nightmare experience flying uk to the u.s

[Collie 122]

I'm back home in Texas! It was a freaking nightmare! I used to love flying but its just not fun anymore. I started at London Gatwick and arrived way early because I know that security is so tight and it takes longer and thought I would actually have a bit of time to shop around. The check in queue took 1 and a half hrs to get through alone! While we queued they did spot checks on peoples back packs and carry on bags and handed out leaflets of what you can and can't take on. You can take ####### all to america I couldn't even get my wee bottle of peach schnapps in duty free after security as planned grrr. The media and I think it was maybe Daily Mail newspaper were also there taking pictures so if anyone in the uk gets the paper you may see me in it. I'll be the blonde girl with the biggest red suit case that of course was over weight !

Anyhow got checked in eventually and then faced the nightmare that was the passport control line . This queue stretched back so far that people were queuing right at the escalator that takes you up to the departure area. First of all everyone had to strictly have 1 bit of carry on that should fit in this small ### wooden box. well, my back pack was stuffed so i had to take out a few wee tops and tie them around my waist and carry my narnia book. I stuffed my bag into the box and the confounded thing wouldn't come out again lol . I looked at the security man and he said well it fit going into it so I'll let you go. After that you have boarding pass and passport control. After that you do the x-ray thingy and random spot baggage check as well as everyone getting a body pat-down. All that took just a few mins short of 2 hours.

Finally got through to departures and went straight to the lounge, had another xray check and pat-down and questions asked and boarded. Sat past the time we were supposed to take off and got that sinking feeling. We had a security alert and it took 1 hour 30 mins before we were cleared to take off and of course all the passengers were rather nervous at exactly what type of security alert it may be, with me included. At this point I'm thinking oh crapola because my connection from Detroit to Dallas was tight as it stood. As we landed it was 6.40pm and my flight to Dallas was at 7.12p.m. By the time my luggage came through the belt it was exactly 7.06 p.m and my case was one of the bloody last ones wouldn't you know! I was hopping foot to fot and pacing like a wild thing. I ran as hard as i could and thankfully was fast tracked at the security points and customs bit, abandoned my case with a Northwest person and ran ran ran! Ive never been to Detroit before and I got on the terminal train and it went the opposite way of the way I was going...I could honestly have cried and was saying no, no, no and hitting the stop button. they probably thought i was demented !. I got to my gate and the door was closed and the lounge empty. I couldnt even talk because i was so out of breath and thrust my ticket at the attendant. The tubey walkway thing was being detached and the door had closed of the airplane. She asked me did i need a medic and I'm puffing going nooooooo I need this flight! I begged and explained out of breath my flight from london was delayed. Thank goodness they let me board. Thats the closest ever ever that Ive made it to missing a flight. I just sank into my seat and started on my inhaler and was shivering all over which i guess was from the adrenaline lol . The NW people were awfully nice and got me water and a blanket. i'm sure I looked like a right state. Anyhow got to dfw and Shannon was waiting for me. We just hugged for ages and it was such a relief to be standing there with him. My suitcase didn't come out, because i was so late but it was put on a flight this morning and arrived this afternoon so all was dandy.

i went and said hi to Kessie my pup when I got back home and she was doing zoomies , she was that happy to see me and then i just conked out in bed. Shannon said I was asleep within minutes!

What an absolutely mad journey but boy was I so glad to be seeing the lights of DFW. I didn't think I was going to see them last night! BIG thumbs up for the people of Detroit. they were soooo sooo nice to me at all points in the airport and I'm going to write an email to Northwest and to Detroit airport saying that I'm very thankful because I'm sure they get more emails and letters of abuse than of thanks.

Thats the first time too ive used my greencard and coming through detroit i was asked how long i stayed in the uk, when did i get married and when did i get my gc..bit odd i thought.

[no name 1]

Strange! I left Gatwick for the States on 8/21 & it wasn't bad at all! I had several extra checks of security but had plenty of time in the airport to wander. And I was only there 2 hours early.

[cheeky^Wolf 0]

Wow what a trip! Glad you made it back

I have a friend flying out from Gatwick this month so I'll pass on your experience to him so he knows what to expect.

Helen

[iceyspots 0]

I'm sorry to hear about your problems but I'm glad you made it home safe! I've done the London Gatwick Detroit flight twice with northwest and it's a long haul...

Warning ---> Check your connection time before you buy a ticket!

[Dr_LHA 3]

Nightmare trip? Sounds par for the course to me!

Come back when you've had either of the following happen to you:

1) Engine on fire, forced landing in Dubai, having to wait on the airplane for 6 hours with just the doors open and no A/C while they fixed it.

2) Sudden decompression of cabin pressure, followed by diving 20,000ft to equalize the cabin pressure, follow by emergency landing (unexpected Vegas trip).

The perils of being a frequent flier!

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Nightmare trip? Sounds par for the course to me!

Come back when you've had either of the following happen to you:

1) Engine on fire, forced landing in Dubai, having to wait on the airplane for 6 hours with just the doors open and no A/C while they fixed it.

2) Sudden decompression of cabin pressure, followed by diving 20,000ft to equalize the cabin pressure, follow by emergency landing (unexpected Vegas trip).

The perils of being a frequent flier!

I can top that. I've had multiple nightmare experiences on ONE flight (the ONLY time I ever took the now-deservedly-defunct Pan-Am).

[Dr_LHA 3]

I can top that. I've had multiple nightmare experiences on ONE flight (the ONLY time I ever took the now-deservedly-defunct Pan-Am).

Do tell.

