Anyone flying this week?

[Clive]

Flew from from T5 last Friday - was awful. They were turning people away from the Terminal door unless their flights was less than 2 hours.....but people were queuing for 2 hours just to get checked in. Was chaos. Luckily we could go to the First check in - but even there we had to wait nearly an hour to drop our bags off (normally 2 mins max) - and thats with being taken through to the front as our flights was "closing". All the flights were late - and BA wouldn't admit it on their App - with the App showing flights "On Time" - an hour after they were meant to have taken off. It seemed to me that every flight was at least an hour late.

We have to fly in there tomorrow - so will see if its as bad.

could you still get in early if heading to BA lounge etc ? or still only 2hrs pre flight time ?

 

[996RS]

So are all those 10,000-15,000 fired people at Heathrow and proportionally similar at other airports, restaurants, service sectors, manufacturing, etc, etc, sitting at home on the dole then? Do we have a big dole queue? Are they still earning furlough? Can we continue to just hear 'because covid'? I suspect not.

Maybe we should join the EU again to get some cheaper/available/willing people into the services sectors

 

[NigelB]

My Nephew lost his job at Southend Airport as an Airside operative due to effects of Covid on air travel, he used to serviced the planes with fuel, towed them with the tractor unit, emptied the bogs, filled the aircraft with water and so on.

He now works at Stansted Airport doing similar but not wearing as many 'hats' as the airport at Stansted is a much larger business with better job boundaries.

I think Covid still affects his job in as much as people catch the virus and then have to have a few days off work but other than that he is doing quite well.

As far as I am aware this country does not have a large dole queue... I could be wrong though?

 

[dealmaker]

could you still get in early if heading to BA lounge etc ? or still only 2hrs pre flight time ?

They were stopping people at entrance to Terminal. I just told them my flight time and was OK....but even with 2 hours to spare and a fight which was late...it was bit tight. Standing room only in the First lounge as well. Crazy.

 

[thegent]

They were stopping people at entrance to Terminal. I just told them my flight time and was OK....but even with 2 hours to spare and a fight which was late...it was bit tight. Standing room only in the First lounge as well. Crazy.

mental

 

[Mollox]

BA Bag drop at Gatwick (S) just now. I was the only person there. In fact, just checked that my flight wasn’t yesterday. So far so good, maybe it’s utter chaos inside.

 

[poon]

Came home from the Masters Tuesday AM. Landed at 11:30. No queues. No excessive wait for bags. Going out was fine as well.

 

[Ghost]

When we went out last week, were delayed an hour due to a lack of buses to take passengers from the gate out to the plane. T3 busy but not unbearable.

Came back today, no delays, flew straight into Heathrow, no circling London 17 times first, bags probably 5 minutes slower to come out than usual, no drama otherwise.

 

[AndyB]

Apparently, Stansted was suggesting people drop their bags off a day early in the run up to this weekend! wtf?

 

[Trigger]

Ok out gatwick north terminal a week ago was busy - long queues for security but moving fast, returning this morning no problem at all getting through

 

[barchetta_boy]

flew out to Lanzarote (first time here, odd place) last Monday from Gatwick, 6am flight (ugh). No problems at all with EasyJet bag drop and big queues at security but not on premium. Apart from managing to simply forget one of our bags at security (first time that’s happened, realised as we were boarding the plane) no dramas.

 

[Trigger]

Just sailed through fast track security at T5 no queues, BA got my global entry correctly listed on my boarding card also which will make it easier on the other side (SF)

Wish they’d fix their flipping bacon sarnies though tough as old boots.

 

[AndyB]

Just sailed through fast track security at T5 no queues, BA got my global entry correctly listed on my boarding card also which will make it easier on the other side (SF)

Wish they’d fix their flipping bacon sarnies though tough as old boots.

Safe trip!

 

[Trigger]

Safe trip!

Thanks !

It seems that Global Entry has been upgraded, it took my photo and I didn’t need to scan my passport - now super quick

 

[Clive]

T5 was super fast last tuesday- <30 mins from drop of to lounge including getting x2 kids though security that despite reasonably expensive education don’t seem to know what metals, liquids or laptops are

hope return/ border control is as easy

 

[Mark]

Some US airports have upgraded their x-ray machines so that you don't need to remove anything from your bag.
Really sped thing up - despite me accidentally leaving a large bottle of water in the carry on. The TSA guy just removed the water and I was through in 30 seconds.
Immigration in JFK was very slow though.

 

[dealmaker]

Some US airports have upgraded their x-ray machines so that you don't need to remove anything from your bag.
Really sped thing up - despite me accidentally leaving a large bottle of water in the carry on. The TSA guy just removed the water and I was through in 30 seconds.
Immigration in JFK was very slow though.

I flew through London City on Friday - it was totally painless....and what I found very odd was that they asked me to leave everything in my bag, electronics, laptop, even liquids.....never had that before (well since 911 anyway) - so it was sooooo quick through security.

 

[Trigger]

I flew through London City on Friday - it was totally painless....and what I found very odd was that they asked me to leave everything in my bag, electronics, laptop, even liquids.....never had that before (well since 911 anyway) - so it was sooooo quick through security.

That’s the new milimeter wave scanner on the right of the security room, speaking with the guard a while back they plan to replace the other two this year, they are great

 

[Robp]

I flew through London City on Friday - it was totally painless....and what I found very odd was that they asked me to leave everything in my bag, electronics, laptop, even liquids.....never had that before (well since 911 anyway) - so it was sooooo quick through security.

London City is always a dream to travel through, a w eke f in Ibiza in the summer via City makes it. No easyJet flight with Tracy makes my life better

 

[thegent]

London City is always a dream to travel through, a w eke f in Ibiza in the summer via City makes it. No easyJet flight with Tracy makes my life better

LCY flew to edinburgh easy, back through lhr busier but in all fine. That said that was domestic. Try go avoid LHR for short haul as much as poss!