10:10 a.m. flight from Heathrow to US

[ducklite]

There's no congestion charge on Saturdays, so this wouldn't enter into it.

 

"Black cabs" (licensed taxis) don't pay the congestion charge anyway. I'm not sure what minicab companies' policies usually are although the service that I've used to get to and from LHR has never charged extra during congestion charge hours.

 

Thanks--You learn something new every day. :)

[martincath]

I have Global Entry. I just departed LHR. Not sure how, where, or why you think any US issued trusted traveler scheme will get you through any quicker there. i assure you it will not. The only thing that *might* get you a shorter line is a First or business class ticket. And even then unless you are flying BA F, it's a big *might.*

Did you actually *ask* anyone?

 

My assumption was that departure security operates under the same rules & regs as security for in-transit pax, which most certainly DOES allow you access into the priority queue with a Nexus card as I've done it.

 

There was no signage whatsoever as to what documentation was required to allow access to the short queue, so I simply showed my Nexus card and said "I have Nexus membership - can I use this queue?" and was told yes. I had to show my card again to someone else when I got upstairs to the actual scanner area.

 

This happened both directions on the same trip, and two different security staff members OKd me each time without hesitating, saying they had to check with a supervisor, or anything else - which makes me think that either the security staff have horribly bad training or else Nexus is acceptable for trusted traveler status at LHR.

 

Given that US air security policies seem to shape every other country's policies, I don't find it surprising at all that a program involving passing a US background check is acceptable...

[ducklite]

Did you actually *ask* anyone?

 

My assumption was that departure security operates under the same rules & regs as security for in-transit pax, which most certainly DOES allow you access into the priority queue with a Nexus card as I've done it.

 

There was no signage whatsoever as to what documentation was required to allow access to the short queue, so I simply showed my Nexus card and said "I have Nexus membership - can I use this queue?" and was told yes. I had to show my card again to someone else when I got upstairs to the actual scanner area.

 

This happened both directions on the same trip, and two different security staff members OKd me each time without hesitating, saying they had to check with a supervisor, or anything else - which makes me think that either the security staff have horribly bad training or else Nexus is acceptable for trusted traveler status at LHR.

 

Given that US air security policies seem to shape every other country's policies, I don't find it surprising at all that a program involving passing a US background check is acceptable...

 

 

BA F. I had no reason to.

 

By the way, the U.S. is far f I'm being the end all be all with air security. That would be Israel. Fly out if ATH and you will learn a bit about them, as they use an Israel security company for passenger screening there.

[TomTN]

BA F. I had no reason to.

 

By the way, the U.S. is far f I'm being the end all be all with air security. That would be Israel. Fly out if ATH and you will learn a bit about them, as they use an Israel security company for passenger screening there.

 

Sadly, true. Almost unreal.

[ducklite]

Sadly, true. Almost unreal.

 

Sorry about the typo. It should have been "far from being the end all be all."

[Zach1213]

Did you actually *ask* anyone?

 

My assumption was that departure security operates under the same rules & regs as security for in-transit pax, which most certainly DOES allow you access into the priority queue with a Nexus card as I've done it.

 

There was no signage whatsoever as to what documentation was required to allow access to the short queue, so I simply showed my Nexus card and said "I have Nexus membership - can I use this queue?" and was told yes. I had to show my card again to someone else when I got upstairs to the actual scanner area.

 

This happened both directions on the same trip, and two different security staff members OKd me each time without hesitating, saying they had to check with a supervisor, or anything else - which makes me think that either the security staff have horribly bad training or else Nexus is acceptable for trusted traveler status at LHR.

 

Given that US air security policies seem to shape every other country's policies, I don't find it surprising at all that a program involving passing a US background check is acceptable...

 

Interesting. I cannot find anything published or official, so I am curious what the behind-the-scenes decision making process actually is. I always get to use the FastTrack anyways between status and class flown, but have never noticed any signs/placards stating my Global Entry is of any relevance in London or anywhere else. I'm not discounting your experience, but I would love to see something official just for my own curiosity (Not from you, just from Google, which I can't find)

[6rugrats]

Interesting. I cannot find anything published or official, so I am curious what the behind-the-scenes decision making process actually is. I always get to use the FastTrack anyways between status and class flown, but have never noticed any signs/placards stating my Global Entry is of any relevance in London or anywhere else. I'm not discounting your experience, but I would love to see something official just for my own curiosity (Not from you, just from Google, which I can't find)

 

Because GE, as you know, is a program allowing fast track entry into the US. It's a US program at the current time, and has no relevance in other countries.

 

As the Nexus program is for the US & Canada, no idea what the other poster is talking about.

Edited April 1, 2015 by 6rugrats

[fbgd]

Interesting. I cannot find anything published or official, so I am curious what the behind-the-scenes decision making process actually is. I always get to use the FastTrack anyways between status and class flown, but have never noticed any signs/placards stating my Global Entry is of any relevance in London or anywhere else. I'm not discounting your experience, but I would love to see something official just for my own curiosity (Not from you, just from Google, which I can't find)

 

I think the original poster about this is mistaken and was probably just fobbed off by someone who didn't fancy arguing the toss.

 

As you and others say it's an agreement between the US and Canada, the UK has nothing to do with it. Heathrow signage at T5 doesn't indicate anything about Nexus.

 

The Heathrow page has a pretty detailed section about Fast Track with an email address. For the sake of it I dropped them an email to ask. Yes, I'm dodging work at the moment!

