London Heathrow Airport

I can't speak highly enough of the customer assistance program. My husband and I flew in from Doha in transit to Aberdeen. I had broken my ankle a few weeks previously and was on crutches. The wheelchair assistant was waiting for me as I disembarked and I was transported with speed and efficiency including a change of terminal. The staff we encountered were very professional and pleasant.

Use T5 a lot, but for the first time ever there were snake queues at check in. My flight was being checked in at desks B,C,D and F. Massive queue at B desks, so popped over to C desks and was checked in within 5 minutes. From recent experience security south is usually less busy than security North

I was embarrassed by the attitude of one of the security workers in T5 yesterday. I understand they have a job to do and security and safety of all passengers comes first but manners cost nothing. A gentle reminder to customers is all that is needed.

Arrived on BA from Dubai at Terminal 5 at around 6 am, along with a bunch of long-haul 747/777/A380 arrivals from all over the world. There were bottlenecks on the walk from the gate down to the shuttle trains which take people from the remote satellite terminals to the 'main' part of T5 which houses passport control/baggage reclaim as well as check-in/security on departure. Had to wait around 20 minutes to get on a train, because in many cases the shuttles would arrive from the previous stop (the C gates) already full. Was a bit stressful. At passport control, it was a 30-minute wait for non-EU nationals, expected as this was the morning rush. Immigration officer was courteous and polite (am a frequent visitor to the UK, so minimal questions asked). She endorsed (i.e. stamped) the wrong visa, and when I pointed out her error, she rectified her mistake with minimal fuss. Bags didn't take much time. Very convenient vending machines if you need to pick up a SIM card in the baggage claim hall-if not, there are several shops in the arrivals area selling UK SIM cards, plus WHSmith and a few other outlets. Signage to Heathrow Express clear, and in 20 minutes was in central London. Departure: Arrived on the HEX, and wanted to do VAT refund, but the office was on the other side of the terminal, and quite busy at that, so I ended up ditching-they should have a VAT refund office on either end of the large T5 check-in area. My flight left at 1pm, and there were quite a number of flights leaving, a mixture of European and intercontinental flights. Used self-service kiosks to print BPs, then waited for a good 30 minutes in the bag drop queue. Would be much more efficient to have a proper self check-in service, where passengers can print and stick their bag tags themselves. Although the queue to get into security was short, getting in line to go through the scanner, then waiting again for the bags to come out through the machine all ended up taking a good 15 minutes. By then, only had 70 minutes or so until departure. Bearing in mind that my flight left from Gate B35, which required another ride on the shuttle, only had 20-25 minutes to grab a bit and run. Despite arriving 3 hours in advance, with the all the walking and waiting, felt like I was cutting it close. Overall a mixed bag. I highly recommend anyone planning on doing a VAT refund to get there a good 4 hours before their flight (and of course, you need to be prepared to show them your purchases, so unless it's in your carry-on, you need to do this before checking in your bags).

In all my traveling years, never such rudeness and unprofessional treatment than by a staff at Heathrow Airport. Request for assistance was turned down in my attempt to ask for the need for landing card as my next flight was leaving in the next three hours and another staff member sitting at a chair next to immigration line as I was waiting to have my passport stamped, harassed me about stepping out of the line to talk with her about how I was talking to the other staff in my inquiry about the landing card. She continued to lecture me how I should correctly"talk to the staff. I suggest the staff be retrained on their customer service skills.

Terminal 2 is still a disorganised mess. My partner and I used the self service boarding pass scanners just before security, only to find before we boarded that they hadn't worked properly. Although the gates had opened and let us and several other travellers through they had not taken the picture. After this came security, which was fine. However, after this there appeared to be no signs pointing you to border control, and in fact it was tucked away in a corner on a lower level. we walked around in a confused state with no staff actively trying to mange this. The building is designed horribly so that you have no real confidence about where you are going. A rude immigration officer completed the experience for us. Absolutely terrible.

So, arrive at Edinburgh Intl Airport on time and go through the usually inefficient but very thorough UK security screening and passport control. This works relatively 'well'. Our flight arrives late to Heathrow though, and then the real fun begins. After a thorough security check by British officials in Edinburgh, we are subject to that all over again after an excruciatingly long bus ride between idiotically poorly connected terminals (arrival at T5 and departure for LAX at T3). Both times we're "randomly picked" for a 2nd level security check. So OK, through all that and then we need to re-check in again for the AA flight to LAX (after printing boarding passes online with all docs verified). Why? Then we are so lucky to actually learn of the departure gate a full 5 minutes before all the other clueless passengers who are anxiously watching the monitors. This is one of the silliest parts of the operation: holding the gate secret until 20 minutes before boarding. Anyway, rush to the very far away gate, and then into a new secure area- yes another check of passport and boarding pass that gains us access to the usual ugly 'stall' with no services and no bathrooms. There more poor people (thankfully not us) being checked by yet more random searching. Heathrow, the world's worst large-sized airport in my opinion, needs to have its security and other logistical systems completely overhauled by efficiency experts. It's an embarrassment to the UK.

