-
My first post, so I’m hoping that someone can help. We regularly use the Heathrow T5 BA Lounge flying BC from Jersey onto our final destination. My question is I’ve never been able to find the Fast Track security door at Heathrow T5 and end up in the massive security queue meaning less time we can spend in the lounge.
The BA website says use the Fast Track security “door”, but I’ve never seen it. I’ve been unable to find a map online to show where it is.
Thanks in advance 🙂
it’s next to the main security, quite difficult to miss tbh
It’s not always open though, leading to utter astonishment from premium cabin passengers that they’re expected to join the ill disciplined melee at the UK’s premier airport
There are two fast track lanes in T5, north and south.
The picture in this article is the north FT entrance behind Checkin Zones A / B – https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/05/26/heathrow-airport-now-selling-fast-track-security-access-again/
The south FT entrance in immediately adjacent to the normal south security entrance at the opposite end of T5.
In all my years of flying nearly weekly to LHR I’ve never seen either closed.
never seen it closed either
although i’m often left in doubt about whether it’s actually any faster than the normal queue…
There are two fast track lanes in T5, north and south.
The picture in this article is the north FT entrance behind Checkin Zones A / B – https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/05/26/heathrow-airport-now-selling-fast-track-security-access-again/
The south FT entrance in immediately adjacent to the normal south security entrance at the opposite end of T5.
In all my years of flying nearly weekly to LHR I’ve never seen either closed.
That’s departure security. The OP is asking about transfer security.
never seen it closed either
although i’m often left in doubt about whether it’s actually any faster than the normal queue…
Given two queues of equal length I would always pick the one that is populated by likely frequent travellers rather than the one populated by likely rareky flown
There are two fast track lanes in T5, north and south.
The picture in this article is the north FT entrance behind Checkin Zones A / B – https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/05/26/heathrow-airport-now-selling-fast-track-security-access-again/
The south FT entrance in immediately adjacent to the normal south security entrance at the opposite end of T5.
In all my years of flying nearly weekly to LHR I’ve never seen either closed.
That’s departure security. The OP is asking about transfer security.
Yes that was my understanding too.
For what it’s worth, I transfer through T5 regularly from NI, and have to go through security every time I transfer on return, as recently as Thursday when I had just 25 mins until my flight home departure time. I have fast track and explained to the guy looking after the queue that I may miss my flight, he shrugged his shoulders and nodded towards the general line, “that’s it I’m afraid” 🙄
From JER do you have to go through security? Certainly from mainland Britain once you’ve been through regional security you don’t have to repeat at T5 unless transferring to another terminal.
On the return, once you’ve done passport control and BP scan, there’s a staircase to the right of the main route up to security with a sign saying “Fast Track”. It brings you out at a FT queue, but as others said, it’s not always open and when I was there last week the machine seemed to be jammed and staff filtered us all into other queues!
Yes, arrivals from JER (and DUB) have to go through security on connections – it’s only apparently UK connections that escape.
Unless I have a very tight connection I generally ‘land’ myself now and re- enter through normal security. (If connection is tight, you need the conformance scan at the connection BP check at least 35mins before the flight, even if you still have security to go).
If i remember from a JER-LHR flight in the past, landing bypasses passports but includes customs, which when your luggage is checked through is basically a walk through.Helps immensely if you have First Wing access, but most of the time normal Fast Track from landside is quick.
Oh that is unfortunate, it’s bad enough having to do it on the return leg. Definitely helps if you can use the F wing. As well as on our MEX trip last year, we used it on an avios economy flight back up to MAN last month which made the experience no more bothersome than jumping on a train (which were all disrupted with it being a bank holiday!)
From JER do you have to go through security? Certainly from mainland Britain once you’ve been through regional security you don’t have to repeat at T5 unless transferring to another terminal.
On the return, once you’ve done passport control and BP scan, there’s a staircase to the right of the main route up to security with a sign saying “Fast Track”. It brings you out at a FT queue, but as others said, it’s not always open and when I was there last week the machine seemed to be jammed and staff filtered us all into other queues!
Wow, that’s news to me, am in Germany on Weds and will definitely be looking out for that staircase coming home!
