London Heathrow Airport

T2. New terminal for Star Alliance Member Airlines. London Heathrow has changed since I last visited this place back in 2002. Terminal 2 for Star Alliance is huge and really expensive if you want to eat breakfast lunch or dinner. I suggest you use your credit card and leave the cash with you if you need it for emergency. You really need extra time to catch your next flight if your traveling abroad especially if your traveling on a different airline like British Airways Qatar Airways etc. May I suggest that you go through security to give you extra time to catch your night flight with this terminal 2. Well done Star Alliance for opening this airport. For those flying on business or first class be aware about four airline lounges at Star Alliance Terminal 2 that you could use like United Airlines Lounge Air Canada Maple Leaf Lufthansa Senators Lounge as well as Star Alliance Lounge.

Connected to LHR on my trip from BRU to LAX and return from SFO to BRU inbound and outbound flights were both times with BA thus connecting in from and to T5. I was really worried after all the bad reviews but had a really nice experience. I travelled economy so no fast track or lounge for me so had the basic encounter with the airport and have no complaints whatsoever. On the first leg (on a Tuesday morning around 7.30) I timed myself from the moment I stepped off the plane until I cleared security to less than 20 minutes! Lots of signs pretty clear instructions no problem. I had to take the train to T5C again nothing to worry about. On the way back coming from SFO and connecting to BRU early afternoon of another Tuesday I deplaned the A380 and timed myself again from getting off the plane (T5C) to clearing security: about 40 minutes although security was a little bit more crowded and my bag was put on the side and double checked. Overall I had a quite good experience but I can easily understand that it can quickly become a bad one when there are lots of people or when having tight and stressful connection. I found T5A to be a little bit overcrowded but you can still manage to find a place to sit. LHR is a great place for plane spotting!

I am a frequent traveller and have little choice but to use Heathrow as my hub for certain flights this means transferring from T2 to T5. The transfer itself is not a problem but the security process is. I flew out to Athens and had to wait 40 minutes at security to have my toiletries checked only to be told that after the initial alarm they were safe and did not pose a 'security threat' after all. On my return went through security at flight connections carrying four tins of honey bought in Duty Free at Athens sealed in a transparent bag etc as per EU regulations. But at Heathrow one of these tins according to the machinery in use appeared to pose a 'threat to security' and I was told (politely) I could not carry the honey in my hand luggage but would have to check it in this meant leaving flight connections via the utterly chaotic passport control where the staff appear to be trained only to shout at travellers I checked my luggage with my airline and re-entered the main security area. The staff were rude and insolent. This experience is not the first I have made if I could I would find an alternative hub for my onward journeys from Ireland. And it is not just Heathrow I have experienced similar at both Stansted and Gatwick. UK airports are now to be avoided at all costs. Rudeness is the norm and a complete lack of common sense.

Flew From T2 to Toronto. Nice airy spacious terminal. It is all self service now meaning you even have to print your own labels. A female member of staff spoke to us very rudely when we asked for help with the labels. Instead of patronising people with your superior smugness you might want to hop to a counter and serve people in the old fashioned way you used to. Very disappointing. Otherwise fine but the usual range of high end and rip off shops airside.

Athens - London - Philadelphia dep on 18/3 return 19/4 via BA terminal 5. An absolute disappointment in this confusing and complicated terminal packed like sardines in that train though a world traveler lost in that confusing terminal and my polite request to an airport employee for directions received an angry and impolite reply. On my return I had to rush to catch my onward flight to Athens I pushed my way in that train like a sardine and took an oath to avoid this terminal in the future. I must compliment a BA employee who was extremely willing and helpful at gate 14 - if I remember well.

Flew out of T5 transferring from inbound Manchester flight was easy enough required internal train but spotless terminal and plenty of seating at gate.

Terminal 2 is now akin to a "lost cost airline" terminal - meaning DIY. When you check in for your flight you have no choice you have to scan your passport and then print your own boarding card and your luggage tag and apply the luggage tag yourself to your bags before you are permitted to join the queue to fully check in and talk to someone which then takes the same time as a normal check in at any other airport. Many staff standing around (and few very helpful and most frankly rather condescending towards customers who just do not get the concept) that actually could be put to better use by getting behind the desks and checking you into your flight and conducting the full procedure like any other airport. Security very disorganized and not efficient at all and WiFi in the terminal is hopeless as keeps cutting out. Many staff including gate staff and G4 Security staff borderline rude towards customers in the way they talk and look at people and just too many all standing around and talking to each other. Other facilities within the terminal are satisfactory including the restaurants and duty free.

An international traveller does not have too much expectation on any airport but so far Heathrow is still considered to be a very busy international airport. Nothing to do with the facilities but the security staff. 10 out of 10 that I read them are rude and impatient. I witnessed one of the security officers shouting at a passenger I heard the lady only asking about the security procedures. She said nothing wrong. If staff cannot deal with their daily workloads then the job is unsuitable for them.

Arrived at the new T2 and it looked very well laid out and exited quickly. The problem is the congestion of planes not the terminal. Having landed it is really unacceptable to be left on a taxiway for 15 minutes because a gate was not available. LHR want another runway but they cannot even handle the flights they already have. A shame because the new T2 looked really nice but it just takes too long for planes to park getting to car rental etc.

What a shame that T2 doesn't have the passenger in mind what an opportunity missed and what was the thinking behind the design? Indeed design a fab new building but not for the purpose of architectural vanity. You forgot the passenger experience here. I have travelled widely internationally but the distance travelled from check in to my outgoing SQ flight and baggage reclaim from my incoming SQ flight takes some beating quite bonkers. What should be a relatively smooth and stress free transition to and from flights has become a heck of a long walk but at least it got my leg muscles working after a 13 hr flight! As for arriving by the Heathrow Express or Tube - add another 30 mins after you have your bags once you have negotiated the barriers and stranded trolleys. Why are we unable to access these services from within the building rather than having to exit and then descend via slow elevators or escalators? Give me T4 any day. So the important point here is make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get to the departure gate indeed the 2-3 hr check-in timeline from ticketing to the gate has never been more relevant with the new T2.