[Anonymous]

[openfly]

I pass through LGW North Terminal at least once a week.
Generally the security procedure is trouble-free. Once in a while there is reason to put a genuine complaint to a supervisor. These supervisors seem unable to receive feedback. The reply is always an aggressive ‘there is no problem”. They seemed to be trained to have a non-customer service attitude.

This morning I complained that the staff on a particular security arch were chatting in a flippant manner and not working as efficiently as they could. This led to a queue and a 15 minute wait to get through .
I brought this to the attention of a supervisor who said that ”there are no queues this morning”! He would not be budged, to the point of aggressive rudeness.

A course at customer service charm school for these security managers needs to be looked at by the new people that run Gatwick.
Maybe it is appropriate at other UK airports.

I am the customer and I pay dearly for this service.

[NTarrant]

I have not encountered rudeness (yet!) at LGW but I do feel that the staff are not trained in customer service as well as they could be, although there are some that are very good. Probably their natural persona rather than training. I do have some sympathy for the security staff, some of the people that travel through LGW are not the same as you find at T5. That is not derogatory, it is that there are a higher number leisure travellers that don’t know the system and have to be spoon fed on what to do (e.g liquids, coats, keys, phones etc, etc).

The Fast Track has been a bit of a joke at LGW North for sometime, although this is now clearer. However it does not always operate. A colleague asked not long ago why it was closed. The reply was that the staff who operate it had not turned up! That is a management issue which needs addressing.

[openfly]

NTarrant……..Fasttrack for security at LGW North terminal is now closed permanently. Not enough Premium pax use LGW for BA to warrant the cost of paying to keeping it open, and other carriers are not prepared to contribute.

[NTarrant]

Openfly, since when has this been closed? I used it the week before Easter without any problem. During the first week of March I had two flights from LGW, on the Monday found that Fast Track had moved from the left hand side of the security entrance to the right side. On the Thursday it was closed when a colleague asked the question.

It was open the three weeks leading to Easter. Are you sure you don’t have the ends mixed up as I did?

[MartynSinclair]

The security system at the airports works on the principle like everything else in life you get what you pay for. Everybody is out to cut the bottom line costs, increase profit and provide the same level of service. It simply doesnt work. Pay peanuts you get monkeys.

The choice is simple. Pay £5.75 per hour and try to train these guys up to be security personel is like training a McDonalds server to cook with Gordon Ramsey. You can complain as much as you like, but these guys are doing a job based on minimum wages. You can judge how people will behave from a customer services point of view by the way they dress. Top buttons done up, no gum chewing, politneness. In the main, going through airport security is like entering any sports stadium, the staff are unskilled working for contractors earning £5.75 per hour. What do you expect.

My suggsetion Openfly is to try Yoga (serious) – just join the Q, calm down, deep breaths and wait in line like everyone else.

Its 2010 and this is the way airports currently work……………….

PS – just for the record, my view on airport security is that they play a vital role in securing the safety of our airports and like in the states and the TSA, i would prefer it be more regimented and official than being staffed by temps/part timers.

The BIGGEST SINGULAR ISSUE WITH SECURITY STAFF (and this is no way being said in any racist manner) – BUT – the background checks – how on earth ar BAA ensuring background checks on foreign workers at the airports and checking the validity of the information given is correct. If someone cannot prrove where they have been with references and NO GAPS for 5 years, it should be casue for concern. How many security workers at heathrow have been unable to provide background information of more than 12 months and are still employed.

[NTarrant]

The difference between the US and UK is that in the US they like all the badges and regalia to show their importance. It is a bit simuar in Europe in some parts. Years ago before Eurostar, the BR ticket collectors on the international side at Victoria were given uniforms with lost of scrambled egg and brading as the Europeans would walk past anyone in a standard BR uniform.

It does pay to complain if you feel you have had bad service. Some years ago I was going through Manchester T3 and took my jacket off as normal and the girl took it from me and just chucked it on the belt which was clearly dirty. The guy behind had a trolley case which overtook my jacket and ran it over. The woman at the other end just threw it like a bit of rag down the belt. My jacket was creased and had a wheel mark all up one arm.

I was livid and went straight to the BA lounge and emailed Manchester airport to complain. I never got a reply but the next week they were using trays. Its respect for peoples property.

I doubt that airport security staff are on minimum wage. But I would agree Martyn about the background checks.

[MartynSinclair]

Search Jobs at Heathrow on Google – it will shock you whats on offer, whose employing (and its not BAA), how easy it is to ‘get into Heathorw’ and the minimum wages being offered.

[openfly]

NTarrent…passed through LGW North Term on Tue, and yesterday, and it was open, but not Fastrack. Also the signs have been removed.
I am led to believe that the airport authorities have charged BA a lot for the dediacted Fast Track lane. It is used by other carriers who are not contributing, and by general ”riff-raff”. So I think BA have pulled the plug.
Lets hope I am wrong!

[NTarrant]

Certainly when it was on the left side they had a habit of merging the queues which removed the effectiveness. Looks like they are doing it on the other side now. I’m going out of LGW on Thursday.

[gmartin]

My own experience is that LGW and LCY have the worst security staff and queues. LHR and STN are far better – although I have always been able to use fast-track in the latter two.

[NTarrant]

Although I didn’t get to fly on Thursday was at LGW and took the opportunity to check the Fast Track. As you head down from the BA check-in area security is right infront of you. Turn to the right by the last check in desk and there is a great big arch which is clearly marked Fast Track etc, etc.

It was working and there is even an illumiated sign above the desk. So it is there and working, I hope, all being well that it won’t be closed on Wednesday when I go through LGW

[VintageKrug]

Indeed, fastTrack is still in existence, it has simply moved to the other end from where it used to be – this seems to have been done to make it easier for Emirates passengers to use the facility without having to back track on themselves.

It doesn’t open until 0700 which would explain why it sometimes looks closed, but FastTrack at LGW is very much alive and kicking.

[openfly]

yes VK….I forgot to come back and say that it had reappeared at the other end. Thanks for that.

This thread is about ”rudeness”. we pay for the security search..approx £7 a time…in our ticket. I am the customer.

Watch out for a Mr Fox, who is a security supervisor at the premium end of LHR T5. I had the ‘audacity’ to complain to him that there were only three arches open out of 8 at a very busy time, with long queues. His reply to me verged on being threatening. He would not listen to my complaint. I gather from the rest of the staff that he is not too popular….but there is no point in complaining,….. nobody is interested.

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