Always quicker in T5 to leave through arrivals and then walk the length of airport to the F lounge, though appreciate you need to be gold to get this benefit
Hat tip to Northern Lass, I came through T5 connections yesterday returning from Germany and low and behold there was indeed a Fast Track door after the Boarding Pass scanners!
I’ve been transiting through there for years and had no idea 😲However, I didn’t get to use it 😖
Reason being I had the wife with me, and although I have Fast Track courtesy of RJ Gold Sparrow, she is only BA Bronze. I didn’t want to take the chance of following the fast track signage all the way only for the wife to be turned away at the end.
So a couple of questions please for the next time.
I know that RJ Gold Sparrow (One World Sapphire (BA Silver)), is technically only supposed to allow the holder Fast Track, but when I travel through Belfast City with a companion the operator simply scans their boarding pass on their machine and allows them through with me manually.
Does anyone know is this the case at the above T5 connections, or is it strictly holder only?
Oh no! IME experience nobody ever checks whether you have FT, but in any case you should be allowed to take the rest of your party through with you. I’ve been doing this for years as Silver and then Gold.
(I’m always slightly surprised that so few people actually chance this route, given that all they could really make you do is move into the larger queue a couple of lines over, which you would have done anyway.)
*Also – doesn’t Bronze get FT anyway, at least at the major UK airports? I might be getting that mixed up with priority check in, however.
For what it’s worth, I transfer through T5 regularly from NI, and have to go through security every time I transfer on return, as recently as Thursday when I had just 25 mins until my flight home departure time. I have fast track and explained to the guy looking after the queue that I may miss my flight, he shrugged his shoulders and nodded towards the general line, “that’s it I’m afraid” 🙄
Everyoen arriving into the UK has to reclear security if they have an onward flight. (and yes there is currently a limitesd trial from one ex US route but thats very specific)
With 25 minutes to departute and not even through security meant you were going to fail conformance.
Thanks again NL, the reason I didn’t take the FT route was that I had no idea how and where it actually brought you out, and may have been sent back downstairs!
Had I known it ended up right beside the normal security I would definitely have went for it.
I’ll be going up there next time if the door is open 👍Oh no! IME experience nobody ever checks whether you have FT, but in any case you should be allowed to take the rest of your party through with you. I’ve been doing this for years as Silver and then Gold.
(I’m always slightly surprised that so few people actually chance this route, given that all they could really make you do is move into the larger queue a couple of lines over, which you would have done anyway.)
*Also – doesn’t Bronze get FT anyway, at least at the major UK airports? I might be getting that mixed up with priority check in, however.
Correct on the final part – Bronze lets you use the Business check in but not Fast Track.
I’ve also taken a family group through the Fast Track channel many times, but on one occasion at LGW earlier this year was bluntly told ‘one guest only’. As we had kids and the adjacent family channel was empty anyway I didn’t bother arguing.
@bungalow – Ah right, yes, you come out at the exact same place as everyone else, but funnelled into the nearest queue rather than having to join the long one which snakes around the security area! Lol, it is a bit of a magical mystery tour the first time you take it.
@AndrewT – thanks for the clarification, it’s useful to be reminded of the priority check in benefit.For what it’s worth, I transfer through T5 regularly from NI, and have to go through security every time I transfer on return, as recently as Thursday when I had just 25 mins until my flight home departure time. I have fast track and explained to the guy looking after the queue that I may miss my flight, he shrugged his shoulders and nodded towards the general line, “that’s it I’m afraid” 🙄
Everyoen arriving into the UK has to reclear security if they have an onward flight. (and yes there is currently a limitesd trial from one ex US route but thats very specific)
With 25 minutes to departute and not even through security meant you were going to fail conformance.
I had a conversation with the pilot on departing the aircraft (I was standing at exit door of plane waiting for bus transfer to terminal), and she told me that there was a 40 minute window at the Boarding Pass scanners, after that the gate wouldn’t open.
After racing through the terminal I actually made the Boarding Pass scanners – JUST, but was then stuck for 15 minutes in the security line!I did eventually make my flight…
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Popular articles this week:
