Heathrow trialling pre-booked security slots

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• Mike says:

  5 Oct5 October 05:43

  How can you predict how long it will take to check-in? This only sounds useful for hand luggage and OLCI only.

  • Tariq says:

    5 Oct5 October 05:47

    Don’t think you can. Cynically this is probably about getting a captive audience into the shopping area early by ‘incentivising’ them with the promise of a smoother security experience. The booking data _might_ be used to ensure maximum resource at peak times – or just to make savings by rationalising resource at off-peak times…

  • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

    5 Oct5 October 06:50

    You essentially get a 45 minute slot – the 15 minute one you book plus 15 mins before and 15 mins after

    So if your slot is 10.00 – 10.15 you can use it anytime between 09.45 – 10.30

    • Mike says:

      5 Oct5 October 10:12

      I’m not sure 45 minutes leeway is enough. Many times I’ve been at an airport, standing in a queue for check-in that’s snaked past the barriers in both business and economy and the BA staff are yet to arrive. This may be different at T3, I’ve only used T3 a few times (mainly T5 when transiting through London).

    • ChrisD says:

      5 Oct5 October 10:32

      Sounds like a great way to add more stress to the airport experience!

• david says:

  5 Oct5 October 06:24

  Heathrows becoming Ryanair. Monetise everything from the dropping off, to security lane etc. Toilets will soon be chargeable. I went to Paddington recently and was incredibly surprised to find the toilets weren’t chargeable! I remember this in Victoria loos if it is still that way.

  • Gavin says:

    5 Oct5 October 06:29

    Most train station toilets (including Victoria) were made free several years ago.

  • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

    5 Oct5 October 06:45

    From the article

    “The service is free.”

    • david says:

      5 Oct5 October 06:56

      @Gavin, shows how long i havent set foot in London
      @BA Flyer IGH Stayer , my bad. So used to seeing devaluations and curtailments that I look at all travel glass half empty

      • jjoohhnn says:

        5 Oct5 October 09:07

        This isn’t a London thing. Network Rail committed to making all its station toilets free a few years ago.

    • CamFlyer says:

      5 Oct5 October 07:52

      Only because it is a trial! In time this will be another service that will need to be pre-booked for a fee in order to avoid an understaffed and chaotic scrum at the ‘enhanced’ non-pre book security check.

      • Gordon says:

        5 Oct5 October 08:29

        We have become accustomed to paying a fee on everything now, travel related or otherwise, we just bend over and take it up the tail pipe!

      • Paul says:

        5 Oct5 October 17:42

        Why would you pay for this when you can already pay for fast track?

        • Rob says:

          5 Oct5 October 20:35

          Heathrow scrapped paid fast track during covid.

    • Paul says:

      5 Oct5 October 12:32

      The service is free.

      That’s about as believable in the long run as a Tory promise on HS2

  • Ant says:

    5 Oct5 October 20:59

    Can’t even get cash out for free at Heathrow any more. The ATMs have a £2.50 charge.

    • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

      5 Oct5 October 23:15

      Blame the ATM provider.

      • Mike says:

        6 Oct6 October 11:32

        No – blame the airport for negotiating the contract with the ATM provider – they will have had two revenue options available, one with fees one without…

• Peter says:

  5 Oct5 October 06:53

  Berlin airport has a similar system, but I don’t see the point, it will still be very unpredictable how long it takes to get through

• JimBurgessHill says:

  5 Oct5 October 07:04

  Heathrow need to amend their list of selectable destinations. Routes such as San Diego & São Paulo which are now at T3 are not selectable.

  • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

    5 Oct5 October 11:00

    San Diego – none of the airlines on the trial list flies there

    São Paulo – VS only starts their flight next year

    • Mike says:

      5 Oct5 October 12:15

      LATAM flies from T3 to Sao Paulo (GRU) and has codeshare VS7700, so I’m guessing it has to the the airlines listed own metal based on your comment.

