LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
6 January 2009 : by Phillip Watson
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
Flew from T5 to Toronto, and it is a massive improvement from T2/T4. It is open, spacious
well planned and thought out. I suspect that the same number fly through there than from T4
but it feels less claustrophobic and you don't feel cramped. Plenty of shops to choose from
and the prices for refreshments are reasonable.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
6 January 2009 : by Simon Smith
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |  |
Terminal 1 for BMI. It appears to have been much improved in last 3 months with new check ins
open and more space. Security was reasonably quick and well organized. New Star Alliance
lounge (in old BA lounge area) is quite impressive.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
3 January 2009 : by Bill Atkins
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
T5 is a great improvement - however there are some bottlenecks in the Flight Connections procedure
which will get worse if not addressed. If arriving in the early morning rush, the security area is
swamped and cannot cope in the space available. On connecting for an outbound international flight,
each time I have had to queue for boarding pass inspection, then be sent to a BA desk for a
documentation check (even when this was already done at my point of origin) and go back to the
inspection again. These are the kind of things that spoil what should be a new and refreshingly easy
experience.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
3 January 2009 : by Charles King
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
Even with T5 I always seem to get bussed in off the flight from EWR, which is pretty annoying and
unacceptable for a new "world class" terminal. Maybe the new "C" satellite will mean that one is
more likely to get a proper pier once it is built. Overheard a BA crew member saying that every 777
gets buses rather than a pier at the moment. However, immigration was swift (about 5 people in the
queue ahead of me) and, given that I was the first off the plane (travelling First) it was
impressive to see my bag waiting for me when I got to baggage reclaim. An incredible improvement
over the half hour plus waits I used to have at T4. BA arrivals lounge is great.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review : 28 December 2008 : by Mark Bickerton
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
T3 arriving from DXB on Emirates. The opening of T5 has meant that the other terminals are less
busy at peak times. I was off the plane, through passport control and onto a train in less than 10
minutes, which is amazing. The airport was quiet, good signage and the staff even smiled a bit!
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review : 24 December 2008 : by Vincent Borlaug
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Customer Rating : 5/5 | |
I first used Terminal 5 in October when connecting IAD/LHR/BUD and back, and was generally impressed
by the more open, less claustrophobic design compared to Terminal 4 - also the shuttles between the
A and B gates worked well, and there is even (as in T4) a nice pub airside, with real ales and a
decent fish-and-chips platter - arrival formalities and security went well for the most part. Now on
20th December I used the departure hall for the first time (again to IAD) and this is a vast
improvement in every way: the contrast between the new and old (T4) designs is even more vivid,
check-in queues were much shorter, the 'Fast Bag Drops' finally lived up to their name, and the
extra spaciousness of the general layout made for a much better experience overall. On these
showings, T5 is a winner! (Further interesting bit: T4 veterans may remember the free malt whisky
tastings at the duty-free there - I am pleased to report that these have continued at T5.)
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review : 24 December 2008 : by Alan Wan
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
T1 outbound and return with United Airlines. I have not flown international from T1 for several
years and thought it was fine the queues for security were short at 8am and we ate at the Pret a
Manger which was reasonably priced. On our return we got from the gate and picked up our bags
within 45 minutes. Overall much better than previous experiences at T3.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
20 December 2008 : by Gavin Stewart
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
Generally T5 is a pleasure but I note some creeping issues coming in. T5 Flight Connections is
starting to fray at the edges a bit. Only one immigration officer active on the UK queue last week.
If there are any issues with a particular passenger then everybody waits. Sure enough, a non-UK
national got into the wrong line and had all sorts of queries, immigration were very helpful, but
come on, enforce the process please. What worries me really, is that one of the two escalators up to
security from FC seems now to be permanently shut down. I assumed it was maintenance, but it's still
roped off on 3 successive visits and now I suspect it's deliberate to choke the passenger flow.
Welcome back to the old-style FC queue management? Catch 22, you reduce the functionality, you just
choke the flow even more, then you do something else - I hope not! This escalator also has a
needless extended zig-zag at the base, again I presume to slow us all down. The design at the top of
the escalator is a bit of a bottleneck, which may explain it. If so the designers want shooting. In
every other respect T5 is a great experience.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review : 19 December 2008 : by David Leston
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
The Terminal 3 piers are looking really smart now, much better than the horrible, old patterned
carpets they used to have - it used to be really embarrassing - although the immigration hall is
still very shabby. Transited through arrivals in less than 20 mins (including baggage reclaim),
impressive. LHR does seem to be getting better.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review : 13 December 2008 : by P Ameil
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
LHR/ARL with SAS and return from/to terminal 3. Used compulsory (?) self service check in at LHR;
slightly disappointed this didn't give option to choose a seat. Going out everything fine, although
did take a fair while to pass thru' security. Returning, it took me a little over 20 minutes from
exiting the plane to standing on the platform waiting for the Heathrow Express - and that was with
hold baggage to retrieve! I have to say I was well impressed with that!
