Heathrow Is Now Selling Fast Track Security Passes - But Is It Worth It?

20 minutes tops, at 5:30pm on a Friday night before a Bank Holiday weekend. I've achieved Silver with BA since, so I get Fast Track when I fly BA from there anyway now.

Probably not worth it for Heathrow.

Now, Stansted on the other hand...

Last year I had a short connection in Heathrow and had to change from T5 to T3. It was originally a longer connection but the flight times were changed. I looked into fast track security but it wasn’t available for purchase then. Thankfully it wasn’t busy so we (just) made the flight on time.

I’ll remember to leave lots of time when connecting in Heathrow again, the flights there are always delayed due to all the holding patterns for landing!

You are right, unless they plan to make it slower to make more money, this is a total waste of cash. I've never taken more than 10 minutes to get through security at T3.

I go through the regular security Lanes at Heathrow even when flying premium, T5 business/first security is horrendous.

They all have this attitude of 'I'll show you who's boss'. They're much nicer, faster, and more efficient in the standard economy security Lanes.

Now, what about Fast Track inbound to LHR? I would pay that EVERY...SINGLE...TIME to hit the Fast Track queues through immigration after a redeye.

So .. they cannot get their long lines handled and now they want to charge money for it -- unreal!

MAN sells FastTrack already. If you are a business class passenger this is bad news since they will fill up the FastTrack line with people paying to have access.

You guys are all germ machines. Remember that next time you worry about hygiene. The road warriors especially probably are toilet lickers to a larger extent than they realize.

ttps://www.cnn.com/travel/article/airport-security-trays-germs/index.html

Now. any chance of disinfectant wipes being provided by the government after the security? Push the airports to do it. Could the bloggers undertake some public service like this for every 10 times they push their credit cards?

I only ever fly paid First and Business Class so don’t need to worry about it.

More than likely you are flying Y to save money, why would you want to spend on this?
Wouldn’t it be better to save that money for the next flight in J, which would include fast track anyway.

I use T2 frequently, and I can’t say I’ve ever had a long wait. Not worth it.

But as someone else said, it’s totally worth paying for it at Stansted.

@ Bennett Cunningham

Do you have comprehension difficulties? The whole point is that LHR security is actually not bad - so fast track isn’t worth the cash.

@ Anonn

“T5 business/first security is horrendous.”

It really, really isn’t (I write this as an OWE whose main hub is LHR). BA’s First Wing is actually great - I have never queued there since it opened.

@ Catriona

The trick is never, ever to transfer at LHR. It’s an insane thing to do - even within the same terminal. Fly through somewhere else. Anywhere else. Except maybe CDG.

+1 @ Santastico

I fly EY out of MAN T1 regularly and have access to the "Fast Track" due to status. However it is anything but fast... it is usually full of passengers with strollers/pushchairs/wheelchairs and those needing assistance - the Special Assistance lane merges with the Fast Track lane (same happens in T2 and T3 too) - no sure who thought that was a great idea!!. They really need separate lanes for Fast Track and Special Assistance.

Gatwick North, which I go through couple of times a month, is quite efficient. Longest I have experienced is around 15 mins. Obviously, this doesn't apply to a Monday morning or the first day of school holidays.

As a non-rev who frequently travels out of T3, I would pay for this simply because, depending upon the airline, non-revs are either cleared at the gate, or cleared at the counter. When cleared at the counter you normally have less than an hour to get to the gate. Depending upon the time of day, at T3 that can be a problem. If I can save some time and not have to literally run to the gate, then it's worth it to me.

This is useless. At least LHR is not as bad as other places. And unlike TSA PreCheck, you don't have too many people get them free with credit cards. People bringing liquid, taking laptop out, and taking off shoes should be banned from PreCheck FOR LIFE.

Fast Track immigration at LHR?? Now we are talking.

Whenever I’m transferring through Heathrow from US, I have to go through the ghastly carrying on screening. Even inhailers are viewed as liquid... If you ended up having your carry on searched, good luck with that. You will easily waste 30-60 minutes or more waiting for the screeners going through everyone’s carry on luggage before he/she searches yours. I would pay extra to be the first person to get my luggage searched if it happens to need extra screening for reasons I don’t know...and I’m flying F.

Immigration line can be hellish even if you are at Fast Track Lane. Last time I was in one two months ago, they had like two officiers and we ended up waiting for an hour. The economy line, while looked insanely long, ended up moving faster because they had a lot more immigration officers...

@Jason: BTW I cannot think of a worst airport to go through security than MAN. I only use T3 and I never have a day that I was selected for extra screening. Seriously, they are a huge pain. I had times they were concerned about my iPhone cables (apparently having more than one cable triggers them to perform extra security) , my laptop, a box of black tea, etc... I cannot find a way to not trigger extra screening at that airport and it takes easily an extra 30 minutes if you are selected. I avoid MAN as much as I can.

@debit. What on earth does this have to do with the ability to purchase Fast Track?!

@James
Totally unrelated, but did you today read that Primera Air is also launching a Frankfurt/Main base from 16th June 2019 with flights to JFK, Boston, Montreal and Toronto with B737 Max 9?

I'd have expected Düsseldorf, Cologne or Hamburg as their next base.

@ Sam - as I said in an earlier comment I cannot keep up! They're growing faster than Norwegian!

Anyone else wondering what @Elijah does with all those miles from ONLY flying paid premium classes. Maybe he's too good to sign up for FF programs. Or spends the miles for coach tickets for his SO. Just curious.

does anyone actually separate their liquids in a clear plastic bag? I NEVER do that and have never had an issue.

The Virgin Upper Class dedicated channel @ T3 is decent enough, but I have found general Fast Track slower than regular often enough that it's simply not worth paying any extra.

June 9 inbound Calgary to Terminal 2. Took 2 hours, horrendous line up queues. Airport manager said everything is going good. Might need to get out of his office as actually experience the pain of customers who pay the landing fees.