 

http://www.heathrowairport.com/heathrow-airport-guide/services-and-facilities/fast-track

 

[Zach1213]

I think the original poster about this is mistaken and was probably just fobbed off by someone who didn't fancy arguing the toss.

 

As you and others say it's an agreement between the US and Canada, the UK has nothing to do with it. Heathrow signage at T5 doesn't indicate anything about Nexus.

 

The Heathrow page has a pretty detailed section about Fast Track with an email address. For the sake of it I dropped them an email to ask. Yes, I'm dodging work at the moment!

 

http://www.heathrowairport.com/heathrow-airport-guide/services-and-facilities/fast-track

 

 

I mean, hey, those signs are always wrong anyways. They use the word "fast", which is usually a huge fat lie ;)

[ducklite]

Maybe the CCR Dragon's need to start managing the Fast Track lanes at LHR. ;)

[martincath]

I think the original poster about this is mistaken and was probably just fobbed off by someone who didn't fancy arguing the toss.

 

As you and others say it's an agreement between the US and Canada, the UK has nothing to do with it. Heathrow signage at T5 doesn't indicate anything about Nexus.

 

The Heathrow page has a pretty detailed section about Fast Track with an email address. For the sake of it I dropped them an email to ask. Yes, I'm dodging work at the moment!

 

http://www.heathrowairport.com/heathrow-airport-guide/services-and-facilities/fast-track

 

I'd also like to see what the official answer is since right now all I can do is go by my own experience which was, as mentioned every time, on the connections rather than departures side of things - but 'fobbed off' is certainly not the right description of my very polite and very brief interactions with four different security staff.

 

Should the official word be that I should not have been allowed to use the fast-track queues I'll take solace in my obviously awe-inspiring charisma and persuasion skills... ;-)

[Globaliser]

This happened both directions on the same trip, and two different security staff members OKd me each time without hesitating, saying they had to check with a supervisor, or anything else - which makes me think that either the security staff have horribly bad training or else Nexus is acceptable for trusted traveler status at LHR.

Seeing as there is no such thing as trusted traveller status at LHR anyway, I'd go for staff who were just doing you a favour, for some reason best known to themselves.

 

As has been said, there are no "trusted traveller" queues at LHR. There are Fast Track queues, whose original intention is speed through security those who are regarded as better customers. In practice, Fast Track at LHR (when available) is open to those flying in premium cabins, (sometimes) those with appropriate frequent flyer status, (sometimes) those who happen to hold a certain type of credit card, and (depressingly often) those non-qualifying passengers whom the security staff decide randomly to allow into the Fast Track queues that day. There's nothing trusted about any of them, given that a first class passenger may be flying for the first time ever in their life. Neither (as has already been observed above) is there necessarily anything fast either about the passengers in the queue or about the queue itself. It's often faster to go through an empty non-Fast Track queue.

 

I've got no idea what the security staff were thinking when they let you use Fast Track that day, except that I'm 99% sure of one thing: it didn't have anything to do with your clearance for anything by any foreign government.

[fbgd]

I mean, hey, those signs are always wrong anyways. They use the word "fast", which is usually a huge fat lie ;)

 

:D

 

I've been lucky. Average of the last say half dozen times I've used Fast Track has been no more than a couple of minutes per time I'd say.

[hobbsie65]

:D

 

I've been lucky. Average of the last say half dozen times I've used Fast Track has been no more than a couple of minutes per time I'd say.

 

Totally agree - I use Heathrow at least once a month & Gatwick more frequently & I can not remember it taking more than a few minutes in Fast Track.

[cassie55]

Because GE, as you know, is a program allowing fast track entry into the US. It's a US program at the current time, and has no relevance in other countries.

 

As the Nexus program is for the US & Canada, no idea what the other poster is talking about.

 

I agree. I work for an airline operating out of t3 at LHR and there's nothing that I'm aware of for Nexus or GE.

[swin26]

I must have been very lucky. I left a Westminster hotel on a Sunday at 8:15 and was at terminal 3 for a noon flight at 8:50. By 9:10 I had checked my bags and was through security, even after having my computer checked in a random search. When they finally posted our departure gate, it was the closest gate to the holding lounge. Now, I just wish my luck would have continued at JFK where Delta cancelled my connecting flight and I had to spend the night in New York on my dime.

[fbgd]

I'd also like to see what the official answer is since right now all I can do is go by my own experience which was, as mentioned every time, on the connections rather than departures side of things - but 'fobbed off' is certainly not the right description of my very polite and very brief interactions with four different security staff.

 

Should the official word be that I should not have been allowed to use the fast-track queues I'll take solace in my obviously awe-inspiring charisma and persuasion skills... ;-)

 

...and the official answer from HAL is:

 

"I am sorry by NEXUS cards are not valid in the UK."

[martincath]

...and the official answer from HAL is:

 

"I am sorry by NEXUS cards are not valid in the UK."

Thanks for finding that out fbgd. I guess Heathrow security minions are even less competent than the ones this side of the pond. I think I'll continue politely showing my card at fast track lanes regardless and see how long I can keep my 100% streak running!

[Globaliser]

I guess Heathrow security minions are even less competent than the ones this side of the pond.

The queue managers who you were dealing with are usually minimum wage temporary staff. That was probably why they didn't have a clue about what it was that you were waving at them.