Oh and I once was delayed 12 hours because 2 seperate flights in my trip were cancelled because "there's a funny smell in the plane". The first time it happened it was funny, if annoying. The 2nd time I was about to explode.

PS: No the smell wasn't me!

Edited September 8, 2006 by dr_lha

[Tim and Bethanie 1]

Tim's flight was delayed three hours out of London Gatwick last Friday, causing a lubberly chain of events to follow. After his take off they changed his connecting flight, and then changed it yet again after I arrived to pick him up, and then he had an additional two hour delay on the last flight out of Atlanta for the evening. What a nightmare. London wouldn't say what the delay was, I just assumed something to do with security since normally if it is a mechanical problem they let you know. Anyway the poor man was going for 27 hours, what a nightmare. He has to fly back at the end of the month for work, maybe he can go through Heathrow instead, I really don't want him going through what he did again if it can be avoided.

[Lou Lou 1]

Strange! I left Gatwick for the States on 8/21 & it wasn't bad at all! I had several extra checks of security but had plenty of time in the airport to wander. And I was only there 2 hours early.

I went through Gatwick recently with no probs. I always get pulled over at least 3 times anyway so it didn't feel any different for me.

Beth - I fly frequently too and would always recommend Gatwick over Heathrow if that's the most convenient for Tim.

[no name 1]

Strange! I left Gatwick for the States on 8/21 & it wasn't bad at all! I had several extra checks of security but had plenty of time in the airport to wander. And I was only there 2 hours early.

I went through Gatwick recently with no probs. I always get pulled over at least 3 times anyway so it didn't feel any different for me.

Beth - I fly frequently too and would always recommend Gatwick over Heathrow if that's the most convenient for Tim.

Yep! LGW is much faster usually. Heathrow's check-in/security lines are insane. If I can avoid it, I will not fly in/out of LHR again!

[Lou Lou 1]

Strange! I left Gatwick for the States on 8/21 & it wasn't bad at all! I had several extra checks of security but had plenty of time in the airport to wander. And I was only there 2 hours early.

I went through Gatwick recently with no probs. I always get pulled over at least 3 times anyway so it didn't feel any different for me.

Beth - I fly frequently too and would always recommend Gatwick over Heathrow if that's the most convenient for Tim.

Yep! LGW is much faster usually. Heathrow's check-in/security lines are insane. If I can avoid it, I will not fly in/out of LHR again!

I with ya. I HATE Heathrow. Gatwick is so much easier to get into town too. I have loads of fast track passes which makes the whole experience even quicker

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

wow!! you're lucky they let you on the plane after the door closed.

[Dr_LHA 3]

Strange! I left Gatwick for the States on 8/21 & it wasn't bad at all! I had several extra checks of security but had plenty of time in the airport to wander. And I was only there 2 hours early.

I went through Gatwick recently with no probs. I always get pulled over at least 3 times anyway so it didn't feel any different for me.

Beth - I fly frequently too and would always recommend Gatwick over Heathrow if that's the most convenient for Tim.

Its funny. I always get the 2:45pm United flight from Heathrow to Dulles, and usually the way I time it, there's no line for check in (although I check in a special line due to frequent flier miles), and the line for security is short. Heathrow is always a pleasant experience for me, unless I'm flying Virgin Atlantic.

[Sister Fracas 5]

Best reason to fly out of Leeds... arrive at check-in 1 1/2 hours before flight...queue 5 minutes, sit around, security queue about half an hour, go shopping at duty-free, sit around and wait until gate is announced 5 minutes before boarding... LOL I hope to never fly in and out of London again... the ONLY thing good about Heathrow is the duty-free shopping!

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I can top that. I've had multiple nightmare experiences on ONE flight (the ONLY time I ever took the now-deservedly-defunct Pan-Am).

Do tell.

Oh and I once was delayed 12 hours because 2 seperate flights in my trip were cancelled because "there's a funny smell in the plane". The first time it happened it was funny, if annoying. The 2nd time I was about to explode.

PS: No the smell wasn't me!

That nightmare flight was in early Sept. 1974 when we were on a summer-vacation visit to India. Our last place (and point of departure for return to Canada) was Delhi. Due to a partial strike (they would fly up to LHR but not "across the pond" to JFK) by Air India, we were shucked into Pan-Am.

The only uneventful leg of that trip (BTW, the aircraft was the very one which blew-up over Lockerbie 14 years later) was from Delhi to Tehran. At next stop (Beirut), we were SUPPOSED to get a quickie-tour but Lebanese soldiers nixed that; so left standing OUTSIDE on parking area for 3 hours, after which it finally took off for Frankfurt, then Heathrow. From Frankfurt to Heathrow, a problem was detected with the landing-gear (which would not retract all-inside) and aircraft flew to Heathrow LANDING-GEAR DOWN).

Somewhere between six and nine hours in waiting lounge at Heathrow (during which I more than once asked my dad to rebook us back to Delhi on Air India to wait-out the strike--FYI, I still consider that this would have been a sensible option), then finally to a hotel for overnight.

Flight to JFK: inflight meal totally inedible (not just by taste, we had ordered a special) and no attempt by Pan-Am to notify Air Canada (to whom we had to connect) of the delay (which meant, no meal on Air Canada to Pearson, thence to Calgary). After landing at Pearson, confusion of customs clearance (we, and our hand luggage cleared at Pearson, checked luggage we had to clear at Calgary--the only part of the whole disaster NOT attributable to Pan-Am).

You recall my earlier point that it was the same aircraft that went down over Lockerbie? It is notable that Pan-Am was operating this (and other) aircraft in a non-flightworthy condition even back then!