SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  What's Your Deal!    I Hate Heathrow Airport.
Page 1 2 
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
I Hate Heathrow Airport. Login/Join 
Corgis Rock
Picture of Icabod
posted
Coming back from a cruise, we changed plans in Heathrow. Checking, we had 70 minutes to reach the connecting flight.
First, we walked an endless corridor. Periodically there were emergency exits but no gates, and no passengers but those of us from the plane. Sharp turn, through gates, sharp turn and walk.
We reach the duty free shopping. Great, one goal was “The Queens Shop” that had Corgi gifts. Never saw it. The march continues
Finally, we find our flight on the departure screen. Gate E-48? More marching.
Suddenly we’re at security. Huh? We didn’t exit anywhere? No matter, we go through screening. Yes, on the x-Ray the Faberge eggs do look like hand grenades. Yes, the pretty Russian wood carvings do look like “a mass.” Yes, my wife sets off the screening. Artificial knees, see the cane?
Up an escalator. Huh? Passport check by an airline employee? OK, check passport (Yep it’s still me) she affixes a stamp on the back and initials it. Back to the march. Add in a couple of people movers. About gate E-40 we hear “Last call for boarding flight 292.” That’s our flight.
I start running. Reached the gate. Attendant is counting paper and ignores me. Another employee says to come around. I reach the gerbil maze. No entry. I commit the sin of unhooking the strap and marching through. The guy (politely) stops me and says I have to have my PASSPORT CHECKED AGAIN? Luckily, the passport person comes over. Passport check by an airline employee? OK, check passport (Yep it’s still me) she affixes a stamp on the back and initials it. (Yes, the exact same thing. )In fact, her stamp and initial go right over the other stamp. By now my wife has made it.
We board. The purser, a very tall and very British lady, greats us by first name. We get seated and the champagne arrives.
We were on the ground for more then an hour. There’s no way we could have made it faster.
I hate Heathrow.



“ The work of destruction is quick, easy and exhilarating; the work of creation is slow, laborious and dull.
 
Posts: 6060 | Location: Outside Seattle | Registered: November 29, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Almost as Fast as a Speeding Bullet
Picture of Otto Pilot
posted Hide Post
Want to have fun?

When at one of those passport/security checks, they ask if your bags have been out of your control, say "Yes sir." When they inquire the circumstances, say, "At security when I was forced to walk through the metal detectors, leave my bags behind and out of my sight for a solid several minutes."

I was asked, "Sir, are you a lawyer?"

Their security is a severe PITA of which I have several stories.

I just view the long walk as a way to get the blood flowing. At least that's what I tell myself


______________________________________________
Aeronautics confers beauty and grandeur, combining art and science for those who devote themselves to it. . . . The aeronaut, free in space, sailing in the infinite, loses himself in the immense undulations of nature. He climbs, he rises, he soars, he reigns, he hurtles the proud vault of the azure sky. — Georges Besançon
 
Posts: 11502 | Location: Denver and/or The World | Registered: August 30, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of P250UA5
posted Hide Post
Went to London in high school (2003).
Stuff like this is why our trip director (HS teacher at our school) flew us into Gatwick instead.

I can't imagine a group of 30 HS students & 10 chaperones making it through an ordeal like that in any timely manner.




The Enemy's gate is down.
 
Posts: 15150 | Location: Spring, TX | Registered: July 11, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
אַרְיֵה
Picture of V-Tail
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Icabod:
The purser, a very tall and very British lady, greats us by first name.
First name? Rather cheeky, don't you think? She definitely should have addressed you as Mr. and Mrs. Icabod.



הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
 
Posts: 30544 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Unapologetic Old
School Curmudgeon
Picture of Lord Vaalic
posted Hide Post
I'll take almost any airport over Mexico City




Don't weep for the stupid, or you will be crying all day
 
Posts: 10719 | Location: TN | Registered: December 18, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Corgis Rock
Picture of Icabod
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by V-Tail:
quote:
Originally posted by Icabod:
The purser, a very tall and very British lady, greats us by first name.
First name? Rather cheeky, don't you think? She definitely should have addressed you as Mr. and Mrs. Icabod.


She had Champagne and we were out of Heathrow. She could call us anything.



“ The work of destruction is quick, easy and exhilarating; the work of creation is slow, laborious and dull.
 
Posts: 6060 | Location: Outside Seattle | Registered: November 29, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Drill Here, Drill Now
Picture of tatortodd
posted Hide Post
Last year, I flew through Heathrow on the way to Newcastle. After walking several kilometers, I had to get on a stupid ass bus which took forever, then I had to clear security where they inspected all pockets & compartments of my backpack, then I had to walk through a GD shopping mall, and then I got to a gate with 12 measly seats for a flight with 100+ seats.



Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
 
Posts: 23098 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Leatherneck
posted Hide Post
I refuse to change planes at Heathrow. The only time I will fly into there is if I am staying in London or planning on taking a train to my next destination.