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
10 December 2008 : by Nick Paul
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Customer Rating : n/a |  |
T1 and connect to T2 at lunchtime on a Monday - T2 restaurants nearly empty, few pax around. No
queue at security at all, all very prompt service. Note some gates are 20 mins walk so allow this if
making connections with short times between flights - signage comments on this in the Terminal, as
well. Rather tired decor, but perfectly fine for transitting through. The usual comment that there
are far too many shops, but its up to the traveller to decide to use them or not. Typical meal costs
- pizza £6 - £8, water £2, hot drink £2.50. Waiters were checking pax departure times to advise them
of time for service which was a courteous service to avoid rushed meals. On returning after return
flight, once through the arrival hall, there were no signs that I could see for connection to T1 for
onward flight - the first sign was outside the hall - other terminals were noted, but not for T1, so
if connecting, make your way outside and then follow directions as indicated. T1 another shopping
centre experience. Security again very quick - no queues at all for a mid morning dept. Check the
prices at the various cafes/restaurants as quite a difference for the same meal at hdifferent
outlets. Again, fine facility for passing through, and some further building work in evidence - no
doubt further shops.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
3 December 2008 : by C McCafferty
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
Flew out of Terminal 2 with Swiss on a Friday evening. As I had checked in online I was able to
avoid queuing in the dingy check in area, and from then on the experience was remarkably pleasant.
The security check was swift and hassle free and the terminal building was much less crowded than I
expected (possibly because T2 contains a mix of mostly continental European airlines, with no large
UK carrier). As boarding cards are checked when passengers enter the gate area, the boarding process
did not involve the frantic scrum to get on the plane which is the usual experience these days. One
major irritant was that I followed the signs from the Heathrow Express to T2, (which basically
brings you towards T3) when it would have been much quicker to follow the signs to T1 and walk over
to T2 from there – I shall know for next time. Other that that a pleasant experience.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review : 16 November 2008 : by Steve Mumby
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Customer Rating : 2/5 |  |
Arrived from JNB at 7:30am to T3. Needed wheelchair assistance and couldn't have been treated worse
by BAA agent - OCS. Clearly couldn't care about me (or the other wheelchair passengers), made no
effort to help us, assumed we could walk long distances to get to one of their golf carts - I could
go on and on.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
12 November 2008 : by Tony McLaughlin
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
Terminal 1. have been a big critic of this terminal in the past but it is now vastly improved since
BA transferred to T5. This terminal is now more open and more spacious. There were at least 5
flights to the USA in the short time I was in T1, but it seemed very uncrowded. I flew BMI, and
there were ample check-in facilities for this airline. Slightly further walk now to Gate 2 since all
departures go through the one channel, but not the end of the world. Shoes off policy is now
rigorously enforced at security.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
11 November 2008 : by J de Vries
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Customer Rating : 2/5 | |
Despite arriving late on a Sunday night, with hardly any other aircraft landing, air traffic control
felt it necessary to keep us in the air around London for 45 minutes. It seems air traffic control
also had difficulties assigning our plane a parking spot - despite numerous empty gates. We taxied
around terminal 3 in its entirety before parking at a gate passed earlier. With so few arriving
passengers, immigration at T3 was a breeze, waiting time for suitcases was reasonable.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
11 November 2008 : by John Oram
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
Today's arrival from LAX saw T5 as BA no doubt intended it to be. In spite of the complex of
escalators, walkways and transits we moved from T5B to T5A with little effort and our baggage was
waiting. For the first time in a long while, priority tagging seemed to have meant something. IRIS
was ultra quick. The Hotel Hoppa was right there at the stop but being a BAA imposition it is a
grudging and minimalist service. The off going driver was insolent and the relieving driver was
harsh on brakes and accelerator and of course bound by the tedious route which gets you only
eventually to the Renaissance.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
11 November 2008 : by Guy Lester
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
Used T2 on an Alitalia to Milan Linate. Only used LHR once before - usually use LGW and found T1 to
be dreadful. However, T2 was excellent at 07:30 on the Monday. Extremely quiet, only six other
flights leaving - Lufthansa, Austrian and Swiss. Security a breeze - through in 2 minutes. Departure
Lounge was quiet and we boarded quickly. Gate fairly close to lounge, only a few mins walk away.