Terminal 5. Architecturally impressive, with great views and lots of natural light. Plenty of stores to keep avid shoppers occupied. The four hours of free Wi-Fi offered is a nice touch. Distances are long however, and both my recent flights arrived at either a remote stand or the satellite terminal. The policy of announcing the departure gate only an hour beforehand is annoying, especially if the departure is from the B or C gates, which take a while to get to.

I completely agree with reviews submitted by Alan Gerbhart and Michelle Strauss. It took me 70 minutes from arrival to clearing security into Terminal 5A on 21st July despite having "fast-track". At immigration there was a problem scanning a baby's eyes but instead of taking the issue aside the immigration people (5) dealt with the issue at the desk holding every other customer back - there was no other desk in use at this point as every immigration officer decided they would also assist with the baby - ridiculous, and no apology obviously. At security the queues were surprisingly short (see immigration issue) but they still insisted on swabbing bags and items unnecessarily, even lifting chocolates out of my daughters bag and re-scanning them - why? We also had a duty free bottle of perfume, sealed in the bag with the receipt but again they insisted on opening it and testing it - is there no-one with any common sense employed? And of course no sign of supervision or management anywhere. I compare you to many other international hubs I travel through and without doubt immigration and security here are the worst for organisation, worst for customer service and worst for passenger management I have ever had the displeasure to come across.

Terminal 2 - This Terminal appears to have been deliberately designed to make things as difficult as possible for passengers to negotiate. If you are not young and fit I would suggest you avoid it. I have some mobility issues and I found this Terminal difficult in the extreme. Plenty of room in Car Park then lifts take you to area out in front of Terminal Building. When you enter you are met by automatic check-in machines with desks behind but no staff to help you find out what you need to do. I decided to avoid the machines and eventually find the EVA Air Business Class check-in desk. Staff here were excellent. I make my way to Security. Despite being very quiet, passengers are still made to snake through the movable barriers forcing them to walk about 20 times further than necessary. Fairly quick getting through the checks and then passports. Now the problems really begin. The signs inside the Terminal building are unclear and totally inadequate. I eventually work out I now need to go down a level. The lifts throughout the terminal are generally tucked away, difficult to find, and at least half appear to be marked 'Staff Only'. At the next level I again can't find any clear signs to show how to get to the Business Lounge, which I was told was near the gate. The design of this level is awful. There are no clear, easy routes to get across. Passengers are forced to walk much further than necessary. It appears to be in order to make them go as close to as many shops as possible. I eventually find the exit I need in the far corner. I now have to go down yet another level. I am now faced with a lifeless corridor. It is a very, very long walk from here to the gates and the Lounge. There are some moving walkways. By the time I get close to the gates I am in pain. I now discover I have to go back up a level to get to the Lounge. Unbelievable! I then have to go back down and walk a little further to get to the gate when it's time to board. Boarding was shambolic. No information given. One mad scrum and slow moving queues. Arriving back in the Terminal was no better. On leaving the plane I have to immediately use a small, slow lift to go up a level. There is then quite a walk. I then have to find a lift to go up another level. The lifts are an even further walk, with confusing signs and most of the lifts marked 'Staff Only' or 'Buggies Only'. The sign in the lift says I need Level 3 for Arrivals but there are only buttons for 0 and 2! There is then a very, very, very long walk and the need to use yet another lift. I eventually get to Passport Control. I have a Priority Lane pass but there are very few staff in it so there is quite a wait. Through Customs then outside to find the way to taxis. I find I have to walk to the other end of the concourse and go down a level in the lift. I then have another quite long walk to the taxi queue. There are plenty of taxis for the number of people waiting but only one member of Airport staff doing the taxi bookings. A long wait. I have travelled a great deal over many years and Heathrow T2 is, without doubt, the worst one I have gone through in terms of access, passenger convenience and ease of use. I find it staggering that it has been expensively re-designed very recently and this us the result. I shall be doing all I can to avoid using it