[RHMAngel]

I must admit I empathize 🙁 T3 seems to be the terminal for the long haul, and its a very sorry state, I am always sooooo depressed to return and face that – Binman, with you on your last lament…

On the other hand, T5, BA’s terminal all gleeming, that seemed to be going better.

I have a query, and may be its been answered, is this a mix of HRMC staff, or the fact Heathrow is privately owned, lets face it, I won’t judge between BAA & the current Spanish owners….

BUT isn’t the difference, it being run as a BUSINESS concern, ie, profit, rather than as a GOVERNMENT illegal immigration pit-stop monitoring effort and therefore a SERVICE to the country – part of the problem of being at odds ?? And therefore, part of the wider problem of British “service” mentality… Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been met by some miserable humorless immigration control overseas, who don’t even say, please or thank you (even in their language) – but also some of the most cheerful (Holland, never met a bad officer yet !) Or Far East, efficient, no small talk, polite.

As for America… may be its a mixed bag, I’ve always been cheered by officers there, nice chit-chat, finding out why you’re there etc etc. Have good trip, biz or vacation… don’t make jokes, unless they do – you know the sort thing…

Oh who brought up Changi (SINgapore)… no wonder that constantly gets the best awards for being the best airport, its an absolute JOY to be in or pass through, be that economy (cattle) or as a business traveller. I would definitely support who owns that to please own some of the biggest British airports… Someone else is right – God help the Olympics – someone (what’s the plural of that) in Heathrow needs to go training on the “charm offensive”

Motto is: Never be in a hurry to clear Immigration, it’ll never go your way… breeze through, and see it as gift of the angels that day 😉

…lets face it, T3 is depressing any 8 hour shift in that place would test even the Pope’s heart.

[Sparepocket]

Presumably, those poor sods who are going to be ripped off in London during the Olympics next summer might fly into LCY as that’s the nearest airport to the stadia?
What are the Immigration facilities like over there?

[LinguaFranca]

Large ‘Q’ Saturday 19th as people backed up to the escalators – not sure why T3 does not have the Passport Scanners like smaller airports. Let’s face it, if Faro and Stansted can have them, what is the problem with Heathrow?

Though Immigration is a problem, there is also a very bad culture within the Heathrow Security checks.

No consistency and a complete disrespect for everyone. Observing the antics whilst awaiting to go through at T3 on 9th Feb, though 10th in line, I noticed a change of three person on the monitor, two changes prior to scan and a completely different attitude to the row adjacent. Shoes off for us but not adjacent or on others; all items out of cases whether laptops or not; flippant chit chat between security personnel with sexual references and banter to each other [male – female], in fact, complete disrespect to all around as though they did not exist.

SECURITY at T3 worries me – Immigration becomes insignificant compared with Security scanning at T3. I certainly hope someone reads this as constructive and gives us regular flyers some peace of mind.

[LuganoPirate]

LCY is generally a much better airport to use than LHR, but it’s much smaller and apart from BA’s flight to NY does not serve any long-haul destinations, though of course you can fly ex LCY to almost anywhere via Zurich, Amsterdam etc.

Average from landing to taxi (or public transport) is about 20 mins. Worse was 25 minutes (just once) and best was just under 10 mins.

I cannot commend the airport enough. Great place.

[Senator]

Coming through T1 around 7pm tonight from ZRH on LX. Breezed through. Nice chatty conversaion with staff. Glad the dreadful T2 immigration is gone.

By the way, the Self-Service machines are only in service about 10% of the time I come through. I find them good, and in LIS they enforce them and work smoothly.

[bmdale]

Immigration, Security etc are amongst the reasons why we in the Antipodes try and avoid Heathrow at all costs.
The attitude of all the “officials” at Heathrow makes the old days of arriving at Los Angeles seem like a joy.

I will try and transit at any airport – even Frankfurt rather than undertake the exercise of coping with Heathrow which after Sydney Internatioanl must be a leading contender for the most dysfunctional air port in the developed world.

[DClinPsy]

Considering the bad experiences, I actually had my quickest London Immigration in T3. Flew SQ “J” in 2008, Given the fast track pass, was only 2 people in front of me during the Q, and my bag was among the first on the belt. it took me around 15 to 20 minutes for everything.

[Sparepocket]

Having experienced Immigration in Oz (Perth) and NZ (Auckland) I can say those guys can teach Les Miserables de Heathrow a thing or two about efficiency and courtesy.

[FlyingChinaman]

Sparepocket

Just returned to HK form Sydney. My Immigration clearance entering Australia in the last few years has been really wonderful.

First and World Class – something they can export their expertise to their former Colonial Motherland!!!!!

[Sparepocket]

FlyingC…I look forward to going back to Oz later in the year.Indeed, most countries’ Immigration officials aren’t bad (but there is the odd one who feels he has to act like a twit), indeed, I have been known to share a joke and a chuckle with Immigration officers in places such as Lagos(!). However, for some reason (maybe it’s something in the water) the English Immigration staff, particularly at LHR, are a breed apart.
It would be interesting to know what sort of service is meted out to passengers at other UK airports, such as EDI/GLA/ABZ. Are the Scots friendlier?

[conair346]

Only been through T3 once, from MAD and walked through Immigration. My issue was the ‘priority’ baggage from BA. On each of my 4 flights with them that week at least one of my bags was nearly last out.

By comparison LH, LX and BD at MAN all get my luggage out first and I always stroll through in minutes at any time. Even when the UK National ID was in the process of being cancelled, there was a little confusion by the UKBA in MAN T1, but I was still through in a few minutes. I got no hassle in GVA and at the French land border with my NID but MAN did try to make it an issue only to look a bit silly.

[Delsurrey]

conair346 – I thought BA had stopped any concept of priority baggage a long time ago. It is obvious that the passengers arriving first at the baggage reclaim are usually those in F/CW but it is usually obvious that our luggage is given no priority whatsoever. It may just be me but it happens all the time. On a recent CE flight to Amsterdam the luggage took 50 minutes – longer than the actual flight!

[stevescoots]

I have to say , and this is not just heathrow bashing. every airport I have flown to, and its a lot! have always had priority bags come out first, or at least close to first

only 2 airports that I have not had it it

heathrow for at least 3 years
Hanoi at the hieght of the Swine flu scare (carosels were all backed up waiting passengers to clear health checks)

[MartynSinclair]

A collegue told a very interesting story at immigration T3 earlier this week.

Arrived late, a long snaking Q, held a non chipped passport.

As he joined the Q he was given a questionaire to complete and return, after he had passed by the immigration officer. Whilst Q’ing he was approached by a immigration official, saw what he was holding and suggested he took him and his wife to the front of the Q so he could give a favourable responsse to the questionnaire.

When he gave the questionnaire in, after the passports had been checked, the person who took it, had seen what had happened and refused to accept it.

My collegue didnt really care as he and his wife had just Q jumped with the help of this border control questionnaire!

[Author]

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