“Everybody wants a Sig in the sheets but a Glock on the streets.” -bionic218 04-02-2014
 
Posts: 15249 | Location: Florida | Registered: May 07, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
I run trains!
Picture of SigM4
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Pale Horse:
I refuse to change planes at Heathrow. The only time I will fly into there is if I am staying in London or planning on taking a train to my next destination.


Agree. Used to be able to fly into Gatwick from DFW but no more.



Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.

Complacency sucks…
 
Posts: 5423 | Location: Wichita, KS (for now)…always a Texan… | Registered: April 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Telecom Ronin
Picture of dewhorse
posted Hide Post
As do I....I was flying to see the future MRS Dewhorse, at JFK they told me my laptop bag....a rolling version was fine....OOOOH no

Not for my next flight, after being told i would have to check my laptop bag and standing in the immigration line for an hour I had missed my flight.

I walk up to the counter to be rebooked "yes sir, the next flight is tomorrow"....Wrong answer, I am only doing a 4 day weekend YOU WILL FIND ME A FLIGHT TODAY "oh, we have one out of Gatwick but you will have to take a bus"

I took the bus...

Amsterdam is sooo much better, plus they have Murphy's....english breakfast and a pint of red...
 
Posts: 8301 | Location: Back in NE TX ....to stay | Registered: February 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Help! Help!
I'm being repressed!

Picture of Skull Leader
posted Hide Post
The reason the airline employees check your immigration docs is because if you get to your destination and your docs aren't in order and you get sent back; it's the airline that eats your return flight.
 
Posts: 11151 | Location: Big Sky Country | Registered: November 20, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
There have been several terrorists who made it as far as Detroit. They attempted to fly out of Heathrow, but the security was too stringent; they ended up going back to Amsterdam.

Of course, arriving in Detroit, had they made it off the airplane, they'd have learned that they were nothing special and probably been frightened into going back...
 
Posts: 6650 | Registered: September 13, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of 4MUL8R
posted Hide Post
Heathrow is convenient for us going to our company office in Bracknell. No changes just the chaos and interrogation to exit.


-------
Trying to simplify my life...
 
Posts: 5041 | Location: Commonwealth of Virginia | Registered: January 15, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
For connecting passengers Heathrow can be problematic. Since there are four terminals, all of which are separated by a great amount of distance, you need a substantial amount of time to connect. Airports like Amsterdam that have a single terminal design are far easier to navigate and connect through. Plus the UK charges possibly one of the highest departure taxes in Europe.
 
Posts: 25 | Location: As far from Trudeau as possible | Registered: July 18, 2018Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Good enough is neither
good, nor enough
posted Hide Post
I was ther last week. The security process was quite interesting. Way more complicated than it should have been. Liquids were all treated like I was transporting uranium. At least the United lounge was nice.



There are 3 kinds of people, those that understand numbers and those that don't.
 
Posts: 2034 | Location: Liberty, MO | Registered: November 28, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of barndg00
posted Hide Post
Great, I'm flying in/out of Heathrow next week, vacationing in London. Any advice?
 
Posts: 2155 | Location: NC | Registered: January 01, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Leatherneck
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by barndg00:
Great, I'm flying in/out of Heathrow next week, vacationing in London. Any advice?


If you are not transferring planes it isn't all that bad.




“Everybody wants a Sig in the sheets but a Glock on the streets.” -bionic218 04-02-2014
 
Posts: 15249 | Location: Florida | Registered: May 07, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
If you take public transit, namely the Underground and buses, it’s relatively inexpensive especially coupled with a day pass or week pass. There are free attractions which includes many of the museums, although you should be prepared for huge crowds as it is the summer season. There are the quintessential things to do such as watching the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace or having a pint at a typical English pub. I’d recommend visiting Harrod’s department store, if for no other reason than to check out an ornate building with all the classy brand names you could think of. Then there’s just simply strolling through neighborhoods like Kensington or walking along the banks of the Thames River and taking in sights such as the Parliament Buildings and the Tower of London.
 
Posts: 25 | Location: As far from Trudeau as possible | Registered: July 18, 2018Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Awaits his CUT
of choice
posted Hide Post
The moral of this story is connections are bad. Avoid them if at all possible.

However, certain airports are better for connections than others. Going through customs and immigration adds considerably to your transfer time.

quote:
Originally posted by Pale Horse:
quote:
Originally posted by barndg00:
Great, I'm flying in/out of Heathrow next week, vacationing in London. Any advice?


If you are not transferring planes it isn't all that bad.
 
Posts: 2711 | Location: York, PA | Registered: May 01, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Step by step walk the thousand mile road
Picture of Sig2340
posted Hide Post
If the spouse uses a cane, tell the airline you need a wheelchair. IME at Heathrow, Dulles, Ohare, Denver, and other airports that sprawl across the land it gets you through security a bit faster, and to the gate a bit faster.





Nice is overrated

"It's every freedom-loving individual's duty to lie to the government."
Airsoftguy, June 29, 2018
 
Posts: 31376 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: May 17, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
  Powered by Social Strata Page 1 2  
 

SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  What's Your Deal!    I Hate Heathrow Airport.

© SIGforum 2024