Pregnant - can I used the security fast track lane at Heathrow?

[FluffySliders]

As in the title really! Don’t fancy standing for 30 mins in the queue!

I didn't even know there was a family lane at Birmingham, I've been twice now once when she was 2 & 3 and we've never been pulled out the line

Being pregnant doesn't automatically grant you special privilege.

I have recently been pregnant and not once did I ever except to treated differently. Shock, horror, I stood in queues, stood on my commute into London until I was 37 wks pregnant. I only bring this up because I know how tough these situations can be, but ultimately you've made the choice travel and with that comes queues, busy places and other people.

Being pregnant doesn't mean you should be treated like you are disabled.

Fast track lanes are there for people and families that genuinely need it. Not because it would be more convenient for you to you.

When we flew from Gatwick last year, we joined the family lane as we had an under 5. Staff suggested that as we didn't have a buggy, we would be much quicker using the main lanes as the family one was quite slow.

They don't make disabled people pay. Who said they did? It's incorrect.

The family lane is free at both, but pregnant people don’t qualify. You might get a nice person who lets you through but in general, you’ll be in the normal queue.

It often moves faster anyway, especially if the family in front have a lot of liquids/powders etc to be tested.

You're not disabled or have SEN.
You're just pregnant.

Just queue like everyone else.

If you cant queue for 20 minutes, maybe don't fly. Stay at home and put your feet up.

You are pregnant, but not heavily pregnant or you wouldn’t be able to fly. If you have pregnancy related hip pain/spd I could understand you not wanting to queue but otherwise I am puzzled. You do know women have been having babies for ever don’t you?

you are pregnant….wait in line like every other pregnant person…ffs🙄

Unsure why being pregnant should get you freebies. It’s £5 pay it or queue up.

I think the family lane is only for those with children/those with disabilities, but you can only ask, OP, no harm in that. As others have said, you likely won’t be waiting for long in the normal queue anyway.

Fwiw I’m disabled and a wheelchair user.
id have no issue with you using that fast lane because your issue is your hip pain - a pretty reasonable reason - not the fact you are pg.

‘Not fancying standing in line’ is nowhere near the same

@FluffySliders if you are finding waiting 20mins fir security leaving the U.K, how are you going to cope with the wait for passport control on the other side?

Genuinely, ive always found those queues much longer!

Quite. You're not disabled and you don't actually have a child yet, op 🤷🏻‍♀️

Pregnancy is not a disability. Just fyi...

If there is a queue you could always ask though OP. They might well let you go through.

its not usually too busy but ask for special assistance if you need it at check in

If you can manage a holiday; you can manage a short queue for security. Comparing to disabled people and SEN is pretty disgusting.

Don’t use Bristol. There is no free fast track. I’ve paid for my 4-5 yo son many times

No, you will have to pay. Or choose a Business or First class.
Although this doesn't always guarantee a Fast Track on the other end, wherever you are going.
You see, I choose these options, because I don't "fancy" mingling with people, when forced to fly and take a duty visit to some relatives in another country.
If they were dead already, I wouldn't have to fly.
Everyone is different.

But the reason I have the hip pain is because I am pregnant? I don’t have it otherwise. This attitude so many people on this thread seem to have is that just because you’re pregnant you should just get on with things in pain or just stay at home. I don’t want to stay at home - I want to go out but it would be nice if there was a little understanding that carrying a baby is quite heavy on the hips and back and you might not want to stand for ages. I don’t really see how that’s so unreasonable.
Those that are saying I was 7 months and I was fine blah blah good for you! Wish I was like that in my pregnancies but the fact is many people aren’t so maybe have a little bit of empathy?

Gatwick put access and families through the same queue even if you have pre registered as disabled, this queue can be massive. My autistic DS absolutely cannot cope with this so we have to pay for fast track instead .. its just what we have to do if we want to fly, even though we are entitled to the other way through... we just suck it up... its hardly expensive compared to flights !!

I assumed the OP has SPD/PGP or something similar. Is that not the case? I don't think it's 'special treatment' if she has a reason like that surely?

@Fridgetapas Why you have pain doesn’t matter. What matters is that you are in pain.

In the same way, being pregnant doesn’t equate being in pain or struggling to stand for long etc… I never had any issues during both pg. many women have no issues at all.

Most people will have plenty of empathy if you are in pain. But that’s not the case of the OP. She said herself she just didn’t fancy the queue. She doesn’t have anything else going on. She isn’t ill.

It’s not a question of ‘if you are pregnant, just get on with it’. It’s a question of ‘if you are pregnant AND don’t have any other issue, then you just get in with it’.

Having said that, I suspect you’ve had many people telling you they didn’t have problems therefore you can’t have any either (or you are making it up etc…). In which case, yes it’s crap. And no it’s not ok. It’s not the OP’s case.

If she has, the OP hasn’t mentioned any specific issues or even that she has an issue….

Sorry @Fridgetapas but if you're in pain whilst pregnant, you really shouldn't be going on holiday where you'll need to walk and , actually, do things.
If you need help wheeling from the aeroplane to the sunbed then maybe you shouldn't go abroad?!