What are airports like at the moment?

[jackstini]

Discussing going away in October and DH being out off by online news reports on how chaotic airports are

Those who have traveled recently, how bad is it and which airport did you use?

Thanks

I went through Luton airport and there was no chaos at all, airport was a dream to get through no big queues and less than half the amount of people you would usually get at the height of summer and I traveled in July and August

Gatwick last week was a dream. 10 minutes to check in and get through security. Then coming back it was the quickest it’s ever been.
However, we did have to queue in Greece for an hour at check in while they checked everyone’s PLF, jabs and tests

I have no first hand experience, but I was just reading this.
www.thesun.co.uk/travel/16048652/heathrow-airport-chaos-babies-pregnant-queue/?utm_campaign=native_share&utm_source=sharebar_native&utm_medium=sharebar_native - reporting Heathrow queues.

We went through Heathrow departures in early Aug - absolutely fine - moderately busy, but very quick. Arrival in late Aug was a total disaster though. We were kept on the plane for an hour after landing (after a long flight, so not much fun), then because we were travelling with a DC under 12 we couldn't use the egates and had to queue up with all the other families with young DC, which was vile. The queue moved quite quickly, but we were in it for over an hour with hundreds of tired, crying babies and small DC, there was no SD, the room was hot and crowded, there was no opportunity to buy a drink or a snack or even go to the loo once you were in queue. Then, after all that, we got down to the baggage hall and we had to wait another half an hour for our bags to arrive. It was chaos!

Overseas airports were fine - both inbound and outbound.

Heathrow T5 was great. Short bag drop queues, short security queues. Lots of friendly staff. Quite a few restaurants still closed so made the mistake of going to Plane Food which was as vile as it ever was. Even the border on the way back was fine- the line wasn’t long, moving quickly and they still allowed anyone with young kids to jump to the front. From landing to bag drop took about 15 minutes and most of that was the bloody transit train since we landed at the B gates.

I depends if you have young kids who can't use the e-gates. Even before covid there were always massive queues for families at Heathrow and Gatwick while the adult and older kids went straight through the e-gates.

T5 flying BA was great in and out. A

That was Saturdays in August mid afternoon so prob about as busy as cd imagine wd get

Normal (shops restaurants etc all open ).yet much calmer

I haven't been but know people who've been through different regional airports and said it was much quieter than normal

Have you tried asking on a Facebook group local to the airport you're going to

The fact that my friend had no issues at say Leeds is pretty rubbish info if you're going to Stansted

Thanks all

Good point about the e-gates, ds is now 12 so we will have that option for the first time!

It will probably be East Midlands or Birmingham for us

I've been away twice this summer and Heathrow was totally fine. Massive queues at Rhodes airport earlier this week tho, due to 3 flights to the U.K. at roughly the same time, and only 2 check in desks open 🤨 still wouldn't call that "chaos" tho

I went through Heathrow this morning.
It was absolutely fine.

My sister went through East Midlands last week. Said it was much quicker and quieter than normal.
We’re flying out of Birmingham in 10 days so I’ll come back and update.

According to media arriving at heathrow is a nightmare atm

Friends left Spain last Friday and got to Stansted at midnight, 3 hours to get through passport control with the kids. It was awful. I can through the same airport with DS and we had about 40 minute wait . Stansted does seem particularly bad atm

Was in Heathrow yesterday. Going out was fine. Arrival in Spain fine. Coming back was ok but as kids under 12 the queue was quite long. There was no queue at all for the e gates do with older kids it will be easy.
Also everything is done electronically now so didn't need to show any tests results/qr codes on way gone as automatically updated to our passports,

@Frazzled2207

According to media arriving at heathrow is a nightmare atm

Sounds like T5 was bad to awful last night for many but OTOH I’ve just heard from a friend who breezed through there last night using the e-gates gates. They went from aircraft to the tube station in under 20 minutes.. so similar to what HelloMissus describes

.

“?e-gates gates”

Came through Heathrow T5 on Wednesday. No queues, straight through egates. One didn't work but taken straight to desk and through.

We flew from Gatwick to Palma in August. Flew back home a week ago. Gatwick was a breeze although our EasyJet flight was almost full both ways. A long wait to check our cases coming home at Palma airport due to 3 flights at similar times, only 3 desks being open and people not completing their PLF’s beforehand so having to do them as they were checking in. Sailed through the e-gates at Gatwick with our teens. Probably the quickest ever.

We came through Heathrow T5 on Monday evening. No queues whatsoever. We have under 12’s so can’t use the e gates but there was not a single person in front of us in the family line!

Gatwick was as fast as I've ever seen coming back from Croatia last Friday.

The day we came through T5 the daily fail reported enormous queues. There weren't, but that doesn't create click bait does it

Has anyone flown out from Heathrow T5 recently? How long before the flight would you suggest getting there... I used to aim for just over an hour with only hand luggage but do they do any extra checks that take more time? Would 90 minutes be ok?