Heathrow Terminal #4, A Wonderful Experience!
Written: May 08 '05
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: A nice, clean airport with plenty of shopping and food.
Cons: Having to walk up step to board the plane.
The Bottom Line: Heathrow is a huge airport. Immigration has long lines.
|
|
|
| rlesino's Full Review: London Heathrow Airport |
Overview: I just came back from a week visit to London, my third trip to England (March 15-20, 2005). I flew British Airways from Newark, NJ to London Heathrow.
The Arrival:
The Boeing 777 aircraft pulled into Heathrow at 6am and was on time. However, we did not pull into the terminal or a jetway. I guess all the gates were taken and we had to walk down a moveable stairway to a van and be taken to terminal #4.
Immigration and Customs:
The Immigration area is in a sort of big warehouse area. Those visitors not coming from an EU (European Union) country (USA is not part of the EU) have to wait in a massive line. It took about 45 minutes to one hour to get to an immigration officer station. England is going thru a small crisis of many immigrants coming to England and wanting assylum. So, officials are very cautious when clearing anyone. I was asked "why are you here" and "how long will you be staying" and "where will you be staying".
Once thru this step, next was to pick up my luggage and clean customs. No problem here, I went thru the "nothing to declare line", and no one stopped me or asked any questions. However, many people were on either side having their bags searched.
The return:
I used the new Heathrow Express Trains to go into London (Iwas staying in Bayswater which is near Paddington Trains Station). The Heathrow express is modern and fast, a fifteen minute ride to Paddington. Also, the tube station in Heathrow terminal #4 is underconstruction, so the best choice is the Heathrow Express.
At Heathrow for my return trip, I had NO lines at British Airways and the check-in for my flight took only a few minutes. At security I was selected for a full search, and had the choice of an x-ray machine or to be hand search. Because of the x-ray intensity (3 times a normal dental x-ray) I selected the hand method with a wand. This took only a minute and I sailed thru. My backpack was x-rayed by the machine.
Once past security I found a lovely shopping mall inside the terminal #4. Harrod's, perfume stores, chocolate shopes and several restaurants. I selected a seafood counter in the middle of the mall...an amazing menu of fresh salmon; caviars; seafood salads, etc.
I had a glass of champagne and the cold salmon assortment sampler platter with dill sauce. A wonderful plate of four different types of salmons from Scotland; Russia; and Britian. The champagne was excellent. The gentlement next to me had the cold seafood platter and it looked wonderful too...cold octopus; squid' conch and other delights in a light vinegrette.
Terminal #4 has tv monitors and it was easy to find my gate. They also have moving walkways.
My only dissappointment was that, again, we walk thru the jetway and down onto the tarmac and outside to a stair-step devoice outside to board our plane. Good thing it was not raining. How disabled people got on the plane, I do not know?
Well, that was my experience at Heathro a few weeks ago. A nice terminal but some problems with the jetways and having to walk outside. If raining or disabled this could be a real problem.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
rlesino
|
|
Location: Mount Laurel, NJ, USA
Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Retired from Federal Government. Served a Senior Executive.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.