Has Heathrow scrapped Fast Track security for oneworld Sapphire cardholders?

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

• Hingeless says:

  10 Nov10 November 06:23

  Or just go though the automatic barrier into fast track at T5 with a y ticket.

  • Hingeless says:

    10 Nov10 November 06:24

    * through

  • stealthmoose says:

    10 Nov10 November 07:17

    Yes, that’s correct – just scan your boarding pass on the automatic barrier. It has no idea about status. Works at T3 too!

  • JQ says:

    10 Nov10 November 08:36

    Does this work with domestic flights, because I tried it once and it didn’t let me through

    • stealthmoose says:

      10 Nov10 November 20:00

      I can’t say. I was travelling on a Domestic with the OH last week. The barrier let me through (OWE) but it rejected the OH (no status). I suspect she scanned it incorrectly. She returned to the manned barrier and I confirmed that she was travelling with me. She passed through that barrier but was processed manually.

• James67 says:

  10 Nov10 November 06:23

  Mostly flying C now and connecting in LHR so unaffected. However, my memory from being SE-based was that fast track at T3 was never that much faster than regular security anyway. This change may benefit those with highest status by speeding it up a little more. What is more of a concern to me it the steady erosion of EC benefits. Would hate to see lounge access for ow partner passengers connecting to BA domestic or shorthaul go. That might tip scales in favour of EDI-DOH connections for me.

  • Volker says:

    10 Nov10 November 09:02

    “Mostly flying C now and connecting in LHR so unaffected.”

    James, are you allowed to use the Fast Track lanes on your way back, i.e. connecting to your domestic flight in LHR? While I have always wondered why there is a second security check on arrival in Britain before connecting to another flight, I have never been sure if I would be allowed to use fast track with my (no-EC-status) domestic boarding card.

    Having done many flights from T5, my personal experience is that there is no big difference between fast track and snail trail anyway.

    • Alan says:

      10 Nov10 November 09:14

      Connections fast track seems to be mainly self-policing /seeing who can work out they need to walk right around underneath the escalator and back! They re screen all international arrivals as they’ve got no way of separating out those from countries who properly screen and those who don’t really bother! (not saying there’s necessarily that much difference but that’s the reason given)

    • James67 says:

      10 Nov10 November 10:53

      Similar experience to Alan. Find whole thing a bit of a shambles, especially when it is not busy. There are those small signs on the dividers indicating premium, crew etc. I have went throigh premium lane before on basis i was connecting from BA or ow C but whether I was entitled to was not clear to me. Certainly I was never challenged. There is also a lane for disabled passengers which they keep closed or manned which takes you straight to head of queue. Staff have directed me there sometimes after seeing meget tangled in barriers which are a nightmare for visually impaired. If it is super busy or i am in danger of midsing my connevtion I just ask to use it. I think thry may br sympathetic to anyone who might otherwise miss connection. My own strategy when returning is just to move through lanes by shortest means possible to get to end of shottest dcreening queue. Only thing that failed for me was last inbound connection a cabin crew tried to take me through crew security on a very tight connection into GLA. They refused me screening there but sent me to head of line at normal screening.

• Paul says:

  10 Nov10 November 06:43

  T5 security has been a basket case since the start if November. Queues have been up to 40 minutes at times with passengers stretching out in the main terminal areas. At times the North end is closed to allow it to deal with the transfer traffic who have also been forced to queue for up to hour! There have been lots of missed flights but also very long delays. Flyertalk has details and pictures.
  The huge increase in transfer traffic suggest BA reliant on EU traffic at present. Whatever, Heathorow remains an airport best avoided

  • James67 says:

    10 Nov10 November 06:52

    Improvments are supposedly coming your way after sell off of Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton…

  • RIccati says:

    10 Nov10 November 07:57

    Absolutely agree. Actual service standards are abysmal.

    If departing from Heathrow, one can arrive with an extra 40min-hour, but the same huge problem on connections where you have no choice, double-checking bags at random and security queue of 7-10 people in front could easily take the 30-40 minutes.

• Chan says:

  10 Nov10 November 07:17

  I’m a sapphire and used it just this week with non issues. Used it about 2x a month for the past 6 months. I’ll keep you all updated on my next trip.

• Max says:

  10 Nov10 November 07:36

  I used Fast Track line at LHR T5 mid-October with a Cathay Gold card with no issues.

  It was no faster than the main security line mind you. We were through in 10 minutes (at 7.30 am on a Monday morning), so no complaints from me.

• Jordan says:

  10 Nov10 November 07:45

  It worked for me when I went through T5 in mid/late August, although I did have my Cathay Gold as my FF number on the ticket. Not sure if that makes a difference. The check-in staff even directed me to the fast track.

• RIccati says:

  10 Nov10 November 07:52

  It has been an inconsistent experience at Fast Track Terminal 5.

  Sometimes security agents are puzzled when “Oneworld” is mentioned. However, the drive to turn people away from Fast Track gates is noticeable. They will ask you to go away instead of asking for your card!!

  Not surprising to hear there is additional charge from Heathrow involved. “Fast Track” is not that fast (very slow, in fact). I noticed that Heathrow security charge is around £50 per an international passenger passing thru the airport.

• David says:

  10 Nov10 November 07:52

  Like others have said, no issues. I used Fast Track within the last week on a UK domestic flight with CX Gold number on my BP. The emails you received could have been a case of some less than clued in staff making up ‘policy’ on the spot … wouldn’t be the first or the last time that’s happened …

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.