Ask your questions about airport facilities or security to Heathrow airport - £150 voucher to be won ANSWERS BACK

[JustineBMumsnet]

Answers are now back, you can find these here .

Being in an airport can be a challenging experience, especially if you’re with small children who just can’t wait to get to their destination. Ahead of the Easter break, when more families than ever are expected to fly abroad, Heathrow would like you to ask your most pressing questions for making a journey smoother for you and your family. Whether you have questions about airport facilities or activities, or you’d like to better understand security measures, Heathrow’s experts - Amanda and Nicola - would like to help answer your questions.

Here’s what Heathrow have to say: “We know travelling with children can come with its own challenges for busy parents, so we are dedicated to doing all we can to helping you plan and prepare for your journey. We have services like complimentary kids’ eat free meals and dedicated play areas to ensure both parents and children feel as excited as possible when they come through Heathrow.”

So, ask Amanda and Nicola your questions about airport facilities or security by posting them below by the 3rd April. We’ll then choose 20 questions for them to answer and post a link to their responses as soon as possible. All who post a question below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £150 voucher (whether their question is chosen or not).

Here’s some more information on Amanda and Nicola:

Amanda West – Customer Operations Manager
“As part of her job , Amanda develops family-friendly services at Heathrow – including baby changing facilities, and dedicated play areas to keep your children busy ahead of boarding.”

Nicola Tibbles – Security Assurance Manager
“Nicola helps to manage the flow of passengers to ensure family journeys are as smooth as possible.”

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

Hi there. What are the correct procedures for what to remove when going through security e.g. . Shoes? Belts? Etc as in my experience the rules aren't applied consistently so I am never sure exactly what to do in advance - if I did it would speed things up for me , children and all other passengers, and it would also keep everyone safer. Thanks !

Our children were given a pack by the airline on longhawl flight from US. Included flight info and activity sheets. Well appreciated.

Gatwick dies not have playarea well sign posted and we have frequently told families about it.

Queueing with kids is a bit of a nightmare! is there any way to improve or make it quicker with young kids?

Do you provide anything to entertain children whilst waiting to board?

I have an almost 4 year old who is disabled - do you have a Changing Place type facility in a convenient location to enable me to change her safely? Thanks

As we're all aware we can't take liquid through! A problem when you have a new baby!
Are there bottle warming facilities? As I will have to purchase ready made milk from boots...... my daughter likes her milk warm.... not room temp!

Would it be possible to have special family lanes with like a previous poster suggested, special holding areas/ less pressure of other travellers breathing down your neck?

When you have a different surname to your child do they need a letter from other parent?

Do you have any free activities (colouring/activity pack) for children affected by flight delays? Preparing for a flight can be stressful and if a flight is delayed by hours it can be quite costly finding (additional) entertaining distractions in the airport shops!

When we first started travelling with kids it was really confusing to know what to do with them and the buggy at various points of the airport process, e.g. did we have to check the buggy in the hold? If we didn't check it in, when would we have it until? what happens if a kid needs to be searched going through security, are we allowed to wait with them? etc. All obvious to me know having done it many times but not clear when we were first travelling with babies/young kids. Do Heathrow have guidelines for this all available in one place?

I have prostate cancer and carry an NHS card warning about Radiation from Brachytherapy ( internal radio therapy) at Heathrow airport nothing happened when I went through scanners. However AT LA airport I was approached whilst queueing by airport security and he asked had I recently had an operation ( he was carrying some kind of apparatus in his hand, I showed him my card and he escorted me through security. I found this very re-assuring, why did it not happen at Heathrow?

This summer I will be traveling for the first time with my 2 year old daughter and I am quite nervous about the whole experience. Is there any children play area or a possibility to refill the beaker with water? Is there any separate security check for families (I heard it has been introduced at Brussels airport and I think it's a great idea)? How do I prepare my daughter for a security check?

what are the bar prices like?

when arriving back into the country, do you have special lanes for passport control for those who have disabled children?

Why can't we leave buggies up when boarding terminal buses, i've 2 small children and trying to keep them in one place at the same time is frighting!

Are there ques made available to families with children only? long ques can be really difficult with young family!
Are there any security checks for children ?

what do children need to remove when going through security

Would love to have things in place to entertain the children in queues. Like activities, staff talking to children. Maybe tables with lego. Would any of this be possible?

On an internal flight this year, going through security, my phone came out of the scanner in the next person's tray. Luckily she was an honest person who immediately said it wasn't hers. It would have caused us all kinds of trouble if she had just taken it. How can this happen?

What activities are available to keep a child occupied for a few hours before a flight?

Are the play areas open 24/7? It's a useful service but only if it's open when you need it!

Are there any plans to be produce a child friendly pamphlet to let them know what to expect from the whole air travel experience? Something fun and also educational.

What would happen if a child had a meltdown while trying to board the plane?

My daughter got beeped going through the scanner - it turned out to be the bobble in her hair. The staff were not at all child friendly in my opinion and dealt with her in a very grown up and official manner. I understand that we are talking about security here and it is utterly important to keep everyone safe but surely there must be a better way of dealing with issues regarding children. She is absolutely terrified now and starts getting very stressed and upset as soon as we join the queue. It has turned the start of any abroad holiday into a complete trauma for us now!

How / do you ensure that parents can get through security efficiently when there may be items requiring testing or checking, like buggies, milk etc. How are security trained to deal with children if requiring them to take shoes or be patted down due to setting security arch off? How do you check in buggies and how much extra time should be allowed for doing that?