LGW Immigration Queues 15th July 2006

Can anyone advise, arrived on the VS44 on time yesterday, held on tarmac for 15 mins, then at gate doors not opened for another 15 mins then horror of horrors walked to immigration and saw non UK queue with about 2000 yes 2000 people in. Luckily the UK queue was only about 500 persons long took about 15mins to get through. Then luggage hall what a shambles obviously with all these flights and passengers being held up it was a real circus you had to hunt the cases from the piles placed around the hall. Luckily for me my individual ID straps stuck out like dogs ....... and it only took about 10 mins to locate.
WHAT WAS IT ALL ABOUT, AS IS NORMAL THERE IS NO INFORMATION OR ANYONE TO ASK AND THE IMMIGRATION STAFF ARE NOT VERY KEEN ON CONVERSATION OR QUESTIONS TO THEM.Any one heard anything, is this how summer will be?
Steve

Humm. While I am of course suppotive of good immigration checks being made, for it to be so inefficiently organised can do nothing else than create a bad impression on people who are good enough to visit our country. Just look at the comments here by Brits about queues in some US airports. For the luggage hall to be such a shambles can only re-enforce their poor impression.

Such a shame.

I must say we arrived on July 8th into LGW from the VS044 flight and queues were horrendous for EC pasport holders, still maintain there should be a seperate queue for UK passport holders! Must say luggage came off very quickly but it was a bundle to get through the green channel, very congested.

Claire

[mcmbenjamin]

Interesting when the tables have turned is it...

Shhh, there are long lines to enter the UK for non-EU/Swiss peeps. Same on both sides.

little tip for those who dont know.

as you go thru to immigration - 99% of people holding EU passports tend to follow the signs for EU passports.

However as you near the immigration hall, follow the signs for Non -EU. Its a much quicker way to get to the EU line ahead of most passengers on your flight.

Another little hint. If you travel regularly, register for IRIS as soon as you can. I registered for it on my way out to Shanghai the week before last - took 15 minutes to get my eyes photographed. On returning to Heathrow a week later, I went straight to one of the IRIS machines in immigration - no queue at all - and was through in less than 5 seconds.

Wonderful. I think you have to travel more frequently than once every six months to retain a current registration but I could be wrong on that. If you possibly can use it, though, it will potentially save you hours.

Chris