• Qrfan says:

  5 Oct5 October 07:32

  This seems strange timing from Heathrow given that they’re supposed to be introducing CT scanners next year which should remove a lot of the reason for delays in the first place. La Guardia had no queues at all at security on a busy Friday afternoon because of said machines being in place. Is this anticipating delays in the rollout?

  • Novelty-Socks says:

    5 Oct5 October 07:46

    Don’t bet on it. Once those scanners are in place they’ll be able to reduce the number of lanes, saving on staff (and space) while maintaining queue length! 🙃

    • BBbetter says:

      5 Oct5 October 11:39

      They probably budgeted it that way. Someone has to pay for it!

      • Nick says:

        5 Oct5 October 15:46

        They have to do it that way because there isn’t space for the same number of lanes with the new (and much larger) scanners!

        • Rhys says:

          5 Oct5 October 16:20

          Not that I’ve ever seen all the lanes in use anyway I don’t think…

• Gordon says:

  5 Oct5 October 07:45

  “Hopefully this means that airlines have managed to mitigate the majority of disruption by cancelling less busy flights”

  As BA are increasing flights to MCO in March 2024 from 12 a week to 14 a week due to popularity, if the flight cap extends further and eats into November, I’m hoping my flight will not be affected. I guess it would have shaken out by then if the proper procedures are in place to prevent spreading the said “Sickness”!

  • SamG says:

    5 Oct5 October 08:51

    Once Oct half term is out of the way it is relatively quiet until Xmas and the start of the ski season so I doubt a cap at 800 would result in many/any cancellations

    • Gordon says:

      5 Oct5 October 09:03

      Agree, but have to factor in BA’s double tier points promotion for the next 15 months increasing pax numbers! That said it should not significantly affect the central Q4 period of normal reduced travel.

  • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

    5 Oct5 October 13:15

    Why are you worrying about a flight in over a years time?

    Even then BA will cancel a short haul over a long haul anyday

    • Gordon says:

      5 Oct5 October 13:38

      Im not worried! And my flight to MCO is in 4 weeks time! Nov 23 not Nov 24, I was referring to pax taking advantage of the double tier points re my longevity comment….

• Andrew J says:

  5 Oct5 October 08:10

  I really wish BA would negotiate a security lane just for First/Gold so we don’t have to use the regular fast track at T3.

  • No time to queue says:

    5 Oct5 October 08:33

    Create an even faster fast-track lane? Jogging on the spot whilst (not) waiting then throwing bags into the scanner…….

  • Harry T says:

    5 Oct5 October 08:40

    Was very fast last time I used it, though.

    • Qrfan says:

      5 Oct5 October 08:42

      Yeah I agree. Used T3 many times and have never had issues with fast track. I’ve had awful queries for the first wing at t5 though.

      • Dubious says:

        5 Oct5 October 09:09

        What sort of questions were asked?

        • Qrfan says:

          5 Oct5 October 11:32

          Lol fair cop. Typo. I have had interesting interactions there though, including “you may want to check your bags have been correctly loaded” when using overnight bag drop. That was confidence inspiring…

        • Peter K says:

          5 Oct5 October 13:03

          @Dubious
          😁

        • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

          5 Oct5 October 15:42

          Going anywhere nice?

          Ohh that’s a nice shirt where is it from?

          Taken your liquids out of your bag?

          Emptied your pockets?

          Real 3rd degree stuff.

        • Gordon says:

          5 Oct5 October 15:54

          You can’t blame them! A lot of pax have a frontal lobotomy before they navigate through an airport!

    • Mike says:

      5 Oct5 October 10:14

      Same here, last time I was in T3, the fast track was super fast.

• Harry T says:

  5 Oct5 October 08:40

  Security is terrible there, they often close priority security, and the normal security is very inefficient.

  • Coo says:

    5 Oct5 October 09:11

    Where is priority security located at BER? Couldn’t locate it last time I was there.

    • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

      5 Oct5 October 13:16

      It used to be zone / section 3 but the last few times I went through it was at zone / section 2.9 with a separate signed manned entrance.

  • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

    5 Oct5 October 11:38

    Never had a problem there.

    Other than the usual people who have no clue what they are doing!

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