Heathrow - 9mins

[DeejRC]

We all know that LHR gets plenty of grief and abuse about delays etc. Well for once I’d like to give them a shout out, 9mins from plane door open, to exiting T3.
LHR can be a pain, but it does get stuff right quite frequently in my experience.

[valiant]

We did terminal 5 in about 15 minutes from exiting then plane to getting on the train earlier this year.

Seriously impressive when everything works (although we only had carry on bags). No queues anywhere.

[davek_964]

Ours was less impressive.

We landed at T5 on Sunday morning - and due to "impending weather" they let us land before 6am. Straight through security and all looking very promising.
Except that the luggage took ages to appear - and the first / business luggage came out last.

[Muzzer79]

My personal record at T5 was 10 mins from exiting aircraft door to opening the door on my car in the short term car park.

Didn't have any checked baggage mind......

[Bispal]

DeejRC said:

We all know that LHR gets plenty of grief and abuse about delays etc. Well for once I’d like to give them a shout out, 9mins from plane door open, to exiting T3.
LHR can be a pain, but it does get stuff right quite frequently in my experience.

That's because I was part of the team that designed T3 ;-)

[sleepezy]

I used to send "Landed" and "In the car, home at xx" messages - the first was sent as soon as the phone was connected, normally at the end of the runway - typically there would be 20 to 25 minutes between the messages but that included taxiing to the gate.

Any delays were normally caused by the guy picking me up expecting me to take far longer - eventually the taxi company realised and made sure their drivers turned up on time.

Sorry Bispal - this it T5

[captain_cynic]

I've never understood the Heathrow hate. I've never been seriously delayed there, especially considering it's the 4th biggest airport in the world (by passenger numbers).

Even before I was able to use the auto gates, it wasn't bad for a major international airport.

For most international airports I'd recommend 3 hours to make sure you get through, at Heathrow 2 isn't even cutting it close.

I think those who rubbish Heathrow simply haven't been to many airports. I'd tell them to visit Bangkok, then Miami, then any major Australian international airport before I'd take them seriously.

[Truckosaurus]

Indeed. I did the BA Edinburgh to T5 flight earlier in the year, it stops at the gate closest to the exit and as you don't have to go through any security/passports/etc you can just walk straight into the outside world if you have no checked bag.

I was from the plane to the minibus to the 'Business Parking' within 5 minutes and the van doesn't wait for anyone else, so back in my car within another 5 minutes and home to Hampshire within another 30 minutes.

(Edit to Add: although it is not perfect, I was a cheapskate and got the £2 bus up the A30 from Camberley on my last visit, it only stops at T5 and I was flying out of T3, and it took at hour to get from T5 to T3 as both the Underground and Elizabeth Line were f-ed up, so you had to get on the Heathrow Express which has pretty infrequent departures)

Edited by Truckosaurus on Friday 25th October 11:16

[x5tuu]

In fairness I regularly do T5 (internal flight) from doors open to being on the heathrow express or tube in under 15mins - makes it easier when the plane gates at one of the stands right next to the end of the concourse where the doors to land-side are.

[DeejRC]

Bispal said:

DeejRC said:

We all know that LHR gets plenty of grief and abuse about delays etc. Well for once I’d like to give them a shout out, 9mins from plane door open, to exiting T3.
LHR can be a pain, but it does get stuff right quite frequently in my experience.

That's because I was part of the team that designed T3 ;-)

I’ve agreed with you once this morning already, you aren’t getting two

[Bispal]

DeejRC said:

Bispal said:

DeejRC said:

We all know that LHR gets plenty of grief and abuse about delays etc. Well for once I’d like to give them a shout out, 9mins from plane door open, to exiting T3.
LHR can be a pain, but it does get stuff right quite frequently in my experience.

That's because I was part of the team that designed T3 ;-)

I’ve agreed with you once this morning already, you aren’t getting two

I will reciprocate in the near future

[TownIdiot]

The last two journeys we've had from Manchester have been absolutely flawless, in both directions

Absolutely gobsmacked

[LHRFlightman]

My best is from aircraft door to sitting in my Tesla in the T2 short haul car park. 5m 46 seconds.

[LHRFlightman]

davek_964 said:

Ours was less impressive.

We landed at T5 on Sunday morning - and due to "impending weather" they let us land before 6am. Straight through security and all looking very promising.
Except that the luggage took ages to appear - and the first / business luggage came out last.

Quite funny that they're still doing the "in advance of upcoming disruption" trick to allow pre-0600 landers. It's not strictly allowed under the night flights regime.

[djc206]

Bispal said:

That's because I was part of the team that designed T3 ;-)

Hopefully not the one who designed the dead end off G. Can be a bloody nightmare getting in there.

[djc206]

LHRFlightman said:

davek_964 said:

Ours was less impressive.

We landed at T5 on Sunday morning - and due to "impending weather" they let us land before 6am. Straight through security and all looking very promising.
Except that the luggage took ages to appear - and the first / business luggage came out last.

Quite funny that they're still doing the "in advance of upcoming disruption" trick to allow pre-0600 landers. It's not strictly allowed under the night flights regime.

Shh don’t spoil it

[davek_964]

djc206 said:

LHRFlightman said:

davek_964 said:

Ours was less impressive.

We landed at T5 on Sunday morning - and due to "impending weather" they let us land before 6am. Straight through security and all looking very promising.
Except that the luggage took ages to appear - and the first / business luggage came out last.

Quite funny that they're still doing the "in advance of upcoming disruption" trick to allow pre-0600 landers. It's not strictly allowed under the night flights regime.

Shh don’t spoil it

It didn't make us terribly popular - texting the person who's collecting you from the airport at 05:45 to say you've landed 30 mins early on a Sunday morning isn't a positive thing apparently

[LHRFlightman]

djc206 said:

LHRFlightman said:

davek_964 said:

Ours was less impressive.

We landed at T5 on Sunday morning - and due to "impending weather" they let us land before 6am. Straight through security and all looking very promising.
Except that the luggage took ages to appear - and the first / business luggage came out last.

Quite funny that they're still doing the "in advance of upcoming disruption" trick to allow pre-0600 landers. It's not strictly allowed under the night flights regime.

Shh don’t spoil it

It's hard to hide isn't it? Hundreds of tonnes of metal, overflying London, early in the morning? If only someone knew what was going on!

[Zaichik]

my last arrival (LHR T3) last Sat Eve, from plane door to luggage took me less than 15mins. I then had to wait 2 and half hours for my wife to clear immigration because she does not have a UK or EU/USA etc passport and so had to join the queue for the single border force bod who was checking passports. After a wait that long followed by some aggressive questioning she emerged in tears.

(and no, they would not let me in the same queue or her in mine which has left me fuming and LHR have denied any responsibility - pointing me towards the home office)

[TwigtheWonderkid]

I fly into LHR at least twice a month, always with just hand luggage. It's not unusual to be on the Elizabeth Line platform 15-20 mins after doors open at T2,3,4 or 5. And then wait 25 mins for a train if I've just missed one