eye

[JordanD]

Travelwell – where did you come in from?

Am just catching up with the board and came through T5 at around 0830hrs and was pleasantly surprised at the lack of queue in the EU passport holders lane.

(Still gets my gripe that UK passport holders can’t use Fast Track …)

[World78]

This was posted early on Wednesday evening when the delay occurred – a positive view for a change:

https://twitter.com/cbetta/status/461595366643998721
“To Heathrows credit it only took 20m to get me through customs. In the USA this would have taken an hour.”

[LuganoPirate]

JordanD

“(Still gets my gripe that UK passport holders can’t use Fast Track …)”

+ (a very big)1

[lostantipod]

“To Heathrows credit it only took 20m to get me through customs. In the USA this would have taken an hour.”

God bless sweeping generalisations. Not all US cities take an hour to get through customs, and by the same token, it took me 20 mins to get thru the inaptly named “fast track” when inbound in T5 last week – regular passport holders took longer. No IT issue – just a shortage of staffed Border Force booths.

[CXDiamond]

Is there any news on the cause of this failure?

[seasonedtraveller]

I arrive into LHR terminal 5 pretty much every 2 weeks from the USA for a connector the the North of the UK (I have a UK passport) and without a doubt, it’s been bloody awful.

I use the laughingly named ‘Fast Track’ – 2 weeks ago, there was no one manning fast track at all – people from other queues just headed to the front whilst we were just left standing there.

This week, Saturday morning around 0800 the Fast Track escalator was so full that there was a near disaster at the top as people literally had no where to go & began falling into each other at the top as more & more arrived on the ‘conveyor’ – dangerous indeed!

The Fast Track queue at the top of the escalator is normally much busier than the standard lanes BUT no one is there to help or guide non regulars through the system – doing this every 2 weeks, I have to say that LHR terminal 5 is one of the worst systems I have been through.

I will also add that my experiences of term 5 security lead me to believe that ‘rudeness to customers’ is part of the job description!

LHR really need to smarten up their act. Take for example Chicago O’Hare – if you are exiting (not connecting) the airport at ORD, there is a separate line for those like me, who have no checked baggage meaning you can be curbside 20 mins after disembarking whilst those with checked bags who would have to wait 30+ mins for luggage anyway, head to the regular booths.

Makes perfect sense to me.

[PegasusAir]

Arrived into T5 about 1100 this morning in transit. Long queues along the front for connections and Fast Track security was a complete shambles. People fell over at the top of the escalator (only one working!) and they had turned the signs for Fast Track at Security back to front! This was worse than many third world airports. What a first impression to the UK! Fast Track immigration was fine – the problem was with HAL and its totally inadequate security organisation or lack of.

[WillieWelsh]

T5 for me is a place I try to avoid. As the only customer in there is IAG you wonder why they don’t insist on something being done about it, after all the poor standards are a reflection on IAG alone as that is what people equate the service with.

[TominScotland]

Just been through Flight Connections International to Domestic in T5. Fast Track Immigration was a shambles as the gent on duty was calling passengers from the regular line forward in preference to those in FT. A member of HAL staff did speak to him but he chose to disregard her completely…….. (I was in listening distance of the conversation). What is the purpose of FT?

[Author]

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