[Cargoman]

I am flying out of Gatwick next week on a business trip.
I keep reading horror stories about waiting times at various airports for check in and security.
Can anyone advise ?
I am flying J so will have fast track

[DavidSmith2]

I think it really is unpredictable but I an my family flew out of Gatwick North 3 times at the end of April, all with Easyjet. On all occasions the security queues were fine – 10 mins average – and immigration on return was also ok. no guarantee you will be as lucky though, but good to know that it can be ok, if you’re lucky!

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Bullfrog, Cargoman

[peter]

Flew out of the south terminal with BA last week went through in 10 mins drove down from Manchester rather than go through the gateway of the north. !! Was very impressed with the whole operation well done Gatwick !

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Bullfrog, TerryMcManus24, Carooline, Cargoman

[Carooline]

We live in Manchester but are flying out of Gatwick in a few weeks, good choice methinks!

[SimonS1]

Flown out of Gatters 3 times in the last 2 weeks. Maximum it took me was 20 mins landside to airside. Security was well manned.

In fact on one occasion I had an email from Wizz to get there early for checks as it was busy. Arrived 3 hours before, check in deserted and through in 15 mins. Then the flight was delayed 2 hours so 4.5 hours of tedium.

On return the most it took was 3 minutes at the eGates.

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Cargoman

[MartynSinclair]

THE GOOD NEWS

** People are certainly travelling again

** Security is an utter mess, BUT – well staffed and through in 15 minutes. The sooner UK airports implement a more modern approach to liquids and computers, the better. This should ease passing through security.

THE BAD NEWS

** Heaving like FA Cup final day at Wembley (well that’s what it feels like)

** Lounges, tried 2 lounges, very difficult to get seats, staff were apologizing to business class customers but the airport was selling access to all and sundry, including certain types of rail tickets, just for get revenue. Band width for wifi was very poor ended up hot spotting.

** Tables not being cleaned as the ‘piranha’ are swarming the food stations as if they have not eaten for weeks – staff can not keep up.

** Gatwick is an extremely unpleasant experience, BUT – at least I got through in under 15 minutes.

For those interested in mask wearing numbers – virtually nobody. I elect though to wear one.

Still hearing about plenty of travellers still testing positive on arrival into the UK.

I admit to being totally spoilt by the First Wing at Heathrow

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Cargoman, Abidjan

[SimonS1]

[postquote quote=1214217]

Indeed Martyn, Gatwick still has that ‘bucket and spade’ feel to it particularly in the South Terminal. I moved away a couple repeatedly calling each other hun, doll, babe, sweets etc. On the other hand it is functional and probably alone of the bigger airports they have managed to keep people moving. Certainly none of the rude security types you find at LHR.

They are trialling new security equipment, the first machine on the right at South Terminal is a ‘remove nothing’ machine. Fingers crossed.

Like you I had a mask on. I was in a minority of 5% I would estimate.

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Cargoman, Abidjan

[DavidGrodentz]

Flew into Gatwick on 14 May with Emirates, our first trip out of HK since Jan 2020.

Through immigration, using eGates in minutes. Business class luggage retrieved after 20 minutes.

We wore our masks, no one else seemed to be doing so

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Cargoman, Abidjan

[SimonS1]

What a difference a week makes. Huge queues at Gatwick South this morning with the queue snaking back along the upper level and down to the ground floor.

Apparently all down to staffing, as half the XRays were closed.

As it happened things still moved fairly quickly and I was through in 40 mins.

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Cargoman, Abidjan

[ASK1945]

[quote quote=1214514]Flew into Gatwick on 14 May with Emirates, our first trip out of HK since Jan 2020.

Through immigration, using eGates in minutes. Business class luggage retrieved after 20 minutes.

We wore our masks, no one else seemed to be doing so[/quote]

It’s certainly “pot luck” at the moment whether you will encounter a disastrous experience at an airport or not.

Flew into LHR T5C this morning at 1000. Air bridge attached quickly and off the plane in a couple of minutes. Several flights landed coincidentally so the walkways were crowded and the transit to T5A was absolutely heaving, armpit to armpit, despite both transits operating. Escalators and lifts to Border control also heaving, then the short walk to the Border hall where there were absolutely no queues at all for the e-gates, which were almost all open. The manually controlled gates seemed about normal.

The baggage hall was also very crowded but the wait for our baggage was only slightly longer than usual, with no priority given for those bags marked with a priority label (such as ours).

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Cargoman, DavidGrodentz, Abidjan, AMcWhirter

[TominScotland]

Flew from Gatwick this morning, arriving at 09.00 for an 11.15 flight with BA.

Check-in in the First area took 4 minutes, Premium Security took 5 minutes. The general queue did not look that long either.

The BA First Loinge was great!!

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Cargoman

[Tom Otley]

It’s so odd, isn’t it. This was a tweet from this morning

From @sarahturner at Gatwick 3.30am: just to drop bags, let alone get through security… pic.twitter.com/hb5HXac1h0

— Will Hide (@Willhide) May 25, 2022

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Cargoman

[Andy240361]

Flew out of Gatwick on 23rd, arrived at 11 for a 1.30pm BA flight.

Gatwick Valet parking at South excellent, check in BA economy had long queues, Club had longer than Premium Economy so went to latter and through in 5.

Massive queues to standard security, almost the length of the terminal downstairs just waiting for escalators to get upstairs, someone said was over 1 hour wait!

Premium took about 10 mins, so we were happy but those who queued for over an hour probably weren’t!

BA First Lounge very quiet and excellent service, was going to try BA Business as someone had written it was bigger and as nice but we were happy where we were so stayed put.

Short walk to gate 12 and on board in no time, slightly late taking off but landed ahead of time in Turkey, so all in all a pretty good experience.

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Cargoman, Tom Otley

[SimonS1]

Landing tonight from Vienna we sat 10 mins for waiting to disembark.

Wizz Air pilot – “sorry for the delay, here in Gatwick things happen and there is no-one to connect the jetty”.

All good stuff.

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Cargoman

[Daytripper]

Went through fast track security in North Terminal on Sunday 22nd May (midday-ish). No queue whatsoever and straight to a security tray. Through in minutes.

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Cargoman

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