Rich-SOU

Just seen this in the times:

http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/...cle2066498.ece

I don't think it has been posted yet but humble apologies if I'm mistaken. Suddenly makes T5 seem less appealing. I can't imagine how they can possibly implement additional security checks without ruining the place. On the plus side, I'm glad I hardly ever take domestic flights.

vla

Fortunately BA's preferred connection route for domestic pax north of Watford is train to Euston or Kings X (200m walk to Euston Square is clearly signposted), Circle Line to Paddington (Hammersmith and City for the foolhardy), £30 or whatever HEX is these days to a nice, new T5 station (to which not all trains will run, do pay attention please).

Rambuster

Times: "The problem is that an international passenger arriving at Heathrow who is supposed to be transferring to Helsinki, say, could possibly board a flight to Edinburgh and thus avoid immigration."

So they've already cocked up the T5 terminal design to seperate the passenger flow ... what a surprise !?

Can I help you

It's something to do with T5 having a common departure lounge for all flights.
I am sure Adrian can tell us more.
CIHY

House

They've been taking the photos of domestic passengers at LGW and MAN for years now. This has tended to add absolutely zero time to the security process and seems to work pretty well.

The security queues more generally are the real issue here. I will be interested to see how bad the queues are at T5 when it opens - the idea of having to join T4-length queues to get to EDI doesn't appeal.

Jenbel

I don't think they can do that without DPA implications (certainly not the link into a possible ID card database)

MAN has already had its fingers slapped for not handling photographs in a manner appropriate with DPA (didn't delete them within the specified time).

But huge big for this. I don't want to be treated like a criminal in my own country when all I am wanting to do is go home. I'm a UK citizen with right of return. I shouldn't need to go through this, because I'm absolutely entitled to get into the UK

House

They haven't. Departing and arriving passengers are separated on different floors of the terminal. But domestic and international departing passengers DO mix. This is intentional so that domestic passengers can access the full range of facilities open to international passengers (e.g. lounges).

SchmeckFlyer

Could they not implement a Schengen-type arrangements at airports designed to handle Schengen rules, such as AMS for example? Passengers still mix and you maintain the one terminal concept, but seperate domestic and international passengers.

Or perhaps even more simply... border checks at the gates themselves such as how security is conducted at the gates themselves at AMS as well. It would be slightly redundant of course considering domestic pax originating from LHR, but might be the simplest solution without too many debates about privacy and personal data etc.

I am surprised this was not considered from the outset.

Domestic passengers apparently will have a lounge at their end of the terminal anyway, correct? And having border checks at the gates themselves solves the "problem" of not giving full access to all the shops for domestic passengers.

LHR Tim

Really, especially when you can fly to the US and have them do it for you

adrianjc32

T1 is also to be configured into a common lounge with one search area. The new link runs from beside Boots in Internationals and comes out by the connections escalator opposite the Domestic Terraces.

Jenbel

I haven't flown through the US since it was introduced

The Specialist

And the shops! BAA aren't daft! I have other words to describe BAA but daft isn't one of them!

House

This could work well but would require the UK to have passport checks on departure (and the staff to do this). These are planned but are not yet implemented (except occasionally when they feel like it).

NickB

I guess therein lies the crunch. Controls at the gates are very hungry in terms of manpower.

OrlandoFlyer

Yet another reason to avoid LHR!