My New Year's resolution is NEVER to go through Heathrow again if I can possibly help it, especially T3

[bran]

I hate it, particularly coming up to Christmas. But even at quiet times of the year it's the most infuriating airport I've ever been to.

I'm currently investigating travel to Kuala Lumpur from City airport for our next trip to the in-laws, which would involve changing planes somewhere like Frankfurt or Amsterdam. Surprisingly it wouldn't take much longer when you take into account the long taxi journey to Heathrow and the need to check in 2 hrs before departure, compared to a 15 min (max) journey to City Airport and a 30 min check in. I just need to persuade dh to book well in advance, he tends to leave it to the last minute so we always end up the least popular flights.

I prefer Frankfurt to Amsterdam.

Every time I've gone through Amsterdam, for some reason or another the plane is delayed.

Well that's why they're called 'terminals' isn't it? {grin}

LOL at Shitemum.

I've never had trouble at Amsterdam, but then I haven't been through it very often. It's a very pleasant airport though. Frankfurt is efficient, but seems huge and bare to me, with lots and lots of walking between gates and not very many cafes.

Heathrow just makes me want to lie on the floor and tantrum from the second I walk through the door to find the queue for my flight snakeing away from the check-in counters for about half a mile. Then another queue to get through security. Not to mention the queue to get through passport control on the way back, despite having EU passports. Plus the snotty attitudes of the immigration people because dh, ds and I all have different surnames (which has never been a problem at City Airport). I can feel my blood pressure rising just thinking about it.

We regularly traverse Heathrow T1 to T4 which we moan about. But dh had to travel via Schipol last week and said it was terrible nowadays and he'll do anything to avoid it.

Hmm, will bear that in mind about Schipol, thanks.

I suspect that at least some of my issues with Heathrow are to do with going to stay with my MIL. Perhaps if we were going somewhere I wanted to go it wouldn't bother me so much.

On second thoughts, Heathrow is hopelessly crap. It wouldn't matter where I was going, I would still hate it.

Perhaps I can persuade dh to go business class, at least we would get to use the airline lounge and possibly have fast-track through security.

Actually, I've just recalled that dh was at Schipol from 5am until 9.40am and I guess any airport's thrills are going to wane in that time! He said it was weird being somewhere where smoking isn't banned.

We have lounge access now and it does make a difference. I'm also pinning my hopes on the opening of T5.

Bran, business class does make Heathrow more bearable in terms of lounges, shorter check-in queue, etc BUT makes no difference to the usual delays waiting on the plane for a take off slot (or docking slot coming in).

Agree that Frankfurt preferable to Schipol - also agree that Heathrow is a total disaster. It's not just T3 though ...

We returned from holiday yesterday with 13 month old DD- flew from heathrow - DISASTER - we went to Cape Town our luggage went to New York. It took 8 days and 17 days respectively to be united with our luggage. We flew BA and got extrememly BAD service regarding our 'lost' luggage am soooo