Aircraft left quickly. Only complaint was that the layout was slightly confusing - came in and had
to check - in downstairs although some desks were upstairs. Then had to go up two levels for
security and departures.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review : 9 November 2008 : by C Young
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
Flew from Terminal 4 to Singapore on BA. Well, now that BA have moved all their flights except those
to SYD, BKK and SIN from Terminal 4 the place is like a ghost town. Bored shopkeepers, only too
happy to chat now that commerce has dried up. Verdict, terrific place to depart from as so uncrowded.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review : 7 November 2008 : by Mark Cowell
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Customer Rating : 2/5 | |
Arrival into T1 on SAA from CPT. Despite being in the air for 12 hours apparently no one at LHR was
expecting us as we had to sit on the ramp for 15mins awaiting a marshaller to guide the aircraft
into stand. Once off the plane, the whole grim T1 arrival experience unfolded with the usual array
of missing ceilings, endless treks and a 45 minute wait for bags. Thankfully customs queue was
minimal. Welcome to the UK!
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
5 November 2008 : by Roger Stone
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Customer Rating : 3/5 |  |
Heathrow could be an enjoyable and efficient hub for business travellers needing to work both in
mainland Europe and the UK over a short period - but it isn't. The main problems occur when
transiting between terminals or attempting to stay at the Heathrow Hilton adjacent to T4. Transit
trains between T3 and T4 do not run every 2 minutes or so as one may expect if you are used
transiting through Hong Kong, Singapore, or Tokyo Narita. Instead, at Heathrow between T3 and T4,
waiting times can be up to 20 minutes for the Heathrow Connect train to arrive. In other words,
there are no local shuttle trains frequently moving to and fro. One has to wait for the trains from
central London to take you between terminals. These trains are quite nice but confusion and stress
is common with transit passengers forlornly looking about for a suitable train on the underground
station platforms at Heathrow. After a week or so of this I found myself assisting many lost
travellers as I had, by this time, learnt the best way of surviving this ordeal. This can be a nice
conversation starter but it is not an airport recommended for the nervous traveller. Thankfully,
there are now more platform staff ready to assist but the train frequency is too low (too far
apart). Otherwise, I do like using T5 and have found T1 quite OK. The rest, coping with rude
contract check in staff with some airlines, can be an ordeal to deal with.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
30 October 2008 : by Andy Bent
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Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
I can't say using T3 was a particularly pleasant experience but it was mercifully brief! Minimal
queuing at check in - so I wasn't stuck in that dingy check in hall for too long - then straight
through security with no queue. Duty free area not too unpleasant considering the numbers of people
crammed into it. On return through immigration, baggage collection and customs in under half an
hour - which you can't complain at.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
21 October 2008 : by Kevin Tunnicliffe
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Customer Rating : 5/5 | |
Terminal 1. Last time I had to use this terminal it was a nightmare, so when BA switched my flight
from T3 after I had booked I was concerned. All for nothing. Terminal one was excellent. No queues
on Tuesday as we departed and non on Saturday as we returned. Very few immigration staff on the
desks as we came back which caused a slight delay as they had to get extra staff to look into a
passenger whose papers did not seem in order. Apart from that excellent. A good range of eating and
beverage outlets in departures and on return our baggage was on the belt as we arrived in the
baggage hall.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
21 October 2008 : by John Oram
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Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
On first arrival at T5 it seems like an ocean of calm in spite of the large number of flights now
using it but soon enough you receive a reassuring reminder of BAA's infinite capacity to cause
inconvenience. We had arrived at and dropped our bags near the North entrance. We were not allowed
through security at that end of the terminal as it was 'closed' being 'too busy'. We walked to the
other end of the terminal, ran the gauntlet of the usual charmless security personnel and found that
the route to BA's South lounge could hardly be more convoluted if they had had a competition to make
it so. Suffice it to say it involves going down one escalator to backtrack and go up two escalators.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review :
21 October 2008 : by Bill Atkins
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |  |
Made T5 connection at 6.30 am. Trains and escalators jammed, security lines long and fast track a
joke. The security system does not work and causes terrible backups. I recommend allowing longer
connect times than BA gives if transferring early am.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review : 18 October 2008 : by G Levecque
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Customer Rating : 1/5 | |
For anyone requiring wheel chair assistance, make sure you give yourselves lots of time to make
connections. On Sep 25th my wife and I came into Heathrow Terminal 5 from Edinburgh, she had to wait
almost an hour to get wheelchair assistance from the flight from Edinburgh to the waiting area for
the flight to Toronto. We where taken by golf cart from the assistance seating area to the gate for
the Toronto flight, then there was no wheelchair to take my wife the rest of the way to the plane,
she tried walking and almost passed out in so doing, no one told me that once we had checked in, the
plane for Toronto would have waited for us! This was a terrible experience.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT review : 15 October 2008 : by R Moss
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Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
Arrived LHR T3 from USA. Forty-five minute wait to clear customs. Then fifteen minutes to get
luggage. Our walk to the main terminal area no longer under construction and actually clean.
Marathon walk to T1 to pick up BMI flight. BMI check in staff some of the rudest people I have ever
encountered. I really don't mind T-3 but dread having to deal with T1. Even Miami personel more
polite than T1.
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